JOY Alive in Our Hearts

The joy of conversion, Christian community, and the Catholic faith

Category: vocations

Catholic / Conversion / Jesus / Joy / Mary / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story / vocations

Two Living Encounters

I grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, attending Catholic grade and high schools run by the School Sisters of St. Francis. The Sisters all wore habits down to the floor and, from the time I was little, I felt there was some mysterious personal connection between the Sisters and me. A few Sisters weren’t kind, and I saw some real displays of temper, but so many of the Sisters communicated genuine love. I always felt that I was going to be a Sister.
Then all the changes came and I watched the Sisters go from habits to street clothes. Soon they were out the door, leaving their vocations behind.

Catholic / Community / Living Your Faith / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story / vocations

The Spirit of Simple Obedience

This little Visit with Jesus changed my life.  I left with the conviction that He was asking me to be a Sister.  What that meant, I really had very little idea.  I didn’t know a lot about religious life.  I didn’t know what kind of community I would enter, what I would do, or where I should turn.  What I did have, after this initial “call,” was the conviction that “if this is what God is asking me to do, then I’ll do it.” 

Books / Catholic family / Catholic Writers Guild / Living Your Faith / Spiritual Warfare / vocations

CWG: Bread Upon the Waters – an authentic adventure

Although Tien, as a child, knew he would be a priest, this dream was not just a fleeting aspiration but a sure calling. His courage and perseverance never wavered through unspeakable torment. Bread Upon the Water is quite an inspiring tale of intrigue, deception, clever tactics and trust in God. Humanness emerges from the pages in many scenes. Tien’s mother, Pham Toa fascinates me. I can see where he gets his strong-willed spirit—and his gentle generosity. She’s not afraid to stand up to the soldiers by spitting on them when they confiscate her wares in the marketplace. She walks for days to bring food to her imprisoned husband and takes in relatives and friends in need. Stoically she tells two of her sons goodbye, perhaps forever, for their chance to find freedom far away from their homeland.

Got Joy?

Conversion / Fr. Bob Hilz / Joy / Reviews / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story / vocations

Got Joy? Latest posts 11-8-19

JoyAlive.net features Deanna Klingel with her conversion story: I told my new husband, I don’t really know what it is that holds the Catholics so together, but whatever it is, I need some; her book, Bread Upon the Waters, the true story of Father Tien Duong, a Catholic priest who grew up in the strife and hardship of Communist Vietnam. In Fr. Bob Hilz’ The forgiving love of Jesus, he comments: If you are reading Joy Alive, I know that you have met Jesus!