022: A Journey of Faith, Brokenness, and Healing with Sister Julia Walsh
Release Date: 08/20/2024
044: Exposing the Truth About Child Marriage and Systemic Betrayal with Donna Simmons
Your Radical Truth podcast
What happens when the very laws meant to protect children instead give predators a license to abuse? In this episode of Your Radical Truth Podcast, host Margaret Mary O’Connor speaks with survivor, advocate, and bestselling author Donna Simmons, whose life story exposes the devastating reality of child marriage in the United States. Donna reveals how systemic failures, generational trauma, and outdated laws continue to silence survivors and perpetuate abuse. At just 16, she was forced into marriage—a betrayal legitimized by the system itself. Rather than remain silent, Donna transformed...
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043: Maternal Mortality in America: Reverend Danielle Hegdale on Midwifery, Consent, and Infant Mental Health
Your Radical Truth podcast
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, revealing a system that treats childbirth as an illness rather than a natural process. Reverend Brighid Danielle Curby Hegdale, ordained in the Reformed Anamkara Celtic Church and a longtime doula, joins host Margaret Mary O’Connor on Your Radical Truth Podcast to uncover the truth about midwifery, doulas, and the need for genuine consent in maternal care. Reverend Hegdale shares her personal story of birth trauma, her decades of experience supporting women and families, and her journey into priesthood. This...
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042: Guiding Souls to the Light: Father Nathan’s Extraordinary Ministry
Your Radical Truth podcast
What happens when life ends suddenly, without warning or time to say goodbye? Few people have confronted that mystery as closely as Father Nathan G. Castle, O.P., a Dominican priest with an extraordinary ministry. For more than three decades, Father Nathan has been called in dreams to help souls who died traumatically or abruptly. Over 600 individuals who passed through accidents, violence, or sudden events have appeared to him seeking peace, healing, and a way forward. With prayer partners beside him, Father Nathan guides these souls through what he calls Interrupted Death Experiences™. His...
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041: Struggling with Infant Sleep? Maria Moreno Shares Proven Coaching Strategies
Your Radical Truth podcast
Up to 70% of new moms face crushing exhaustion and overwhelm in their baby’s first year — yet many suffer in silence. On this episode of Your Radical Truth, Margaret Mary O’Connor talks with Maria Moreno, founder of Mindful Mother, about her journey from postpartum depression and dangerous sleep deprivation to becoming a certified sleep consultant and motherhood life coach. Maria shares gentle, proven strategies for improving infant sleep without hours of crying, why pediatricians often miss the signs of postpartum sleep struggles, and how lack of rest affects a mother’s mental health,...
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040: Breaking Barriers: Deaf Coach Kellina Powell Redefines What It Means to Be Heard
Your Radical Truth podcast
Kellina Powell was a happy-go-lucky four-year-old when her world suddenly changed. After experiencing severe illness, she lost her hearing. What followed could have been a story of limitation, isolation, and struggle. Instead, it became one of resilience, transformation, and leadership. Today, Kellina is a Deaf coach, international speaker, 4X best-selling author, and entrepreneur who is deeply committed to creating a more inclusive and empowering world for Deaf and disabled individuals. Kellina recently joined Margaret Mary O’Connor on the Your Radical Truth podcast to share her...
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039: The Question That Changed Everything: How a Bold Student Sparked Dr. J. Michelle Vann’s Mission to Heal, Lead, and Empower Women
Your Radical Truth podcast
Only 1 in 5 women feel comfortable talking about menopause. That statistic is not just shocking—it’s damaging. On my podcast, Your Radical Truth, I had the honor of speaking with Dr. J. Michelle Vann about why this silence is so harmful and how we begin to break it. We talked about the vital conversations that should be happening between mothers, daughters, and grandmothers. Dr. Vann shared the inspiration behind Sistas Can We Talk and how her nonprofit is helping women build trust, community, and confidence around their health. This episode is for every woman who has ever felt overlooked...
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038: The Church’s Hidden Children: One Woman’s Fight for Recognition, Truth, and Reform with Linda Kelly-Lawless
Your Radical Truth podcast
Thousands of children are believed to be born to Catholic priests, yet their stories have been buried under decades of secrecy and shame. On this episode of the Your Radical Truth Podcast, I sat down with Linda Kelly Lawless, an Australian genealogist who discovered through DNA testing that her biological father was a Catholic priest. What followed was a six-year uphill battle to have the Church simply acknowledge the truth. Her story is one of courage, perseverance, and the deep trauma caused by institutional denial. Linda is now the first person in Australia to have her birth certificate...
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037: From Battlefield to Altar: Father Thomas Marble’s Journey of Healing, Faith, and Radical Hospitality
Your Radical Truth podcast
Only a small fraction of military veterans become priests, and fewer still find their calling in an independent Catholic tradition like the Celtic Christian Church. In this inspiring episode of Your Radical Truth, host Margaret Mary O’Connor welcomes Father Thomas Marble, a combat medic turned priest, healer, and author. Father Thomas shares how a life of constant relocation, 22 years in the military, and a deep yearning for spiritual truth led him to Celtic Christianity. He opens up about his experiences in Bosnia, his training in psychiatric nursing and chaplaincy, and how divine guidance...
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036: From Misdiagnosis to Miracles: Jessica Summers on Rising from Medical Trauma to Radical Truth
Your Radical Truth podcast
Did you know nearly 12 million adults in the U.S. are misdiagnosed annually, with some errors leading to serious harm or death? This staggering fact set the stage for a jaw-dropping episode of the Your Radical Truth Podcast, hosted by Margaret Mary O’Connor. In this deeply moving interview, guest Jessica Summers shares her harrowing and ultimately redemptive journey from thriving fashion designer to near-death patient, addiction, institutionalization, and homelessness - and how she reclaimed her voice, power, and purpose. From Fashion to Freefall Jessica Summers appeared to have it all: a...
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035: You Don't Need to Be Well to Be Whole, CJ Janzen’s Message for the Marginalized
Your Radical Truth podcast
According to Statistics Canada, nearly 1 in 5 Canadians aged 15 and older live with one or more disabilities—yet many of their stories remain untold. On this episode of Your Radical Truth, host Margaret Mary O’Connor shines a spotlight on one of those voices. Meet CJ Janzen—“The Singing Speaker”—a queer, disabled advocate, storyteller, and artist living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a severe chronic illness that leaves them mostly bedbound. From working as a paramedic and scuba instructor to launching {dis}ABILITY Unleashed, CJ’s life defies convention. Their journey of...
info_outlineSister Julia Walsh, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, shared her powerful journey of faith, resilience, and spiritual growth on the Your Radical Truth podcast. With a background in creative writing, spiritual direction, and education, Sister Julia offers profound insights into the intersection of creativity, spirituality, and community life. She is deeply involved in supporting women discerning their vocations, and her work as a spiritual writer has been featured in various publications. Sister Julia's story is one of navigating challenges with grace and finding wholeness through brokenness.
Early Life and Spiritual Calling
Sister Julia’s journey began on a farm in Iowa, where she cultivated a deep connection with nature. Her path to religious life was anything but conventional. A former waitress with a flair for the creative and adventurous, she later became a Franciscan Sister. Sister Julia’s formation included earning an MA in pastoral studies and becoming a certified spiritual director. Her work now focuses on supporting women discerning their vocations, offering a blend of spirituality and activism that challenges conventional norms.
A Near-Fatal Accident and the Spiritual Awakening
The turning point in Sister Julia’s life came when she experienced a life-threatening accident shortly after joining the Franciscan Sisters. While visiting her family farm to say goodbye before it was sold, she fell from a cliff, shattering her face. Alone in the woods, she had to climb back up the cliff and seek help. This traumatic event forced her into a profound period of reflection and prayer during her novice years, leading her to question her future in the sisterhood.
The Power of Presence: A Miraculous Encounter
During her recovery, Sister Julia experienced a miraculous encounter with a male nurse named Jesus in the ICU. This nurse’s stillness and loving presence taught her the power of being present and the profound impact of non-action in conveying love and support. This experience became a cornerstone of her spiritual journey, reinforcing the Franciscan values of presence, humility, and service.
Read more: https://www.yourradicaltruth.com/022-Julia-Walsh