My first professional gig was writing 60-second radio commercials, 150 words at a time. I would later hone
my presentation skills by doing voice-over work alongside the copywriting for several years. Radio was fun, and I loved it. But back in the 80s, it was a 6-day work-week, so I hung up my headphones for the sake of my children. I’ve always placed my work in God’s hands, so I have no complaints.
Along the way, I’ve spent decades being active in my local church within many different ministries, especially with women’s ministries. And when my pastor offered me a job back in 1999, it re-awakened a longtime hunger to go to graduate school for theology. As my children got older, I freelanced more steadily, publishing articles both online and in print.
Things got more serious, some twelve years ago, when I graduated with a Masters in Theology. I’ve since earned certificates in adult formation leadership, and spiritual direction, too. No stranger to public speaking given my years in radio and my parish work, my favorite subject matter is to teach and write about the Catholic faith and its application to daily life.
As a speaker, I accept several speaking engagements each year, and offer retreats, primarily for women, yet not exclusively. Read a few endorsements here.
My podcast, Among Women, is a program for Catholic women that celebrates their faith and life. I guess the radio bug never really left me, as the show boasts over 300 episodes, both long and short. Find it at AmongWomenPodcast.com.
My first book, for women, Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious, Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood, was published by Ave Maria Press. It introduces the feminine genius, focusing on the dignity, gifts, and mission of women. It won a Catholic Press Association Award in 2014. More about the book here. I’ve given the “Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious Retreat” to more than 3000 women in recent years.
My second book, All In: Why Belonging to the Catholic Church Matters released in 2017 and it shares why I believe we can have confidence in what the Church teaches, and become more confident Catholics. More about that here. And some media about that here and here. My favorite interview that I believe best captures the book is this one from Catholic Answers.
Since 2016, I’ve been an editor with Bayard Inc. managing content for various magazines. I currently serve as editor for Living Faith. I love the writers I meet in this work, and bringing their inspiration to our readers.
I’m married to Bob for almost four decades now, and we have raised three children. These days we are, blessedly, grandparents. We’re empty nesters, yet stay involved in our parish through bible studies and participating as adorers of the Blessed Sacrament.
Contact me via pat.gohn@comcast.net, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.
Image credit: Brandon Fitts
