A Catholic Journey

💻 WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/NZOnp0t-o8k
 
🆘 If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out. Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or visit 988lifeline.org. You are not alone.
In this episode of A Catholic Journey, I sit down with Monica Brown to talk about what it was like to lose her father to suicide at age 11—and how that grief shaped the rest of her life.
We explore the impact of childhood trauma, the silence around mental illness, and the ways Monica has found healing through faith, therapy, art, and community. Whether you're carrying grief yourself or want to better support someone who is, this episode holds space for honesty, hope, and healing.
🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
What it’s like to lose a parent to suicide at a young age
The pressure to “be okay” and how trauma shapes identity
How faith, creativity, and movement can help us carry grief
📖 Scripture Reflections:
Psalm 34:18 – "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted…"
Romans 8:18 – “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing…”
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 – "…so that we can comfort those in any trouble"
🛠️ Resources Mentioned:
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 or text 838255
Monica's website: https://studio314mb.wixsite.com/monicabrown
Monica Brown's Substack – https://studio314bymb.substack.com/
Follow Monica on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/studio314.mb/
Check out Monica's senior thesis show photos, expressing her grief: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.531594803157&type=3
Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who might need it.
Let’s Stay Connected!
If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:
✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey
✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)
✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻

Episode SummaryIn this episode of A Catholic Journey, I share what it was like to lose both my parents and, with them, my sense of home and foundation. I talk about feeling orphaned as an adult, how grief reshaped my faith, and how God became my anchor in the midst of loss.
If you’re navigating grief, loss, or questions of faith, this episode offers comfort and hope.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
🤍 Why losing my parents felt like losing home🤍 How my faith helped me through grief🤍 Practical ways I kept moving forward
Bible Verse of the Episode:📖 John 14:18 - I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.
Let’s Stay Connected!✨ If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻

Episode Summary:
What happens when the spiritual high of confirmation fades—and you're left asking, “Now what?” In my case, you sit in your car, and hit record—because sometimes the front seat is the quietest chapel a mom can find.
In this personal and honest solo episode, I open up from my mobile recording studio (a.k.a. my car) about the post-confirmation slump I've been navigating. From feeling spiritually bored, overwhelmed by options, and unsure what’s next—to rediscovering that motherhood is a sacred vocation—this is a real-time reflection on choosing God daily, even when the fire feels dim.
If you've ever felt distant from your faith, this episode will remind you: you're not alone—and you're not as far as you think.
 
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
✅ What post-confirmation spiritual dryness can feel like✅ Why overwhelm can lead to inaction in our faith lives✅ How the enemy uses distraction and doubt to create distance✅ A reminder that motherhood is a sacred vocation, not a detour
 
Bible Verses of the Episode:📖  James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
 
Resources from Todays Show:
Hallow App for Catholic prayer and meditations: https://hallow.com
Bible in a Year Podcast (Fr. Mike Schmitz): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bible-in-a-year-with-fr-mike-schmitz/id1539568321
 
Let’s Stay Connected!✨ If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻

📱You can watch this episode on Youtube as well here https://youtu.be/s5OBQ0UXWvQ
 
Episode Summary:
In honor of PTSD Awareness Month, this episode of A Catholic Journey shines a light on the often unseen and misunderstood effects of trauma. I sit down with trauma-informed writer and grief coach Katy Parker. Katy opens up about the life-altering accident that led to her PTSD diagnosis and how it became the catalyst for her healing journey. We talk about the weight of grief, the unseen layers of living losses, and the importance of sharing your story. This conversation is an invitation to those navigating pain to know they are not alone—and that healing can happen even in the messiness of life.
 
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
✅ How a traumatic accident led Katy to rediscover her love of writing and create Journey of Smiley
✅ Understanding PTSD and the value of naming our pain
✅ The hidden burden of secondary grief and unmet expectations
 
Bible Verses of the Episode:📖 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
 
About Katy Parker:
Katy Parker is a grief and loss coach, trauma survivor, and mental health mentor dedicated to helping people heal from invisible grief and trauma through storytelling and community. Creator of the Journey of Smiley blog and PTSD: My Story Project, Katy blends lived experience, education, and faith to inspire healing, hope, and growth beyond survival.
Connect with Katy and access her free resource, 7 Keys To Self-Healing: A Trauma Survivor’s Guide, to begin your own healing journey.
 
Resources from Todays Show:
Connect with Katy Parker:🌐 Blog: https:// www.journeyofsmiley.com
💻 Substack: https://katyparker.substack.com
✉️ Email: smiley@journeyofsmiley.com
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeyofsmiley
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofsmiley
📌 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/journeyofsmiley
🎵 TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@journeyofsmiley
📚 Free Guide: 7 Keys To Self-Healing :Free Trauma Survivor's Guide on journeyofsmiley.com (subscribepage.io)
All freebies: https://journeyofsmiley.com/free-resources-journeyofsmiley
 
Let’s Stay Connected!✨ If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻

Episode Summary:In this heartfelt episode of A Catholic Journey, I open up about some of the most powerful, quiet ways God has moved in my life since losing both of my parents in 2022. Grief may have been the beginning of the pain—but it also became the beginning of a deeper relationship with God.
🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
✅Changing My Business Name:How God’s voice led me to rename my business, giving it new purpose and direction.
✅The Call to Create a Grief Journal:Feeling prompted by God to develop a grief journal to support others walking through grief.
✅Completing My Confirmation:The unexpected and powerful journey of answering God’s call to complete my Catholic confirmation and connect deeper with my faith community.
🕊️ Bible Verses of the Episode:
📖 John 10:27 - "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me."
📚 Resources from Todays Show:
➡ OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)  
OCIA is the process by which adults are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life. It is the updated name for what was formerly known as RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, I recommend contacting your local parish directly. They can provide details about their specific OCIA programs, schedules, and any upcoming sessions.
🎧 Follow my friend Audrey's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aligned-podcast-with-audrey-diaz/id1715301787
Let’s Stay Connected!✨ If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻

** You can watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/hC3cXsjx2yQ **
Episode Summary:
In this heartfelt episode of A Catholic Journey Podcast, host Jessica invites her close friend Alicia Corven to discuss grief and its profound impact on everyday life. The conversation delves into personal stories of loss, coping mechanisms, and the societal expectations surrounding grief. Alicia shares her decade-long experience with multiple losses, including the recent passing of her dad, and how it has shaped her outlook on life and career. The episode emphasizes the importance of discussing grief openly, finding ways to honor loved ones, and the role of faith in the healing process.
 
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ How grief doesn’t stay in the past—it walks with us✅ Navigating everyday moments that feel heavy with loss✅ Encouragement for grieving hearts to take small, grace-filled steps
 Resources from Todays Show:
Learn more about the work Alicia Corven does here: https://www.themediaalmanac.com
In this episode I mentioned a few Instagram accounts that I found helpful in my own grief journey:📱Untangled Grief: https://www.instagram.com/untanglegrief
📱The Dead Dad’s Club: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialdeaddadclub
📱Daughter of an Angel: https://www.instagram.com/daughterofanangel__
📱Mark Lemon: https://www.instagram.com/marklemonofficial
📌 Online Grief Support🫶🏼GriefShare – Faith-based grief recovery groups: https://www.griefshare.org/
🫶🏼What’s Your Grief – Practical and emotional support : https://whatsyourgrief.com/
🫶🏼Modern Loss – Honest conversations on grief: https://modernloss.com/
✝️ Faith-Based Resources🙏🏻 Faith & Grief Ministries: https://www.faithandgrief.org/
A Christian-based nonprofit offering grief support gatherings, retreats, and devotionals. Rooted in scripture and open to Catholics and all Christians.
🙏🏻 Red Bird Ministries: https://www.redbird.love/
Catholic grief support specifically for parents who have lost a child—from pregnancy loss to adult children. Offers virtual programs, retreats, and parish resources.
🙏🏻 Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents: https://www.emfgp.org
A Catholic ministry that offers spiritual retreats and online resources for grieving parents. Endorsed by many dioceses across the U.S.
✨Let’s Stay Connected!
✨
If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:
✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey
✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)
✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻

Episode Summary:In this very first episode of A Catholic Journey, I’m sharing my personal testimony—how grief brought me back to my Catholic faith. Growing up, I was Catholic in name, but I wasn’t truly practicing. Faith was more of a tradition than a lived experience. It wasn’t until I lost my parents that I began seeking God in a deeper way.
Join me as I reflect on the pivotal moments that led me back to my faith in a deeper way. I’ll also share why I decided to complete my Confirmation as an adult and what this journey means for me today. If you’ve ever felt distant from your faith or wondered how grief and suffering can bring us closer to God, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
✅ My journey through loss and how grief changed my faith✅ The moment I truly turned to God✅ Why I decided to complete my Confirmation as an adult✅ A Bible verse that has given me strength
Bible Verses of the Episode:📖 Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
📖 Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
 
Resources from Todays Show:✝️ Check out the Bible In A Year Podcast: https://media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/bibleinayear/
📖 Check out the bible I use from Ascension Press (If you purchase from this link, I receive a small commission): https://amzn.to/3EoKZ8n
 
 
Let’s Stay Connected!✨ If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.

Welcome to A Catholic Journey—a podcast about navigating life after loss, leaning on God in times of suffering, and finding hope through faith. 
Whether you’re grieving, rediscovering your faith, or simply looking for encouragement, you’re not alone. Let’s walk this path together—one step at a time.
Subscribe now and stay tuned for new episodes!
 
Let’s Stay Connected!✨ If this episode touched your heart, don’t forget to:✔️ Subscribe to A Catholic Journey✔️ Leave a kind review (it helps others find the podcast!)✔️ Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today
📱 Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel
🌐 Learn more or get on the newsletter: https://mimiandmanuel.com
💻 I would love to hear from you, email me: mimiandmanuel@gmail.com
 
🙏🏻 Remember, where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.🙏🏻