Please join us to hear the stories of three United States Catholic veterans who experience disability. Learn about the intersection of their faith and disability, in recognition of the 2024 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Please join us to hear the stories of three United States Catholic veterans who experience disability. Learn about the intersection of their faith and disability, in recognition of the 2024 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Raised Catholic, Kathy earned a BA in English from Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles and then joined the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant and was stationed at 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron as an Avionics Maintenance Officer. She was the squadron’s first female officer. Kathy became United Methodist after a pastor demanded she quit her job as a counselor at a safehouse for her to remain in the Catholic Church. Kathy became a Licensed Professional Counselor and earned an MSEd is from North Dakota State University, an MDiv from Iliff School of Theology, and a DMin in Wesleyan Evangelization from the Saint Paul School of Theology. Kathy had served as a Chaplain and a pastor for 16 years when God called her back to the Catholic Church in 2016. Dr. Haley is rated as 100% complete and permanent disabled due to PTSD due to military sexual trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, and service-connected back injury. She has a Service Dog, Chesed, a German Shepherd Dog and spends her time counseling veterans with PTSD and TBIs and helping them to train their service dogs.
Deacon Josh and his wife Trish live in Fayetteville NC where they where they were stationed for most of their Army carrier and raised six children. Josh grew up in Portland Oregon and was an atheist until some of his Pentecostal cross-country teammates invited him to a life of peace and joy in Christ. After joining the Army Infantry in 1995, Josh went to a Mass and knew instantly that he wanted to join the Catholic Church. He served in Special Forces, and his involvement in ministry led him to earn a MA in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In 2019 he transitioned from the Military and now he works for the Diocese of Raleigh as the Human Life and Dignity Coordinator.