01 | Faith Born from Grief: My Catholic Testimony | Losing My Parents & Finding God

Episode Summary What does it take to truly find your faith? For Jessica Diaz, it took losing both of her parents — 30 days apart — in January 2022. In this very first episode of A Catholic Journey, Jessica shares her personal testimony. She grew up Catholic in name but never really practiced the faith — Easter Mass here, Ash Wednesday there, no Bible, no real relationship with God. It wasn't until grief brought her to her knees that she finally heard Him calling. She shares the moment she walked into her church alone for the very first time, lit two candles in front of the Blessed Mother, sat down in a pew, and just cried — and how that one quiet act set off a chain reaction that changed everything.   If you've ever felt distant from God, distant from your faith, or like grief has completely hollowed you out — this episode is where the journey begins. In This Episode, You'll Hear: ⭐ Jessica's testimony — growing up as a surface-level Catholic and what that really looked like ⭐ The moment grief cracked her open — losing both parents 30 days apart and feeling like an orphan at 41 ⭐ The quiet nudge that changed everything — how God called her back to church one school drop-off morning at a time ⭐ Why she decided to complete her Confirmation as an adult — and why she once couldn't wait to skip it ⭐ How faith and grief intertwine — and why finding God didn't cancel out her grief, it just changed how she carries it Scripture Referenced in This Episode Psalm 34:18 Matthew 11:28 Resources Mentioned 🎙️ The Bible in a Year Podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz 📖 Ascension Press Bible (affiliate link — Jessica receives a small commission at no cost to you) Listener Reflection Is there a nudge on your heart that you've been ignoring? What would happen if you just showed up — even if you didn't know what to say or do? 🙏🏻 Enjoyed This Episode? If this episode touched your heart, it would mean so much if you: ✔️ Subscribed to A Catholic Journey ✔️ Left a review — it helps others who need this find the podcast ✔️ Shared this episode with someone walking through grief or searching for their way back to God Let's Stay Connected 📱 Instagram: instagram.com/mimi.and.manuel 🌐 Newsletter & more: mimiandmanuel.com 💌 Email Jessica: [email protected] 🙏🏻 Where Jesus leads the way, we are called to follow.