Faith Hakesley
 

There is something people rarely talk about after someone dies. The after.

+JMJ+ Suffering is not something we seek. Even when we love God deeply, and even when we want to trust Him completely, suffering can still takes us by surprise. Whether suffering has come to us, someone we care about, or even a stranger, it interrupts our plans, takes away our sense of safety, and causes us to ask questions. I have lived long enough to know this firsthand. A priest once tried to destroy me. For a time, he nearly succeeded. That is not something I write lightl

+JMJ+ To the ancient Romans, the cross was a tool of terror. It was the most shameful and brutal death imaginable, and it was reserved...

The past week has felt unbearably heavy.

+JMJ+ I’ll be honest with you: I’m sick of this. As a survivor of clerical abuse, every new scandal involving any known Church figure (priest, nun, influencer, etc.) can feel like someone ripping the scab off an old wound. It’s “one more thing” that shakes trust, reopens pain, and leaves many of us asking, How much more can we take? The recent scandal surrounding Catholic apologist Alex Jurado (known online as “Voice of Reason”) has been just that. His public denial of serio

+JMJ+ I’m into my third trimester of pregnancy with our sixth baby, and it’s safe to say this has been the most stretching season of my life (both literally and figuratively). Every pregnancy brings its own set of challenges, but this one has been especially difficult—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m exhausted in every sense of the word. It’s been a season of deep suffering, of uncertainty, and of navigating change. A season that has required me to come out of my

I’ve seen too many Catholics walk away from the Church over hard truths.