In this moving episode of Hope Stories with Sister Josephine, Catholic media pioneer Lisa Wheeler, founder of Carmel Communications in Tyler, Texas, opens her heart about faith, family, and finding God again after walking away from the Church.

Lisa shares her Emmaus moment in Washington, D.C., where a mysterious voice and a miraculous experience at Mass shattered years of spiritual distance. She speaks candidly about adoption, infertility, and the painful search for a faithful Father, both earthly and divine.

Her story weaves through her reversion to the Catholic faith, her work promoting evangelization through film and media (The Passion of the Christ), her devotion to Pope St. John Paul II, and the creation of Veritatis Splendor, an intentional Catholic community born out of the trials of the pandemic.

Together, Sister Josephine and Lisa explore what it means to hurt in the Church and still remain faithful, discovering that true healing comes through surrender, community, and the steadfast love of God the Father.

This episode is sponsored by the University of Dallas.

Get a free college discernment guide and learn more about Sr. Josephine’s alma mater, the University of Dallas. CLICK HERE

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/

In this deeply moving episode of Hope Stories, Sister Josephine sits down with Samantha Povlok, founder of FemCatholic, mother of four, and survivor of religious trauma, to explore the raw and courageous journey of healing after childhood abuse that was intertwined with her Catholic formation.

Samantha shares how her experience of trauma, faith, and motherhood pushed her to the edge of her relationship with the Church, and how God is patiently, powerfully, and gently walking with her as she finds her way back. This conversation touches on the power of anger, the need for accountability, and the profound truth that healing doesn’t come from erasure, but from encountering reality with Christ.

If this episode resonated with you, or if you’re walking your own road of healing, please share it with someone who needs to hear:
You’re not a problem. You’re a gift. And you are not alone.

Links:

• FemCatholic
• The GIVEN Forum

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 and deeply moving episode of Hope Stories, Sister Josephine Garrett is joined by June Jameson, a Catholic artist and mother of nine, to share her story of crisis, suffering, and ultimately, spiritual restoration.

From the outside, June’s life appeared “perfect," a faithful Catholic family, a thriving home, and beautiful children. But when one of her pre-teen sons suddenly developed severe and unexplainable psychiatric symptoms, June's entire world unraveled. The suffering of her child and the impact on her entire family led her to step away from Mass and wrestle with deep anger toward God, questioning how a loving Father could allow such pain.

June speaks with rare honesty about what it felt like to scream at God, to feel utterly abandoned, and to be met with silence. Yet, through the compassion of friends, the support of a Catholic community, and an unexpected coffee shop conversation with another mother carrying a similar cross, she began to find her way back—not just to church, but to a radically new understanding of God, the Cross, and herself.

This episode is a testimony to the grace that breaks through in the darkest places, the redemptive power of suffering, and how God uses brokenness to birth beauty, including through June’s now-sacred vocation as an artist whose work touches the hearts of many.

June's Bio:

June Jameson is an independent artist who creates large oils on canvases for galleries, churches, hospitals, and private collections. June has developed a unique style that blends her strong Catholic faith with her impressionist paintings. June earned her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Florida. Many of her original paintings are represented by the Sacred Art Gallery in Arizona and several of her images are available to license for liturgical use through the Diocesan Library of Art. June has had a collection of original works published by Ave Maria Press in a book entitled 'Wilderness Within' by Sister Josephine Garrett. Currently, June has been commissioned to paint all twenty mysteries of the Rosary by a Catholic nonprofit. She lives in Ocala, Florida with her husband and nine children and prints of her work can be found at junejameson.com

Links:

• June's Website
• June's Instagram

Thank you to our episode sponsor, the University of Dallas. Click here for a 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/