Hope Stories with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

***This podcast deals with mature topics such as personal struggles, abuse, or trauma. Certain episodes may not be appropriate for sensitive ears.***  In this episode of Hope Stories, Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, sits down with Kelly Breaux, co-founder of Red Bird Ministries, to share her powerful story of loss, faith, and healing. Kelly and her husband, Ryan, endured the unimaginable pain of losing two of their three children, an experience that left her reeling in grief, angry at God, and distant from the Church. In her honesty, Kelly reveals how being in a state of mortal sin gave the enemy leverage in her life and marriage, deepening her suffering. Yet, through the grace of a Cursillo retreat, she encountered Christ anew, discovering that He had never abandoned her, even in her darkest moments. Out of this journey was born Red Bird Ministries, a Catholic apostolate accompanying grieving parents with holistic care: faith, therapy, peer support, and sacramental life. In this conversation, Kelly’s tears, honesty, and hard-won wisdom testify to the hope that even in the most crushing grief, God is present and healing is possible. Links:  Red Bird Ministries – Official Website Red Bird Ministries – Founders (Ryan & Kelly Breaux) Red Bird Ministries – Instagram This episode is sponsored by Sister Josephine's alma mater: The University of Dallas.  Free Guide on Discerning College Choices from the University of Dallas Journey to a new depth of hope, even in seemingly impossible circumstances, with Sr. Josephine in her new book HOPE: An Invitation. Available at osvcatholicbookstore.com. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations. Learn more about Sr. Josephine at: https://nazarethcsfn.org/ https://www.instagram.com/sr_josephine/

***This podcast deals with mature topics such as personal struggles, abuse, or trauma. Certain episodes may not be appropriate for sensitive ears.***  When Emily Frase started blogging, she didn’t expect to become one of the boldest voices challenging the way the Catholic Church talks about Natural Family Planning (NFP). In this episode, Emily sits down with Sister Josephine to share the deeply personal story behind her ministry, Total Whine, a story marked by traumatic births, spiritual darkness, raw honesty, and a long road toward healing. Emily speaks candidly about: Leaving the Church as a college student and her return Feeling abandoned by God after two traumatic C-sections How well-meaning NFP messaging left her feeling ashamed, isolated, and broken Her struggle with a distorted image of God as a “sadist” Finding healing through therapy, community, and a powerful encounter with the Blessed Mother This is not a neat testimony. It’s messy. It’s honest. And it’s full of the kind of grace that only comes when shame is scattered by the light of truth. Whether you’ve wrestled with NFP, struggled with Church teaching, or sat in the ache of unanswered prayers, this story will stay with you. Links:  Website: totalwhine.com Substack: totalwhine.substack.com Instagram: @totalwhine_ Coaching and NFP Resources: totalwhine.com/coaching, USCCB NFP Resources Listen to Emily on Like A Mother with Katie McGrady  This episode is sponsored by Sister Josephine's alma mater: The University of Dallas. Click here to listen to Sister Josephine’s Commencement Address and for more information from the University of Dallas. Journey to a new depth of hope, even in seemingly impossible circumstances, with Sr. Josephine in her new book HOPE: An Invitation. Available at osvcatholicbookstore.com. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations. Learn more about Sr. Josephine at: https://nazarethcsfn.org/ https://www.instagram.com/sr_josephine/

***This podcast deals with mature topics such as personal struggles, abuse, or trauma. Certain episodes may not be appropriate for sensitive ears.***  In this heartfelt episode of Hope Stories, Sister Josephine welcomes Noelle Garcia, Catholic speaker, mom of six, and ministry veteran, for a powerful conversation about worship, wounds, and staying when it would have been easier to walk away. Noelle opens up about experiencing deep pain and disillusionment while working in the Church, from parish silence in the face of her vulnerability to the pressures of tying her livelihood to ministry. She shares how she and her husband David wrestled with the decision to stay Catholic, how they redefined worship, and how the grace to “keep showing up” has shaped their faith journey. Together, they dive into: What happens when Church wounds break your trust Rebuilding community when the parish falls short Being a disciple who creates Christian community—intentionally The tension between ministry and financial survival How worship is making a gift of yourself—even in pain Forgiveness, friendship, and faith in the broken Body of Christ Noelle reminds us: You are not less of a gift because you’ve been wounded. Her story is an offering of hope for anyone who’s ever been hurt by the Church—and stayed anyway. Journey to a new depth of hope, even in seemingly impossible circumstances, with Sr. Josephine in her new book HOPE: An Invitation. Available at osvcatholicbookstore.com. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations. Learn more about Sr. Josephine at: https://nazarethcsfn.org/ https://www.instagram.com/sr_josephine/

***This podcast deals with mature topics such as personal struggles, abuse, or trauma. Certain episodes may not be appropriate for sensitive ears.***  In this powerful episode, Sister Josephine welcomes Father Thomas Berg, Ph.D., priest of the Archdiocese of New York, professor, author, and former member of the Legionaries of Christ. His deeply personal and courageous testimony explores what it means to stay in the Church after profound betrayal, spiritual abuse, and disillusionment. Together, Sister Josephine and Fr. Berg unpack the realities of suffering within the Church, what happens when trust is broken, and how healing can begin. This conversation explores how the Church, wounded and wounded others, can still become a source of hope, charity, and joy. Fr. Berg shares what nearly caused him to leave the priesthood and why he stayed, reminding all of us that Christ’s resurrected body still bears wounds, and so can we. If you've been hurt in the Church, or know someone who has, this episode is for you. We ask the intercession of St. Thomas the Apostle, patron of this season of Hope Stories, to pray for all those who have experienced pain in the Church. Links: Hurting in the Church by Fr. Thomas Berg (OSV Books)  Fr. Berg’s Writings at Catholic Digest Fr. Berg on X Fr. Thomas Berg – St. Joseph’s Seminary Faculty Fr. Berg – McGrath Institute at Notre Dame Journey to a new depth of hope, even in seemingly impossible circumstances, with Sr. Josephine in her new book HOPE: An Invitation. Available at osvcatholicbookstore.com. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations. Learn more about Sr. Josephine at: https://nazarethcsfn.org/ https://www.instagram.com/sr_josephine/