Why She Stays: Noelle Garcia’s Radical Trust in a Wounded Church

***This podcast deals with mature topics such as personal struggles, abuse, or trauma. Certain episodes may not be appropriate for sensitive ears.*** 

In this heartfelt episode of Hope Stories, Sister Josephine welcomes Noelle Garcia, Catholic speaker, mom of six, and ministry veteran, for a powerful conversation about worship, wounds, and staying when it would have been easier to walk away.

Noelle opens up about experiencing deep pain and disillusionment while working in the Church, from parish silence in the face of her vulnerability to the pressures of tying her livelihood to ministry. She shares how she and her husband David wrestled with the decision to stay Catholic, how they redefined worship, and how the grace to “keep showing up” has shaped their faith journey.

Together, they dive into:

• What happens when Church wounds break your trust
• Rebuilding community when the parish falls short
• Being a disciple who creates Christian community—intentionally
• The tension between ministry and financial survival
• How worship is making a gift of yourself—even in pain
• Forgiveness, friendship, and faith in the broken Body of Christ

Noelle reminds us: You are not less of a gift because you’ve been wounded. Her story is an offering of hope for anyone who’s ever been hurt by the Church—and stayed anyway.

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/