Profiles in Discipleship are stories of real people, Catholics who have encountered Christ, and had their lives change. They are students, businessmen, parents—ordinary people like you. Their stories provide insight into bringing Jesus into the struggles of everyday living. They are people who’ve tried to go it alone and have come up empty. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, solace for the searching, inspiration to the unfulfilled, and encouragement to the faithful. These people found hope, peace, and fulfillment. You can have it too.
Pope Saint John Paul II spoke often of the need to entrust our entire life to the Lord, but many people find it hard to understand what that means. The Office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship is producing these videos with the hope of inspiring all kinds of people to take a step of faith and entrust their life more confidently to the Lord. Watch the videos. Then take it a step further, and share the videos with friends who might be touched by the message. Put them on your Facebook page, Twitter, and send them to friends by e-mail. Share these films with friends and have a conversation about what it means to discover your purpose in life. Talk to people in your parish about them, especially young people who are still on the threshold of faith.
Jeff bought into a godless worldview in college. He went to the top of his field professionally, but his anxiety was off the charts, and he walked away from it all. One day he was listening to the radio when he heard something that changed everything. Jeff Casey Film
Chris was a Catholic school kid, an altar boy, and even a Catholic summer camp counselor. But he was still what St John Paul would have called "a Christian at risk." (NMI 34) Even with all that in the background, he nearly fell through the cracks in college. He reluctantly accepted the insistent invitation of a friend to come to Mass. This led to a life-changing encounter with Jesus. Chris Waite Film
Mary had a promising soccer career. It became her whole identity. Then an injury became the catalyst to a great discovery. Mary Williams Film
Alex's Catholic faith went off the rails in high school. Lost and depressed he asked God for a favor. The answer was life changing. Alex Hilton Film
Mike grew up in the Church, and though he did the right things, he always felt like something was missing. Sitting on a bridge in Pittsburgh one day, he heard God speak to him about what the future held. Mike Ihnat Film
Leslie encountered Jesus in a powerful way when she was still in high school, but college put a damper on things. Then her brother dropped a book in her lap. What she learned may shock you. Leslie Ogar Film
Chris was a good Catholic guy who knew it all, and who did many good things, but didn't really have a relationship with the Lord. He kept himself very busy, to avoid noticing that he had a deep empty hole in his life. But then, he did something radical. He opened the door to God. Chris Scaperlanda Film
Janna Clare was always happy in her Catholic faith. When life got tough, the Lord took it to a new level. Janna Clare Film
Matthew Grover started high school trying to fit in with the cool crowd. Just when it started to work, his parents dropped a bomb. It was the best thing that ever happened. Matthew Grover Film
For Madeline Mahoney, religion was just a grade in school. She lost interest in her faith after high school. She sought fame, fortune and an exciting life as an actress, but it still left her empty. Happiness came from an entirely unexpected source. Madeline Mahoney Film
Avery Holt went through the motions with his faith for a long time. But in a moment of tragedy, he decided to take a step forward with God. Nothing has been the same since. Avery Holt Film
Taylor Allen never felt close to God. But as she stood at her dying father’s bedside, something happened that changed everything. Taylor Allen Film
After Confirmation, James McKay became a fallen away Catholic. Hear how a little boy helped this prodigal son find his way back to God. James McKay Film
Brett Farley was a committed Christian, but his life was thrown into a crisis when his grandmother announced she was becoming Catholic. Brett Farley Film
Joey was devastated after the death of his parents and the breakup of his engagement. He was assailed by temptation to quit life. But Someone stopped him. Joey Wilson Film
Tina encountered Jesus in a most powerful way at the age of 11. But her confidence in Jesus was put to a severe test. Tina Dzurisin Film
Peter Samwell was always a high achiever. God, for him, was "out there, somewhere." But in college, the bottom dropped out. He found himself asking "why"? An intense search for the truth commenced. Peter Samwell Film