Alumni Spotlight - Maureen Pratt
Upon graduating from JST, Maureen Pratt, MTS ‘21, had the call to expand her local ministry and start a national pastoral ministry for people with chronic pain and illness. Maureen’s immediate attention, however, was turned home-ward: On the eve of graduation, her mother was taken to the ER, and Maureen became her full-time, long-distance guardian.
As she journeyed with her Mom, a parish in Connecticut began using Maureen’s book, Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain and Illness, as the basis for a wellness ministry. When they contacted Maureen in 2022, she was awed by how the Holy Spirit had been working “behind the scenes.” After her Mom’s death, Maureen collaborated with the parish, and The Peace in the Storm Project was formed. JST-SCU Professors Thomas Cattoi, Jean-Francois Racine, and Robert McCann encouraged her, and more blessings flowed.
In 2023, Peace in the Storm… was granted the nihil obstat and imprimatur by Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport, making it the only devotional focused on chronic pain and illness to hold these ecclesial approvals. The Peace in the Storm Project is approved in (arch)dioceses, including Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C., with more to come. Soon, Peace in the Storm for Caregivers will be added. Also available by Maureen, Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus and Joy offers inspiration and strength through the stories of Jesus and Job. Stay up to date about Maureen and her important work on her website.