The Diocese of Davenport's
Vision 20/20 is About Sharing Faith
Mary Boozer’s
Faith Story
As Shared at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Sept. 15
Hi, my name is Mary Boozer and I also attended the conference at St. Ambrose and was asked to share part of my faith story with you tonight.
I’m not standing up here because I’m special or because I have an awesome testimony where the clouds separate and lightning strikes. I’m standing here because I want to support our church and what I believe God wants from all of us and that is – to step outside of my comfort zone and evangelize.
Evangelize? Catholics don’t do that, do they? I thought the protestants were in charge of that! (smiley) When I attended the workshops at SAU this summer, I asked two speakers the same question: How can I, a sinner, evangelize? Who’s going to listen to anything I have to say? Both speakers gave me essentially the same response: if not you, who? Jesus didn’t come to call the righteous but the sinners. They said, we all have a story to tell and we never know who may be impacted by what we have to say……..they basically said get over yourself and ask God to help you. So that’s what I did and here I am.
I was born and raised Catholic and was the youngest of 7. I attended Catholic schools most of my life. Sunday mass has always been a priority, even when I wasn’t able to receive the eucharist. I was married in the church twice and divorced twice. During my first marriage God gave me four children. To say life has not been easy would be an understatement but I realize I am no exception to pain and suffering. Life can be very difficult for all of us. I have never once doubted that there was a Loving God, but I lacked faith and trust that He loved me, specifically.
Two life altering events that happened when I was young were: losing my mom when I was 18; and, losing my second child, Theresa, from SIDS when she was 2.5 months old. These two major events, at 18 and 22 set the tone for a very difficult road ahead where my faith life and my relationship with Christ was almost nonexistent.
I was still a child myself and didn’t cope well with either loss. I found unhealthy ways to cope and became exceptional at running away from my feelings. I learned if I didn’t feel my feelings then I wouldn’t hurt. And, if I didn’t hurt, I wouldn’t have to cry. And so it began…..a lifetime of running.
Unfortunately, running away from my feelings caught up with me. I abused alcohol and eventually became dependent on it. As a result, I made many poor choices that I have lived to regret. I lived a lie. I called myself a Catholic and at the same time said yes to alcohol and sin and no to God.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF MARY'S STORY.
