💻 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.🙏🏻

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.

In this episode of A Catholic Journey, 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.

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.🙏🏻

n this episode, I sit down with Alicia Corven, a long-time friend and fellow griever and we open up about how grief continues to move through everyday life and how we can honor it without letting it define us. Whether you’re in the thick of loss or walking alongside someone who is, this episode is an invitation to acknowledge the reality of grief while still reaching for hope, healing, and even peace in the midst of everyday life.

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.

Welcome to A Catholic Journey—a podcast about navigating life after loss, leaning on God in times of suffering, and finding hope through faith. Join me as we explore how faith can carry us through hardship, how to find peace after loss, and how to live with purpose, even in the midst of pain. 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!