journey home marcus grodi 2022

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The Journey Home

Host Marcus Grodi gives you an inside look at the lives of dynamic Catholic converts throughout Europe, as he speaks with them about their remarkable journeys to the Church.

DEACON GREGORY & ELLEN AMARANTE

Ellen went to Presbyterian, Baptist and nondenominational churches, while Gregory was an unenthusiastic Catholic. Their marriage resulted in his vocation and led her to the Church.

Fr. Ken Geraci, CPM - Catholic Revert, Former Agnostic

Fr. Ken Geraci grew up Catholic, but left the faith as a young man. He chased after fortune in the business world, eventually founding a highly successful software company. Unable to find happiness in all the ways he though would bring fulfillment, he revisited the idea of faith, coming back first to belief in God, then in Christianity, and eventually back to the Catholic Church. As part of that journey back, he recognized a call to the priesthood with the Fathers of Mercy.

Lee and Valiree Sondeno - Former Pentecostal Music Ministers

Lee and Valiree Sondeno share how the COVID shutdowns caused them to reconsider the life of Pentecostal music ministry they'd devoted themselves to and begin to consider the claims of the Catholic Church.

Monica Anyango - Catholic Revert

Monica Anyango grew up Catholic in Uganda, but drifted from her faith. When she found herself a single mom in the United States, her desire to create some kind of structure in her life led her to revisit the disciplines and teachings of the Catholic Church she’d walked away from. The role of Mary was especially important in helping Monica establish a new spiritual compass and a new perspective on motherhood.

Matt and Rachel Sheils - Former Salvation Army Officers

Matt and Rachel Sheils were Salvation Army officers who began to ask questions about the foundations of authority, morality, and the nature of what it meant to be part of a worshipping community. They took some time off to reflect on these questions and dive more deeply into Scripture, and in doing so, found themselves surprisingly drawn to the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church.

JonMarc Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.

Jack Williams - Former Evangelical Christian

Jack Williams, who serves as General Manager of EWTN Radio, shares his complicated path to the Catholic Church, from an on-fire "born again" conversion as a young man, through family struggles and eventually to the Catholic Church, through the persistent prayers of loved ones who never gave up on him. Some of you may also be familiar with the work of Jack's wife, Johnette Williams, host of EWTN's Women of Grace. Be sure to catch Jack's story!

John Bacon - Former Anglican Priest

John Bacon was raised Southern Baptist, and went to Beeson Divinity School. That seminary formation introduced him to the Church Fathers, and rather than going all the way to Catholicism, he discerned a call to priesthood as an Anglican. Several circumstances, including the onset of COVID-19, caused him to reconsider the meaning of his vocation, and where he was truly called to be. For John and his wife, the intercession of Mary and the saints -- especially St. Boniface -- were the final thing that really convinced them they needed to become Catholic.

DAN VENEZIA - CATHOLIC REVERT

Dan Venezia grew up Catholic, but didn't pay much attention to matters of faith; he was busier chasing a dream to play pro baseball. He ended up in the minor leagues with the Twins organization, and made some solid Christian friends along the way, but it was when that dream fell apart -- and especially when his world was turned upside down by COVID -- that Dan had a major conversion that would make him finally start taking his faith seriously.

FR. JEFFREY KIRBY

Raised with a strong sense of right and wrong but no sense of Catholicism, Jeffrey Kirby’s faith caught fire. His search for a closer relationship with Jesus led to the priesthood.

PHILLIP CAMPBELL

Baptized a Catholic, Phillip Campbell grew spiritually hungry in his teens, and spent time in Protestant congregations. But he came back to his faith and reunited with his family.

GREG AND JENNIFER WILLITS

Greg Willits grew up Catholic. His wife was in the Worldwide Church of God. After their child was baptized, they both had profound awakenings especially in regard to the Eucharist.

NORA JENSEN

Being raised in a Wiccan family gave Nora Jensen an extremely cynical view towards Christianity. But when she came to Mass, she found herself surrounded by happy,, smiling people.

SETH HAINES

Seth Haines and his wife battled issues that led them down different paths, but with prayer and discernment, they both realized their true spiritual home was the Catholic Church.

Don McLane experimented with several faiths, and even felt a call to the Episcopalian priesthood. But he discovered a deeper understanding of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church.

Paul Rose always loved music, especially singing and songwriting. Upon discovering sacred music, he became even more enthralled with the religious patrimony of the Catholic Church.

JEREMY McLELLAN

Jerry McLellan is a stand-up comedian with a unique outlook on life. His views on Christianity evolved over time, leading him to eventually find a home in the Catholic Church.

COURTNEY COMSTOCK

Courtney Comstock shares the series of life experiences and questions that led her from a background in Pentecostalism to a home in the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts

SANTONIO HILL

Santonio Hill was raised Catholic, but his big dream was to play college and pro football. When his pastor suggested the priesthood, he finally realized what was important in life.

FR. CORWIN LOW, O.P.

Despite a lucrative career, Corwin Low found money and success weren’t fulfilling. Dominican friars in Italy helped him reset his priorities, and he ultimately chose to join them.

JUSTIN HIBBARD

Justin Hibbard grew up in Evangelical communities, but COVID lockdowns caused him to re-evalute what it meant to be a Christian. Study and prayer led him to the Catholic Church.

FR. RICHARD WILSON

Richard Wilson went to West Point and worked in finance after his service. But despite his Protestant upbringing, he felt a higher calling to serve the Lord as a Catholic priest.

ANDRE AND ANGELE REGNIER

André was Catholic and Angèle an Evangelical Protestant. When they married, their world views collided, leading to much debate and eventually a commitment to the Catholic faith.

MICHAEL MASON

Michael Mason found his faith both challenged and deepened at the Southern Evangelical Seminary. When it all sounded more Catholic than Protestant, he came home to the Church.

JENNIFER SOUTHERS

After her husband died, Jennifer Southers looked for ways to grow stronger in her faith. A pilgrimage to the Holy Land led her to Catholicism and a deeper relationship with God.

DUSTIN QUICK

Baptized Catholic, Dustin Quick experimented with Islam as a teen. But after much study, he felt the truest expression of Christianity was in the Catholic faith he’d left behind.

DEB SCARAVILLI

Growing up a preacher’s kid, Deb Scaravilli fell in love with a Catholic man. She saw differences between Catholicism and her Evangelical roots, and found her true spiritual home.

MATT GERALD

Matt Gerald was raised in a faithful family of Methodist Protestants, many of whom were ministers. But when he married a Catholic, he discovered the beauty and truth of the faith.

DR. BRANDON VAIDYANATHAN

Raised a Hindu, Brandon Vaidyanathan began attending a youth group with a Catholic girl he was dating. Hearing things about the nature of God he’d never heard from Hinduism, led him to embrace the Catholic Church.

DR. ERIK BALDWIN

Erik Baldwin was serious about his Presbyterian faith, until a scandal in his congregation led him to reevaluate everything. He realized he could no longer treat his interest in Catholicism as merely an academic exercise.

LAWAIN MCNEIL

Lawain McNeil grew up in a strong Christian home, and early on, felt a call to ministry. He pursued a degree in Biblical studies and ended up serving in the Church of Christ. A number of factors in his life led him to begin exploring the Catholic Faith, including an interest in the Catholic literary and artistic tradition, and friendship with others who shared his background and were also interested in Catholicism. He shares how all those threads came together as he made his way home to the Catholic Church.

Kevin Shinkle

Kevin Shinkle was baptized in the Church of the Nazarene, but his family left the church when their pastor told his parents they had to stop smoking, and that brought an end to Kevin's churchgoing days for a while. He went on to college, and met some friends who were devout Catholics and helped him develop an initial curiosity about the Church. When his career as a journalist began to become more intense, he decided he needed a foundation of faith, and those seeds planted by his Catholic friendships began to bear fruit.

David Dean came from a Presbyterian background, and went on to college at Kansas University. At the time, it had an Applied Humanities program that focused on classical studies. Through the course of the program, a number of the professors and students became Catholic because of what they were finding about the Church’s role in the great philosophical and theological tradition, and David ended up entering the Church his senior year of college. He went on to spend a number of years working in Catholic education, and now serves as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Tulsa.

Kathryn Whitaker

Kathryn Whitaker was baptized in a Methodist church as an infant in Texas, but after her pastor left, her family skipped around churches looking for a fit, including time spent with the Nazarenes and Disciples of Christ. Visiting Baptist churches in college, Kathryn heard her first real anti-Catholicism from the pulpit, and it shocked her and made her want to learn more about Catholicism, which she poured herself into. This led her to Catholic friendships, and eventually to marry a Catholic. Kathryn shares the incredible story behind how she ended up being confirmed Catholic and receiving her first Holy Communion, an hour before her wedding rehearsal dinner!

Mother Petra

Mother Petra was raised in a family full of Wesleyan ministers, missionaries and church planters, and went on to study at Indiana Wesleyan. She became increasingly frustrated by divisions in Christianity over everything from Bible interpretation to worship practices, and at one point even stopped going to church. When one of her sisters became Catholic, it opened up to her the possibility that there really was an authoritative way to understand the reality of what it meant to be a Christian. She entered the Catholic Church, and eventually religious life at a Byzantine monastery.

Dr. Kathryn Wehr

Dr. Kathryn Wehr talks about her journey from studying the arts and theology at Bethel University and Regent College, being guided towards liturgy and history, entering the Catholic Church, and being a Dorothy L. Sayers scholar. Her most recent project is an annotated edition of Sayers' masterwork, The Man Born to be King.

ROBERT TUNMIRE

Robert Tunmire talks to JonMarc Grodi about his journey from a secular lifestyle to the Catholic Faith.

SHARON RIPLEY

JonMarc Grodi talks to Sharon Ripley, a former African Methodist Episcopal minister, about what led her to the Catholic Church.

ANDREA GARRETT

Andrea Garrett, a former Evangelical and Anglican, talks to JonMarc Grodi about her journey to the Catholic Faith.

DR. TORY BAUCUM

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Episcopal priest and seminary professor Dr. Tory Baucum about what led him to enter full communion with the Catholic Church.

DR. BENJAMIN LEWIS

Dr. Benjamin Lewis shares how his Methodist roots gave him the foundation of faith that led him to pursue a home in the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

SR. JULIA MARY DARRENKAMP, FSP

JonMarc Grodi talks to Sr. Julia Mary Darrenkamp of the Daughters of St. Paul about how friendship with the saints led her from Evangelical Protestantism to the Catholic Church.

JON SORENSON

Jon Sorensen from Catholic Answers shares the series of relationships and experiences that led him from agnosticism back to his Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JONATHON SPAID

Jonathon Spaid shares his journey from Evangelical Protestantism to Catholicism, and how he came to work in campus ministry with FOCUS. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

CHRIS MOELLERING

Former Anglican military chaplain Chris Moellering talks to JonMarc Grodi about his journey to the Catholic Church.

KAILASH AND LILY DURAISWAMI

Kailash and Lily Duraiswami, who came from Hindu, atheist and agnostic backgrounds, share how they discovered beauty, goodness and truth in the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JEFFREY SHOTT

JonMarc Grodi talks to Jeffrey Shott about his incredible journey from fundamentalist Christianity to angry atheism, and eventually to the Catholic Faith.

FR. SEAN LOOMIS

Fr. Sean Loomis, who works in deaf ministry for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, shares what led him to embrace the Catholic Faith and a vocation to the priesthood.

SR DIANA MARIE ANDREWS, O.P.

Sr. Diana Marie Andrews, who grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, shares what led her to the Catholic Faith and a religious vocation with the Hawthorne Dominicans. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

BECKY CARTER

Becky Carter talks to JonMarc Grodi about why she left the Catholic Church after getting married, and how her experience of “church shopping” and the question of Baptism led her back.

KERSTIN PAKKA

JonMarc Grodi talks to Kerstin Pakka about how healing after abortion brought her to faith and a spiritual home in the Catholic Church.

DR. JOHN BRUCHALSKI

Dr. John Bruchalski shares how he went from being an OB/GYN who performed abortions to returning to his pro-life Catholic roots. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

ALICIA BAKER

Alicia Baker shares how her journey of healing from trauma and abuse led her back to the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JEREMY CHRISTIANSEN

Jeremy Christiansen, author of “From the Susquehanna to the Tiber,” shares his journey from the Latter Day Saints to the Catholic Church.

KEN HENSLEY, KENNY BURCHARD

Ken Hensley, a former Baptist pastor, and Kenny Burchard, a former Foursquare pastor, share a bit about their journeys to the Catholic Faith, and dig into some of the unique challenges faced by other Protestant clergy who become interested in the Church.

Marc Lozano

JonMarc Grodi talks to Marc Lozano about his journey from atheism to Catholicism, and how his experience working for the NBA led him to develop Christ Centered Capital, a faith-based approach to investing money.

SOREN JOHNSON

Raised Evangelical, Soren Johnson entered the Catholic Church after much prayer, study and discernment. His faith has only grown as he’s served as a teacher, communications professional and co-founder of Trinity House Community.

DEACON LARRY ONEY

The son of a Louisiana sharecropper, Larry Oney grew up angry at the injustice he experienced because he was black. The kindness of a white family broke through, leading him to seek God’s love and peace as a Church deacon.

FR. STEPHEN HILGENDORF

Fr. Stephen Hilgendorf shares his path from the Anglican priesthood to the Catholic priesthood through the Personal Ordinariate. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

LISA COOPER

Lisa Cooper talks to JonMarc Grodi about how she grew up in the Word of Faith movement, and what led her from the Prosperity Gospel to the Catholic Church.

CHARLIE JOHNSTON

Charlie Johnston grew up in a family with mixed religious faith. He talks to JonMarc Grodi about how his study of the inner workings of U.S. History helped him to see the necessity of the Catholic Church.

FR. MICHAEL RENNIER

Fr. Michael Rennier shares his fascinating journey from Pentecostalism through Anglicanism to the Catholic priesthood. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

LORI ANN MANCINI

JonMarc Grodi talks to LoriAnn Mancini about how her journey from the New Age movement to the Catholic Church started when she began sending her child to a Catholic school.

TREY PLUMMER

Former Baptist preacher Trey Plummer shares what led him home to the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DEREK ROTTY

Derek Rotty shares how his interest in history and philosophy led him from agnosticism and a secular lifestyle to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

SRISHTI GUPTA

Srishti Gupta shares her journey from Hinduism through atheism to Catholicism, and how she became a Catholic campus minister. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

Former Southern Baptist Sam Guzman shares how his experience of art and literature brought him home to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

LAUREN DE WITT

Lauren De Witt talks to JonMarc Grodi about growing up as a Baptist “preacher’s kid,” and how she came home to the Catholic Church.

RACHEL BULMAN

JonMarc Grodi talks to Rachel Bulman about her journey from Pentecostalism to the Catholic Church.

FR. SEBASTIAN WALSHE

Fr. Sebastian Walshe, O. Praem, shares his experience of becoming Catholic from a Jewish and Lutheran background, and how he discerned a call to the priesthood. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DEACON GRAHAM GALLOWAY

Deacon Graham Galloway, a former Presbyterian, shares how his experience as an actor in Hollywood sparked questions that would eventually lead him to the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Presbyterian minister Dean Waldt about how he ended up in the Catholic Church.

NORMAN BIN YAZID

Former Seventh-day Adventist minister Norman bin Yazid shares what led him to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

GARRETT CICHOWITZ

Garrett Cichowitz discusses his journey from Reformed Protestantism to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JENNIFER FITZ

JonMarc Grodi talks to Jennifer Fitz about her journey back to the Catholic Church after years away from faith.

MALLORY SMYTH

Mallory Smyth shares why she left the practice of her Catholic faith for Evangelicalism, and what drew her back to the sacraments. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DEACON JOE ALLISON

JonMarc Grodi talks to Deacon Joe Allison, a former Evangelical missionary, about his journey to the Catholic Faith.

Mick Souza, who won Mr. Universe in 1992, shares what led him back to his Catholic faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DR. JASON REED

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Protestant seminary professor Dr. Jason Reed about how studying St. Thomas Aquinas led him to the Catholic Church.

DR. ANNIE BULLOCK

Dr. Annie Bullock, a former Baptist and Episcopalian, discusses how doing doctoral work on the early Church led her to Catholicism. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

RAKHI MCCORMICK

Rakhi McCormick shares how discovering Church teaching on human dignity led her from Hinduism to Catholicism. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

KATIE JACOBSON

Katie Jacobson shares her experience of wandering through a number of Evangelical Protestant denominations before finding a home in the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

Nick Alexander

Nick Alexander talks with JonMarc Grodi about how his experience of Episcopalian and Charismatic communities eventually led him to the Catholic Church.

Marcus and JonMarc Grodi Anniversary Special

Marcus and JonMarc Grodi discuss 25 years of The Journey Home on EWTN, and look ahead to the future of sharing more stories of those who have come home to the Catholic Church

LARRY CHAPP

Marcus Grodi interviews Larry Chapp about what led him back to the Catholic Church after many years as an Evangelical Protestant.

FR. RANDY SLY

Fr. Randy Sly, formerly a Charismatic Episcopal Bishop, shares what led him to the Catholic Faith.

DR. TIM GREGSON

Marcus Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.

DR. IAN MURPHY

Marcus Grodi talks to former Baptist minister Dr. Ian Murphy about his journey to the Catholic Faith.

DAVID CURRIE

David Currie was raised in a strict Fundamentalist home. But during his seminary studies, he realized many Bible passages didn’t fit any Protestant theology. He found his answers to the Scriptures in the Catholic Church.

JEREMY DE STAGE & FR. RONALD CREIGHTON-JOBE

Marcus goes to England and sits with former lapsed Catholic Jeremy de Satge and former Anglican Fr. Ronald Creighton-Jobe to discuss what led them home to the Catholic faith.

• SAINTS AND HOLY PEOPLE
• CATECHISM & APOLOGETICS
• PRAYER REQUESTS
• PRAYER WARRIORS
• MASS READINGS

• 12 keys to using the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
• Statue of Our Lady of Carmel Remains Untouched After Devastating Forest Fire in Colombia
• There’s a Pro-Life Primer Hidden in This Bible Passage

JOURNEY HOME – 2022-09-12 – Marcus and JonMarc Grodi Anniversary Special

Women of Grace with Johnnette Will...

Take 2 with jerry & debbie - s....

• Catholicism
• Religious Catalogue
• Give Monthly
• 1-800-447-3986
• [email protected]
• See of Peter
• Daily Mass and Readings
• Seasons and Feast Days
• Traditional Latin Mass
• Prayer Requests
• EWTN News Nightly
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• EWTN News In Depth
• The World Over
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JOURNEY HOME

Marcus Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.

JOURNEY HOME Giana Gutierrez

• Religion & Spirituality
• JUN 28, 2021

2021-06-29 - 06/28/21 James and Kelli Beaumont

James and Kelli Beaumont were serving in Methodist youth ministry, but were shocked when some close friends became Catholic. They share how that friendship played a role in their own Catholic journey. Marcus Grodi hosts.

• APR 26, 2021

2021-04-27 - 04/26/21 Maija Fish

Former Evangelical Protestant Maija Fish shares what led her to the Catholic faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

• APR 12, 2021

2021-04-13 - 04/12/21 Dr. Ryan McDermott

Dr. Ryan McDermott, a former Episcopalian, shares how studying medieval literature was part of his journey to the Catholic faith. Marcus Grodi hosts.

• MAR 29, 2021

2021-03-30 - 03/29/21 Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson

Marcus Grodi talks with Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, who once served as an Episcopalian Bishop, about what draws Anglicans and Episcopalians to the Catholic Church.

• MAR 1, 2021

03/15/21 Marcus Peter (JHT01729)

Former atheist and Assemblies of God preacher Marcus Peter of the St. Peter Institute shares his journey back to the Catholic Church. Marcus Grodi hosts

• FEB 15, 2021

02/15/21 Deacon Charlie and Jess Echeverry

Deacon Charlie and Jess Echeverry share their dramatic story of forgiveness and healing through the sacraments after Jess’s experience of abortion and abuse. Marcus Grodi hosts.

• © Copyright Giana Gutierrez

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Marcus Grodi reflects on 20 years of “The Journey Home”

Grodi, the founder of the Coming Home Network and the host of EWTN’s “The Journey Home,” discusses how Mother Angelica asked him to start a show in 1996, the need for an apostolate to help current and former Protestant pastors, and the biggest challenges facing converts.

December 6, 2017 Jeanette Flood Features , Interview 8 Print

Twenty years ago, the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) launched The Journey Home , a program of compelling stories of conversion to Catholicism.  Catholic World Report  recently spoke with Marcus Grodi, host of this long-running television/radio show and founder of the Coming Home Network , which supports those on the journey to the Catholic Church.

CWR:  How are things at the Coming Home Network?

Marcus Grodi: Good, very good. I’m very excited about all the aspects of it. One of the biggest changes, which occurred a couple years ago, is that my son JonMarc became the chief operating officer. So he and the rest of the staff are doing all the work; I just drink coffee—if even that. He’s also recruiting some new blood into the organization, who have made the Internet and media outreach and our forum a superb example of the New Evangelization. So it’s really exciting to see what’s happening here.

CWR:  You recently celebrated the 20 th  anniversary of The Journey Home …

Marcus Grodi: Yes. If you went back twenty- one years, I was not feeling in any way led to be involved with television. I was just a former Protestant minister who by grace had come into the Catholic Church and was working at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, but on the side I had started the Coming Home Network (CHNetwork). Marilyn and I had felt very much alone on the journey into the Catholic Church. We knew few Protestants to talk to who could understand why we were thinking of the Catholic Church. And we didn’t know very many Catholics—and those we did know didn’t know their faith very well. So, except for the few converts we knew from a distance, we felt very much alone on the journey. So we began the Coming Home Network in 1993 to provide support for clergy on the journey towards the Catholic Church.

In July 1996, I had just resigned from Franciscan University to focus full-time on the CHNetwork, when I was invited by Johnette Benkovic to appear on The Abundant Life to talk about the work of the Coming Home Network and conversion, particularly of Protestant ministers, to the Catholic Church. Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, and Dr. Kenneth Howell joined me on her program to discuss our conversions. That appearance led to Dr. Ken Howell and I appearing on Mother Angelica Live in December of 1996 to discuss our conversions to the Church as well as the work of the CHNetwork.

During that program, Mother made some comment like, “We need to have you back.” I thought she meant back on her program. I found out later that she wanted me to consider becoming the host of a program in which I interviewed converts to the Catholic Church. Over the years, she had received many letters from Catholic parents and grandparents bemoaning the fact that their children had left the Church; Mother Angelica felt that if every week they could hear the story of a convert or revert to the Church, it would give them hope that their kids and grandkids could also come back to the Church.

I got a call from Doug Keck [then Executive Vice President, now President and Chief Operating Officer at EWTN] at the end of 1996, and, after many months of planning, we began The Journey Home program in September 1997.

CWR:  About how many shows have been produced in the past 20 years?

Marcus Grodi: We think about 900. We often repeat programs for one reason or another, and there have been a number of episodes that contain two conversion stories.

CWR:  The Journey Home program and the Coming Home Network are separate entities. What is the relationship between the two, and how do they support each other?

Marcus Grodi: It’s important to emphasize that The Journey Home is an EWTN program. For the first 12 years, nearly every Monday afternoon I’d take two flights to travel from Columbus, Ohio, to Birmingham, Alabama; I’d host the live program on Monday night and then fly back home on Tuesday. Then, in 2009, we began discussing with EWTN the idea of taping The Journey Home at the Coming Home Network studio, so I wouldn’t need to fly to Birmingham every week. Now the CHNetwork staff completely produces The Journey Home for EWTN; it’s still EWTN’s program, but we produce it.

From the beginning, however, The Journey Home and the Coming Home Network have been a hand-in-glove relationship, because the vast majority of The Journey Home guests were already members of the CHNetwork. So, on the one hand, you’d say that the existence of The Journey Home is directly connected with the work of the CHNetwork. On the other hand, our growth in membership at the CHNetwork certainly benefits from The Journey Home . The CHNetwork also is very involved in putting all the Journey Home programs on the Internet, on YouTube, and indexing every Journey Home program. At the CHNetwork website , one can search for a very particular topic—such as all the Journey Home programs with Methodist ministers who came in because of the Eucharist.

And so we remain eternally grateful for our working relationship with EWTN.

CWR:  Do you have any idea how many people have contacted the Coming Home Network because of The Journey Home ?

Marcus Grodi: It’s hard to know; we haven’t always had a “How-did-you-hear-about-us?” question available to people coming to us. But I would say without hesitation that a vast number of our new members come because they’ve watched The Journey Home ; there’s no doubt.

One example that I’ve often shared: several years ago the guests for my show were two sisters from Canada—natural sisters, not religious sisters. They were cradle Catholics, in their 70s. One had remained Catholic all her life; the other had become a virulent atheist and then after many years returned to the Church. It was in the early days, back when we took live phone calls and emails during the second half-hour of the program. The first caller was a woman in tears, and the first thing she said was, “I’m not saying I’m ready to become Catholic, all I’m saying is, I’m an atheist and I was sitting in a hotel room, and the reason I was here was to commit suicide.” But she had thought, “Well, I’ll turn on the TV,” and when she did, immediately The Journey Home came on, and the first word she heard was “atheist.” And so she listened to the conversion story, and it stopped her from committing suicide. So she called us, very grateful for EWTN and for that episode. That incident will always stick out in my mind as a vivid example of the power of The Journey Home , the power of EWTN, the power of television and radio, the power of media to affect someone’s life.

And so our whole work is about these stories—whether in our monthly newsletter, or The Journey Home , or the Internet, or whatever we’re doing—of the work of the Holy Spirit in someone’s life, specifically so that story can be there to change somebody else’s life. That’s what the Coming Home Network is all about.

CWR:  Do you have a mission statement for The Journey Home  and the Coming Home Network ?

Marcus Grodi: We have one for the CHNetwork: “The Coming Home Network was established by converts to Catholicism to help clergy and laity of other Christian traditions discover the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church and make the journey home.”

Our initial calling, if you will, was specifically to clergy on the journey because they had unique needs, primarily the issues of vocation.

I know of a few former Protestant ministers who were on the journey privately, and when they let the cat out of the bag—to a friend or a member of the congregation—they lost their job within two weeks. So clergy on the journey are hesitant to talk about it with anyone. And frankly, at a local level—the local parish, local diocese—they often feel like they’re getting little help.

We don’t go out after people; our charism is not to proactively go out and try to convert Protestant ministers to the Church. We’re not sending letters or email blasts to all ministers, knocking at their door—that’s not the way we believe God has called us to work. Rather we are here when they discover the Church, when they’re drawn to the journey, and they hear about the CHNetwork, and then they contact us.

The Coming Home Network was established not to push, pull, or prod anybody into the Church, but to stand beside them, to help them discern what God is calling them to do right now in their life. Often the question is, “I really believe God is calling me to ‘come home’ to the Catholic Church, but when should I do it? How should I do it? Especially when my wife and none of my kids want to become Catholic? How do we make this journey?”

So that’s why the CHNetwork began. To stand beside men and women faced with these difficult questions. Then we quickly realized this is true for laity on the journey too, which is why our work has expanded to assist anyone who has questions about the Catholic Church.

CWR:  So you began in order to help Protestant ministers because they had unique barriers?

Marcus Grodi: Theological, relational, cultural—all these issues might stand in the way of someone coming all the way home, but the unique issue for clergy is the issue of vocation. If you convert, you’ve got to completely re-tool your life to support your family. I’ve known guys whose father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were ministers—if they were all of a sudden to give up their ministry and become Catholic, their whole family would interpret it as a rejection of their entire heritage, a spit in the face of everybody in their lineage, so they struggle with what to do.

The second biggest issue for clergy on the journey is marriage. Of course, the most important question all of us has to ask in our journey to Jesus Christ is, “Lord, what are You calling me to do with my life?” But one thing we’ve learned along the way is that for a married clergyman, the more important question to ask is “Lord, what are You calling us to do?” A clergyman who’s discovers the Catholic Church has to think in these terms, as soon as possible, because he has a vow , in his sacramental marriage, that he has to honor. More important than anything else , more important than his call to ministry, is how he must honor his marriage.

So a lot of our work is helping clergy—and laity—who have been drawn to the Catholic Church, but whose spouse wants nothing to do with this journey. We help them discern what God is calling them to do at this point in their life.

CWR:  What do you usually advise in that situation?

Marcus Grodi: That is uniquely different almost every single time. Some Catholics would say, “It doesn’t matter what your spouse thinks; if you know the Church is true, you’ve got to convert!” Well, the Church doesn’t really teach it that strongly. At the other extreme, other Catholics tell men and women on the journey, “Since Vatican II, you don’t have to convert; it doesn’t matter anymore.” That’s not true either. So, between those extremes you have the teaching of the Church.

We believe that once a person has discovered the beauty of the Church, it is a sign of grace that God is calling that person home, because they’ve discovered the truth, and truth is truth. But now the question often is an issue of timing, and sometimes this means a temporary pause in their journey to give the Holy Spirit time to draw their spouse along the journey.

We could make a long list of obstacles. “If I leave this congregation, what kind of minister will follow me? It could be a disaster: in my denomination, they would likely be pro-choice. How can I abandon my people?” Or “I’ll lose my retirement plan,” or “This guy and I were working on a book that would change the world, and if I leave, that would ruin our partnership”… Well, my staff and I generally say, “Yes, these may or may not be valid reasons; they could be distractions from an authentic call to come into the Catholic Church.” So it’s a matter of discerning, Are these reasons to stay, or is it part of the spiritual battle trying to prevent a person from going all the way home?

Now I don’t belittle those other reasons, but we usually put them in a different category than marriage, because marriage is a sacramental vow.

CWR:  What happens when people contact the Network?

Marcus Grodi: Often people who contact us are only casually on the journey, for maybe a long time. But at some point, they’re no longer merely inquiring about the Church; by grace, they have learned enough about the Church that they can never look at the Church the same way they did. They are truly “on the journey”, and for some, this means they’re in trouble—they can’t go back or remain where they are, but they don’t feel they can move forward. They get into what we call “no-man’s-land,” where they’re convicted about the truth of the Catholic Church, but they’re not sure what to do.

My own stance is that the reason the CHNetwork exists is to pick up the pieces after EWTN, Catholic Answers, and other Catholic apostolates do their job. If a Protestant minister watches EWTN or listens to Catholic Answers or Catholic Radio or hears a convert’s conversion story, and then all of a sudden feels, “ Now what am I gonna do?”, well, that’s why we’re here—to stand beside them, by phone, mail, email, on-line Forum, or often face-to-face, to provide whatever resources, prayer, or encouragement that might help them hear what God is calling them to do now.

Once they contact us, we find out where they are in their journey, what they need, and hook them up with someone who can be their mentor. We hope to get them connected to the forum online where they can have constant interaction—particularly with converts, but also with lifelong Catholics who want to be there to help those on the journey.

We offer lots of free resources and books—we can give away e-books as well as physical books, thanks to our donors. But more importantly, we have staff as well as volunteers that remain in direct communication with those on the journey to help them deal with these kind of questions. And we’re here for them as long as they want to remain in discussion about the Church.

CWR:  And those Protestant ministers who do come all the way home, what kind of work are they finding?

Marcus Grodi: The vast majority of former clergy remain laymen when they become Catholic, and a vast majority of them are content with that. In a parable about a wedding feast, our Lord warned, when you go to a wedding feast, don’t take the front-row seat. You take the back-row seat … until you’re called forward. And so we encourage all clergy converts to recognize that when they come into the Catholic Church, they need to begin by appreciating and accepting the beauty of being a layman, which involves discovering how to utilize one’s training, experience, and gifts as a Catholic layman. It essential to recognize that just because you were a Protestant minister doesn’t mean you have a call to the priesthood; this becomes an issue of vocational discernment under the spiritual direction of a priest and a local bishop. Less than 20% of clergy converts become priests—celibate or married.

Some clergy converts become permanent deacons, while a large number of others have become involved in lay apostolates, like myself and Scott Hahn, Steve Wood, Jeff Cavins, Al Kresta, and the list goes on and on. Clergy converts have great gifts, and we try to help them patiently discern how the Lord might be opening doors for them to continue using those gifts once they come into the Church.

CWR:  Do you have a ballpark estimate of how many people you have reached at this point?

Marcus Grodi: Well, to a certain extent, there’s no way we can guesstimate that because of the way the Internet, as well as satellites, have drastically changed communication around the world; no one really knows. I can say, though, that, in our database, we have about 10,000 non-Catholics who have contacted the CHNetwork for help. (That’s not counting the thousands of lifelong Catholics who support our work.) And of that 10,000, around 7,000 have come in or back to the Church. Some we’ve been working with for five minutes, some for fifteen-plus years.

CWR:  What are your hopes or plans for the future?

Marcus Grodi: I’m really excited about where my son and the staff are taking the Coming Home Network: they’re committed to evangelization, but especially committed to providing the pastoral care, if you will, of men and women on the journey. We want to respond to what’s happening in the Church and our culture—and I do think we’re going through a particularly critical time in our culture.

In terms of The Journey Home and EWTN, I’m excited about where they’re going. I’m sure there will come a time when EWTN can’t put up with me any longer, and they’ll either decide that The Journey Home has run its course, or they need a new host. But I’m willing to continue serving the Lord in whatever way He opens the door.

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• Jeff Cavins
• Marcus Grodi
• Mother Angelica
• Protestantism
• The Coming Home Network
• The Journey Home

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Frequently have watched Grodi’s interviews and come away with the importance of dimensions of Catholicism converts are attracted to that those of us born into the faith overlook. One important aspect is consistency of Church doctrine coherent with Christ’s words despite continuous challenges even errors. As is today despite the prevailing ambiguity and polarization everyone seems to know Christ’s core teachings evident in what is being contested. Christ meant what he said that Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not.

The CH network shows the beauty of faith & reason working together in real life. I love Marcus Grodi – and I am proud to be a Catholic because of men and women like him.

A great program. It helped a friend of mine cross the Tiber.

Love the zjourney Home. It started my journey. Back to the Catholic Church. Thank you so much Marcus and all the dear folks on E.W.T.N. Thank you so very much and God bless you all

Been watching off and on for years, since my reversion in 2004. Have recently started from the very first episodes and working forward, taking notes. I’ve been wondering when and why he stopped taking phone calls during the live show (though it’s not hard to guess). And is it still live? A small, in-studio audience in Zanesville might be fun.

As a lifelong catholic I am fascinated by the work of the Holy Spirit in the journey of the converts interviewed by Marcus Grodi.

I love The Journey Home and admire the way Marcus Grodi leads his guests to see everything from the Catholic perspective. One episode sticks in my mind, although I do not remember all the details now. It is about a man who could not decide whether to convert to Catholicism or not. One day, he went to a famous chicken chain, still thinking about his dilemma. Then he looked up and saw the name of the restaurant – Popeyes, except that he read it as Pope Yes! God surely uses everything to draw someone’s attention.

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The Journey Home

Host Marcus Grodi gives you an inside look at the lives of dynamic Catholic converts throughout Europe, as he speaks with them about their remarkable journeys to the Church.

DEACON GREGORY & ELLEN AMARANTE

Ellen went to Presbyterian, Baptist and nondenominational churches, while Gregory was an unenthusiastic Catholic. Their marriage resulted in his vocation and led her to the Church.

Fr. Ken Geraci, CPM - Catholic Revert, Former Agnostic

Fr. Ken Geraci grew up Catholic, but left the faith as a young man. He chased after fortune in the business world, eventually founding a highly successful software company. Unable to find happiness in all the ways he though would bring fulfillment, he revisited the idea of faith, coming back first to belief in God, then in Christianity, and eventually back to the Catholic Church. As part of that journey back, he recognized a call to the priesthood with the Fathers of Mercy.

Lee and Valiree Sondeno - Former Pentecostal Music Ministers

Lee and Valiree Sondeno share how the COVID shutdowns caused them to reconsider the life of Pentecostal music ministry they'd devoted themselves to and begin to consider the claims of the Catholic Church.

Monica Anyango - Catholic Revert

Monica Anyango grew up Catholic in Uganda, but drifted from her faith. When she found herself a single mom in the United States, her desire to create some kind of structure in her life led her to revisit the disciplines and teachings of the Catholic Church she’d walked away from. The role of Mary was especially important in helping Monica establish a new spiritual compass and a new perspective on motherhood.

Matt and Rachel Sheils - Former Salvation Army Officers

Matt and Rachel Sheils were Salvation Army officers who began to ask questions about the foundations of authority, morality, and the nature of what it meant to be part of a worshipping community. They took some time off to reflect on these questions and dive more deeply into Scripture, and in doing so, found themselves surprisingly drawn to the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church.

JonMarc Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.

Jack Williams - Former Evangelical Christian

Jack Williams, who serves as General Manager of EWTN Radio, shares his complicated path to the Catholic Church, from an on-fire "born again" conversion as a young man, through family struggles and eventually to the Catholic Church, through the persistent prayers of loved ones who never gave up on him. Some of you may also be familiar with the work of Jack's wife, Johnette Williams, host of EWTN's Women of Grace. Be sure to catch Jack's story!

John Bacon - Former Anglican Priest

John Bacon was raised Southern Baptist, and went to Beeson Divinity School. That seminary formation introduced him to the Church Fathers, and rather than going all the way to Catholicism, he discerned a call to priesthood as an Anglican. Several circumstances, including the onset of COVID-19, caused him to reconsider the meaning of his vocation, and where he was truly called to be. For John and his wife, the intercession of Mary and the saints -- especially St. Boniface -- were the final thing that really convinced them they needed to become Catholic.

DAN VENEZIA - CATHOLIC REVERT

Dan Venezia grew up Catholic, but didn't pay much attention to matters of faith; he was busier chasing a dream to play pro baseball. He ended up in the minor leagues with the Twins organization, and made some solid Christian friends along the way, but it was when that dream fell apart -- and especially when his world was turned upside down by COVID -- that Dan had a major conversion that would make him finally start taking his faith seriously.

FR. JEFFREY KIRBY

Raised with a strong sense of right and wrong but no sense of Catholicism, Jeffrey Kirby’s faith caught fire. His search for a closer relationship with Jesus led to the priesthood.

PHILLIP CAMPBELL

Baptized a Catholic, Phillip Campbell grew spiritually hungry in his teens, and spent time in Protestant congregations. But he came back to his faith and reunited with his family.

GREG AND JENNIFER WILLITS

Greg Willits grew up Catholic. His wife was in the Worldwide Church of God. After their child was baptized, they both had profound awakenings especially in regard to the Eucharist.

NORA JENSEN

Being raised in a Wiccan family gave Nora Jensen an extremely cynical view towards Christianity. But when she came to Mass, she found herself surrounded by happy,, smiling people.

SETH HAINES

Seth Haines and his wife battled issues that led them down different paths, but with prayer and discernment, they both realized their true spiritual home was the Catholic Church.

Don McLane experimented with several faiths, and even felt a call to the Episcopalian priesthood. But he discovered a deeper understanding of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church.

Paul Rose always loved music, especially singing and songwriting. Upon discovering sacred music, he became even more enthralled with the religious patrimony of the Catholic Church.

JEREMY McLELLAN

Jerry McLellan is a stand-up comedian with a unique outlook on life. His views on Christianity evolved over time, leading him to eventually find a home in the Catholic Church.

COURTNEY COMSTOCK

Courtney Comstock shares the series of life experiences and questions that led her from a background in Pentecostalism to a home in the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts

SANTONIO HILL

Santonio Hill was raised Catholic, but his big dream was to play college and pro football. When his pastor suggested the priesthood, he finally realized what was important in life.

FR. CORWIN LOW, O.P.

Despite a lucrative career, Corwin Low found money and success weren’t fulfilling. Dominican friars in Italy helped him reset his priorities, and he ultimately chose to join them.

JUSTIN HIBBARD

Justin Hibbard grew up in Evangelical communities, but COVID lockdowns caused him to re-evalute what it meant to be a Christian. Study and prayer led him to the Catholic Church.

FR. RICHARD WILSON

Richard Wilson went to West Point and worked in finance after his service. But despite his Protestant upbringing, he felt a higher calling to serve the Lord as a Catholic priest.

ANDRE AND ANGELE REGNIER

André was Catholic and Angèle an Evangelical Protestant. When they married, their world views collided, leading to much debate and eventually a commitment to the Catholic faith.

MICHAEL MASON

Michael Mason found his faith both challenged and deepened at the Southern Evangelical Seminary. When it all sounded more Catholic than Protestant, he came home to the Church.

JENNIFER SOUTHERS

After her husband died, Jennifer Southers looked for ways to grow stronger in her faith. A pilgrimage to the Holy Land led her to Catholicism and a deeper relationship with God.

DUSTIN QUICK

Baptized Catholic, Dustin Quick experimented with Islam as a teen. But after much study, he felt the truest expression of Christianity was in the Catholic faith he’d left behind.

DEB SCARAVILLI

Growing up a preacher’s kid, Deb Scaravilli fell in love with a Catholic man. She saw differences between Catholicism and her Evangelical roots, and found her true spiritual home.

MATT GERALD

Matt Gerald was raised in a faithful family of Methodist Protestants, many of whom were ministers. But when he married a Catholic, he discovered the beauty and truth of the faith.

DR. BRANDON VAIDYANATHAN

Raised a Hindu, Brandon Vaidyanathan began attending a youth group with a Catholic girl he was dating. Hearing things about the nature of God he’d never heard from Hinduism, led him to embrace the Catholic Church.

DR. ERIK BALDWIN

Erik Baldwin was serious about his Presbyterian faith, until a scandal in his congregation led him to reevaluate everything. He realized he could no longer treat his interest in Catholicism as merely an academic exercise.

LAWAIN MCNEIL

Lawain McNeil grew up in a strong Christian home, and early on, felt a call to ministry. He pursued a degree in Biblical studies and ended up serving in the Church of Christ. A number of factors in his life led him to begin exploring the Catholic Faith, including an interest in the Catholic literary and artistic tradition, and friendship with others who shared his background and were also interested in Catholicism. He shares how all those threads came together as he made his way home to the Catholic Church.

Kevin Shinkle

Kevin Shinkle was baptized in the Church of the Nazarene, but his family left the church when their pastor told his parents they had to stop smoking, and that brought an end to Kevin's churchgoing days for a while. He went on to college, and met some friends who were devout Catholics and helped him develop an initial curiosity about the Church. When his career as a journalist began to become more intense, he decided he needed a foundation of faith, and those seeds planted by his Catholic friendships began to bear fruit.

David Dean came from a Presbyterian background, and went on to college at Kansas University. At the time, it had an Applied Humanities program that focused on classical studies. Through the course of the program, a number of the professors and students became Catholic because of what they were finding about the Church’s role in the great philosophical and theological tradition, and David ended up entering the Church his senior year of college. He went on to spend a number of years working in Catholic education, and now serves as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Tulsa.

Kathryn Whitaker

Kathryn Whitaker was baptized in a Methodist church as an infant in Texas, but after her pastor left, her family skipped around churches looking for a fit, including time spent with the Nazarenes and Disciples of Christ. Visiting Baptist churches in college, Kathryn heard her first real anti-Catholicism from the pulpit, and it shocked her and made her want to learn more about Catholicism, which she poured herself into. This led her to Catholic friendships, and eventually to marry a Catholic. Kathryn shares the incredible story behind how she ended up being confirmed Catholic and receiving her first Holy Communion, an hour before her wedding rehearsal dinner!

Mother Petra

Mother Petra was raised in a family full of Wesleyan ministers, missionaries and church planters, and went on to study at Indiana Wesleyan. She became increasingly frustrated by divisions in Christianity over everything from Bible interpretation to worship practices, and at one point even stopped going to church. When one of her sisters became Catholic, it opened up to her the possibility that there really was an authoritative way to understand the reality of what it meant to be a Christian. She entered the Catholic Church, and eventually religious life at a Byzantine monastery.

Dr. Kathryn Wehr

Dr. Kathryn Wehr talks about her journey from studying the arts and theology at Bethel University and Regent College, being guided towards liturgy and history, entering the Catholic Church, and being a Dorothy L. Sayers scholar. Her most recent project is an annotated edition of Sayers' masterwork, The Man Born to be King.

ROBERT TUNMIRE

Robert Tunmire talks to JonMarc Grodi about his journey from a secular lifestyle to the Catholic Faith.

SHARON RIPLEY

JonMarc Grodi talks to Sharon Ripley, a former African Methodist Episcopal minister, about what led her to the Catholic Church.

ANDREA GARRETT

Andrea Garrett, a former Evangelical and Anglican, talks to JonMarc Grodi about her journey to the Catholic Faith.

DR. TORY BAUCUM

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Episcopal priest and seminary professor Dr. Tory Baucum about what led him to enter full communion with the Catholic Church.

DR. BENJAMIN LEWIS

Dr. Benjamin Lewis shares how his Methodist roots gave him the foundation of faith that led him to pursue a home in the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

SR. JULIA MARY DARRENKAMP, FSP

JonMarc Grodi talks to Sr. Julia Mary Darrenkamp of the Daughters of St. Paul about how friendship with the saints led her from Evangelical Protestantism to the Catholic Church.

JON SORENSON

Jon Sorensen from Catholic Answers shares the series of relationships and experiences that led him from agnosticism back to his Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JONATHON SPAID

Jonathon Spaid shares his journey from Evangelical Protestantism to Catholicism, and how he came to work in campus ministry with FOCUS. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

CHRIS MOELLERING

Former Anglican military chaplain Chris Moellering talks to JonMarc Grodi about his journey to the Catholic Church.

KAILASH AND LILY DURAISWAMI

Kailash and Lily Duraiswami, who came from Hindu, atheist and agnostic backgrounds, share how they discovered beauty, goodness and truth in the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JEFFREY SHOTT

JonMarc Grodi talks to Jeffrey Shott about his incredible journey from fundamentalist Christianity to angry atheism, and eventually to the Catholic Faith.

FR. SEAN LOOMIS

Fr. Sean Loomis, who works in deaf ministry for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, shares what led him to embrace the Catholic Faith and a vocation to the priesthood.

SR DIANA MARIE ANDREWS, O.P.

Sr. Diana Marie Andrews, who grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, shares what led her to the Catholic Faith and a religious vocation with the Hawthorne Dominicans. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

BECKY CARTER

Becky Carter talks to JonMarc Grodi about why she left the Catholic Church after getting married, and how her experience of “church shopping” and the question of Baptism led her back.

KERSTIN PAKKA

JonMarc Grodi talks to Kerstin Pakka about how healing after abortion brought her to faith and a spiritual home in the Catholic Church.

DR. JOHN BRUCHALSKI

Dr. John Bruchalski shares how he went from being an OB/GYN who performed abortions to returning to his pro-life Catholic roots. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

ALICIA BAKER

Alicia Baker shares how her journey of healing from trauma and abuse led her back to the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JEREMY CHRISTIANSEN

Jeremy Christiansen, author of “From the Susquehanna to the Tiber,” shares his journey from the Latter Day Saints to the Catholic Church.

KEN HENSLEY, KENNY BURCHARD

Ken Hensley, a former Baptist pastor, and Kenny Burchard, a former Foursquare pastor, share a bit about their journeys to the Catholic Faith, and dig into some of the unique challenges faced by other Protestant clergy who become interested in the Church.

Marc Lozano

JonMarc Grodi talks to Marc Lozano about his journey from atheism to Catholicism, and how his experience working for the NBA led him to develop Christ Centered Capital, a faith-based approach to investing money.

SOREN JOHNSON

Raised Evangelical, Soren Johnson entered the Catholic Church after much prayer, study and discernment. His faith has only grown as he’s served as a teacher, communications professional and co-founder of Trinity House Community.

DEACON LARRY ONEY

The son of a Louisiana sharecropper, Larry Oney grew up angry at the injustice he experienced because he was black. The kindness of a white family broke through, leading him to seek God’s love and peace as a Church deacon.

FR. STEPHEN HILGENDORF

Fr. Stephen Hilgendorf shares his path from the Anglican priesthood to the Catholic priesthood through the Personal Ordinariate. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

LISA COOPER

Lisa Cooper talks to JonMarc Grodi about how she grew up in the Word of Faith movement, and what led her from the Prosperity Gospel to the Catholic Church.

CHARLIE JOHNSTON

Charlie Johnston grew up in a family with mixed religious faith. He talks to JonMarc Grodi about how his study of the inner workings of U.S. History helped him to see the necessity of the Catholic Church.

FR. MICHAEL RENNIER

Fr. Michael Rennier shares his fascinating journey from Pentecostalism through Anglicanism to the Catholic priesthood. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

LORI ANN MANCINI

JonMarc Grodi talks to LoriAnn Mancini about how her journey from the New Age movement to the Catholic Church started when she began sending her child to a Catholic school.

TREY PLUMMER

Former Baptist preacher Trey Plummer shares what led him home to the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DEREK ROTTY

Derek Rotty shares how his interest in history and philosophy led him from agnosticism and a secular lifestyle to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

SRISHTI GUPTA

Srishti Gupta shares her journey from Hinduism through atheism to Catholicism, and how she became a Catholic campus minister. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

Former Southern Baptist Sam Guzman shares how his experience of art and literature brought him home to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

LAUREN DE WITT

Lauren De Witt talks to JonMarc Grodi about growing up as a Baptist “preacher’s kid,” and how she came home to the Catholic Church.

RACHEL BULMAN

JonMarc Grodi talks to Rachel Bulman about her journey from Pentecostalism to the Catholic Church.

FR. SEBASTIAN WALSHE

Fr. Sebastian Walshe, O. Praem, shares his experience of becoming Catholic from a Jewish and Lutheran background, and how he discerned a call to the priesthood. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DEACON GRAHAM GALLOWAY

Deacon Graham Galloway, a former Presbyterian, shares how his experience as an actor in Hollywood sparked questions that would eventually lead him to the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Presbyterian minister Dean Waldt about how he ended up in the Catholic Church.

NORMAN BIN YAZID

Former Seventh-day Adventist minister Norman bin Yazid shares what led him to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

GARRETT CICHOWITZ

Garrett Cichowitz discusses his journey from Reformed Protestantism to the Catholic Faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

JENNIFER FITZ

JonMarc Grodi talks to Jennifer Fitz about her journey back to the Catholic Church after years away from faith.

MALLORY SMYTH

Mallory Smyth shares why she left the practice of her Catholic faith for Evangelicalism, and what drew her back to the sacraments. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DEACON JOE ALLISON

JonMarc Grodi talks to Deacon Joe Allison, a former Evangelical missionary, about his journey to the Catholic Faith.

Mick Souza, who won Mr. Universe in 1992, shares what led him back to his Catholic faith. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

DR. JASON REED

JonMarc Grodi talks to former Protestant seminary professor Dr. Jason Reed about how studying St. Thomas Aquinas led him to the Catholic Church.

DR. ANNIE BULLOCK

Dr. Annie Bullock, a former Baptist and Episcopalian, discusses how doing doctoral work on the early Church led her to Catholicism. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

RAKHI MCCORMICK

Rakhi McCormick shares how discovering Church teaching on human dignity led her from Hinduism to Catholicism. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

KATIE JACOBSON

Katie Jacobson shares her experience of wandering through a number of Evangelical Protestant denominations before finding a home in the Catholic Church. JonMarc Grodi hosts.

Nick Alexander

Nick Alexander talks with JonMarc Grodi about how his experience of Episcopalian and Charismatic communities eventually led him to the Catholic Church.

Marcus and JonMarc Grodi Anniversary Special

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LARRY CHAPP

Marcus Grodi interviews Larry Chapp about what led him back to the Catholic Church after many years as an Evangelical Protestant.

FR. RANDY SLY

Fr. Randy Sly, formerly a Charismatic Episcopal Bishop, shares what led him to the Catholic Faith.

DR. TIM GREGSON

Marcus Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.

DR. IAN MURPHY

Marcus Grodi talks to former Baptist minister Dr. Ian Murphy about his journey to the Catholic Faith.

DAVID CURRIE

David Currie was raised in a strict Fundamentalist home. But during his seminary studies, he realized many Bible passages didn’t fit any Protestant theology. He found his answers to the Scriptures in the Catholic Church.

CASEY AND ERIN PHILLIPS

Casey was the son of a Baptist preacher, who was eventually drawn to the liturgy and theology of the Episcopal Church. But he soon realized the Catholic Church fulfilled all the things he loved about his faith and more.

A Muslim father and a Christian mother exposed Jacob Imam to stark differences in faith, which led to a totally secular lifestyle. But reading the Bible, and the book of James, created a path in Catholic social teaching.

Prayer Roundtable Fr. Jay Kythe & Fr. Gabriel Landis

Dr. Gavin Ashenden

Fr. Gabriel Landis

EMILY WOODHAM

DR. ANDREW BLASKI

DR. KARIN ÖBERG

Dr. Jennifer Frey

Fr. Gaurav Shroff

FR. JAMES BRADLEY

Former Anglican priest Fr. James Bradley shares what led him to the Catholic faith. Marcus Grodi hosts.

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The Journey Home

Each week EWTN host Marcus Grodi brings on a guest for an in-depth interview to hear their stories of conversion to the Catholic Faith. The guests come from various backgrounds: Christian an... Read all Each week EWTN host Marcus Grodi brings on a guest for an in-depth interview to hear their stories of conversion to the Catholic Faith. The guests come from various backgrounds: Christian and Non-Christian, agnostics, atheists and others. Each week EWTN host Marcus Grodi brings on a guest for an in-depth interview to hear their stories of conversion to the Catholic Faith. The guests come from various backgrounds: Christian and Non-Christian, agnostics, atheists and others.

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Marcus Grodi : In my own congregation I was the Pope.

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• Mar 21, 2017
• September 5, 1997 (United States)
• United States
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Founder & President of the Coming Home Network , Former Host of The Journey Home Program on EWTN, Author, and Speaker

Marcus received his BS degree from Case Institute of Technology in Polymer Engineering and worked for six years as an engineer. During this time, he was involved in a variety of Protestant youth and music ministries. He then received his Master of Divinity Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and was ordained to the Protestant pastoral ministry. During his more than fifteen years of youth, young adult, and pastoral ministry, his main emphasis was church and lay spiritual renewal. Marcus, his wife Marilyn, and their two older sons, JonMarc and Peter, were received into the Catholic Church on December 20, 1992. Their third son, Richard, entered through baptism.

Marcus now serves as the Founder / President of  The Coming Home Network International , a non-profit, Catholic, lay apostolate aimed at helping other Christians, both clergy and laity, explore the Catholic Church.

He also hosted The Journey Home , a weekly television program on  EWTN , for nearly 30 years before passing on the hosting to his son, JonMarc. He is the author of  Thoughts for the Journey Home ,  What Must I Do to Be Saved? ,   the novels  How Firm a Foundation   and   Pillar and Bulwark , and the editor/author of  Journeys Home   and   Journeys Home II . His most recent book is  Life from Our Land .

Marcus has taught courses in catechetics, youth ministry, leadership, and theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and the Pontifical College Josephinum. He has written regular articles for  Catholic Answers Magazine , as well as other Catholic publications.

Books by Marcus Grodi

JUST AN OLD MAN OUT STANDING IN HIS FIELD

© 2024 The Coming Home Network. The Coming Home Network International is registered with the IRS as a 501c3 Non-Profit Charity. Donations are tax deductible.

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Watch My Conversion Story on EWTN’s "The Journey Home"

Following in the footsteps of my friend Brent Stubbs , next Monday I’ll be appearing on EWTN’s  The Journey Home . The show is hosted by Marcus Grodi and invites Catholic converts to come and share their story.

We filmed the episode about a month ago and I covered many different story lines–my early religious upbringing, a life-changing Methodist campus ministry, my homeless lake friends in Tallahassee, some influential mentors, authors that spurred my conversion, and the crazy, circuitous way God drew me into his Church.

I was worried I wouldn’t have enough material to fill an entire hour, but the timing worked out perfectly.

The show will air on EWTN television  beginning next Monday at 8:00pm ET  and it will repeat many times throughout the week:

– Monday (9/26) – 8:00pm ET – Tuesday (9/27) – 1:00am ET – Tuesday (9/27) – 9:00am ET – Thursday (9/29) – 2:00pm ET – Saturday (10/1) – 11:00pm ET

In addition to The Journey Home , I also recorded an episode of Deep In Scripture , a weekly radio show hosted by Marcus . On the show, guests discuss Bible verses that they saw in a new light once they began exploring Catholicism.

Instead of covering passages that were instrumental in my conversion, yet also the conversion of many others–passages like John 6 , Matthew 16:19 , and 1 Timothy 3:15 –I proposed a handful that shined with new radiance during my new media research.

Marcus and crew loved the idea, so during the hour we covered Acts 17:16-34 (Paul’s mission to the Areopagus), Mark 4:3-8 (Jesus’ parable of the sower), Luke 24:13-32 (the Emmaus journey), Luke 5:3-4 (Jesus’s order to “cast out into the deep”), 2 John 12 (St. John’s plea for face-to-face communication), and Matthew 28:10 (Jesus’s command, “do not be afraid”).

You can hear the radio show on EWTN radio or stream it through  EWTN.com on any of the dates and times below:

– Wednesday (9/28) – 2:00pm ET – Thursday (9/28) – 1:00am ET – Sunday (10/2) – 7:00am ET

If you can’t catch the TV or radio show, both will be archived on YouTube within the next couple weeks and I’ll be sure to post them here.

The Coming Home Network  is the group behind both shows, and they’re really doing fantastic work to bridge the Catholic-Protestant divide. Visiting their studios was a joy, especially meeting Kevin Lowry , who has a great blog and a forthcoming book , and JonMarc Grodi , who has stepped into the blogosphere himself. If you’re a Protestant exploring the Catholic faith, I strongly suggest you connect with this group.

Here is Brent’s episode in case you missed it. He’s much more intelligent, charming, articulate, and comfortable than I am in front of the camera (and off-camera, too):