Journey Home

In Eduardo Faria’s experience as a Presbyterian pastor in Brazil, he was deeply in love with his faith and passionate about teaching it. But when some significant questions about the nature of the early Church and Christian authority led him to explore Catholicism, it also raised many questions about what this might mean for his ministry, his family, and where God might be calling him now after years of Protestant ministry.

Fr. Jerry Byrd was raised Baptist, and had a strong interest in music. When a high school friend announced they were becoming Catholic, he decided to go to Mass to see what it was all about. Having played music in his Baptist church, he was drawn immediately to the beauty of the liturgy, and the truth of the Eucharist. He decided to enter the Church, and ended up discerning a vocation to the priesthood.

Everett Franklin was a US Army chaplain for twenty years, serving on behalf of the Church of God (Cleveland, TN). His family had been in that particular Pentecostal denominational for four generations, so it was surprising to him that over time, his desire to grow deeper in his Christian faith kept leading him more and more toward discovering the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and a home in the Catholic Church.

A strong Christian who served as a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene and nondenominational settings, Chuck Gaidica was also a successful TV anchor who began to understand the truth and beauty of Catholicism, and eventually, through questions about the nature of ministry, and the influence of fellow Catholic journalists, felt called home to the Catholic Church.

Elvis Gutierrez was raised Catholic, but as a young man, was living a reckless lifestyle. When the 9/11 attacks happened, he was serving as an EMT in New York City, and those events marked a major turning point in his life. He began over time to connect with strong spiritual mentors, who helped him heal from some of the hidden wounds he'd been carrying, and find peace in Jesus Christ and His Church.

Jeremy Rivera was raised Catholic, but left the faith at 18. In college, he was at a low point when he was invited to an Evangelical church; he ended up plugging into a Bible study, and began to experience a major turnaround in his life. Jeremy went on to attend seminary, and eventually pastored in Hawaii, California, and Denver. However, he began to be troubled at all the different expressions of Christianity he saw around him, and knew there had to be a true, authoritative version of Christianity. His desire to seek that out led him back to the Catholic Church.

Becca Dickerson always knew she'd be using her gifts to serve God in some way, but as an Evangelical Christian, she had difficulty discerning what shape that might take. Some of her friendships and experiences in ministry, especially during her time at Asbury College, began to open her up to the idea of the Catholic Faith, to the point where she could no longer sit on the fence about it; she knew she had to enter the Church.

Trapped in an abusive marriage, Pam Mings questioned her Baptist teachings. A friend turned her on to Catholicism, where she discovered St. Maria Goretti, patron of abused people.

Ellen went to Presbyterian, Baptist and nondenominational churches, while Gregory was an unenthusiastic Catholic. Their marriage resulted in his vocation and led her to the Church.

Fr. Ken Geraci grew up Catholic, but left the faith as a young man. He chased after fortune in the business world, eventually founding a highly successful software company. Unable to find happiness in all the ways he though would bring fulfillment, he revisited the idea of faith, coming back first to belief in God, then in Christianity, and eventually back to the Catholic Church. As part of that journey back, he recognized a call to the priesthood with the Fathers of Mercy.

Lee and Valiree Sondeno share how the COVID shutdowns caused them to reconsider the life of Pentecostal music ministry they'd devoted themselves to and begin to consider the claims of the Catholic Church.

Monica Anyango grew up Catholic in Uganda, but drifted from her faith. When she found herself a single mom in the United States, her desire to create some kind of structure in her life led her to revisit the disciplines and teachings of the Catholic Church she’d walked away from. The role of Mary was especially important in helping Monica establish a new spiritual compass and a new perspective on motherhood.

Matt and Rachel Sheils were Salvation Army officers who began to ask questions about the foundations of authority, morality, and the nature of what it meant to be part of a worshipping community. They took some time off to reflect on these questions and dive more deeply into Scripture, and in doing so, found themselves surprisingly drawn to the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church.

JonMarc Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.

Jack Williams, who serves as General Manager of EWTN Radio, shares his complicated path to the Catholic Church, from an on-fire "born again" conversion as a young man, through family struggles and eventually to the Catholic Church, through the persistent prayers of loved ones who never gave up on him. Some of you may also be familiar with the work of Jack's wife, Johnette Williams, host of EWTN's Women of Grace. Be sure to catch Jack's story!

John Bacon was raised Southern Baptist, and went to Beeson Divinity School. That seminary formation introduced him to the Church Fathers, and rather than going all the way to Catholicism, he discerned a call to priesthood as an Anglican. Several circumstances, including the onset of COVID-19, caused him to reconsider the meaning of his vocation, and where he was truly called to be. For John and his wife, the intercession of Mary and the saints -- especially St. Boniface -- were the final thing that really convinced them they needed to become Catholic.

Dan Venezia grew up Catholic, but didn't pay much attention to matters of faith; he was busier chasing a dream to play pro baseball. He ended up in the minor leagues with the Twins organization, and made some solid Christian friends along the way, but it was when that dream fell apart -- and especially when his world was turned upside down by COVID -- that Dan had a major conversion that would make him finally start taking his faith seriously.

Raised with a strong sense of right and wrong but no sense of Catholicism, Jeffrey Kirby’s faith caught fire. His search for a closer relationship with Jesus led to the priesthood.

Baptized a Catholic, Phillip Campbell grew spiritually hungry in his teens, and spent time in Protestant congregations. But he came back to his faith and reunited with his family.

Greg Willits grew up Catholic. His wife was in the Worldwide Church of God. After their child was baptized, they both had profound awakenings especially in regard to the Eucharist.