Why Is Death Scary? (with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN)

Death is part of life, but so many of us live with a fear of death. Why? What is it about death that instills fear in so many people? Fr. Josh Johnson is joined by Sr. Josephine Garrett to respond to this question and offer stories from their own lives to show how death can be a good.

Snippet from the Show
For some, a fear of death can arise from a fear of missing out. We desire to leave a legacy and witness the lives of our children and grandchildren. These desires can contribute to a fear of death.


Shownotes

Glory Story (5:00)

Listener Question (8:55)

Why is death scary?

Saint Story: Venerable Fulton Sheen (26:29)

Venerable Fulton Sheen was born in 1895 in El Paso, Illinois. His parents named him Peter John, but was given the nickname Fulton which was mother’s maiden name. From a young age, Fulton showed a great devotion to his faith. 

As a young man, he entered the seminary and was ordained in 1919 at the age of 24. After being ordained, he continued his studies abroad and later taught at the Catholic University of America.

In 1930, Fr. Sheen began to host a radio program called The Catholic Hour. He eventually moved to television where he hosted Life Is Worth Living. This television show became highly popular and garnered national attention. By this time Fr. Sheen had become Bishop of New York. Later he became the Bishop of Rochester and then Archbishop of Titular See of Newport Wales. 

While most known for his preaching and broadcasting, Archbishop Fulton Sheen contributed to the Church in a myriad of ways. Only two months prior to Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s death, St. John Paul II said to him, “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You are a loyal son of the Church.”

Meet Sister Josephine Garrett

Sister Josephine is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She moved to Dallas in 1999 to begin studies at the University of Dallas, where she completed a BA in Political Philosophy with a Business Concentration. Sr. Josephine subsequently entered the banking industry, serving for 10 years as a Vice President in the Home Loans division of Bank of America. Raised Baptist, Sr. Josephine entered the Catholic Church in 2005, and in November of 2011 she began her formation to be a religious Sister. In November of 2020 Sister Josephine professed her final vows as a Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Sr. Josephine is a licensed counselor, serving as the school counselor for the cathedral grade school in Tyler, TX, and also working in private practice. She has also served in vocations ministry and as a national speaker for youth and young adults, speaking to groups of up to 25,000. Sr. Josephine is the host of Hope Stories with Black Catholics, an OSV podcast.


Resources


Meet Fr. Josh Johnson

While Fr. Josh was raised Catholic, he didn’t like the Church growing up. Then, one day in adoration, he fell in love with Jesus and received the call to become a priest.

Now, Fr. Josh is the Vocations Director of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in Louisiana. He is a presenter in four of Ascension’s programs: Altaration, YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body, The 99, and Connected: Catholic Social Teaching for This Generation, as well as the author of Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation, Pocket Guide to Adoration, and co-author of Pocket Guide to Reconciliation.

Meet Fr. Josh Johnson

While Fr. Josh was raised Catholic, he didn’t like the Church growing up. Then, one day in adoration, he fell in love with Jesus and received the call to become a priest.

Now, Fr. Josh is the Vocations Director of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in Louisiana. He is a presenter in four of Ascension’s programs: Altaration, YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body, The 99, and Connected: Catholic Social Teaching for This Generation, as well as the author of Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation, Pocket Guide to Adoration, and co-author of Pocket Guide to Reconciliation.

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