Deconstructing FOCUS Catholic: Part Eight

This is the eighth episode on FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. FOCUS a ministry with more than 1000 young people based largely on college campuses around the United States and which last year had a revenue of $126 million. In this episode, you’ll hear the rest of our panel discussions with Kelly, Mat, Carole, Christine, Mary, and Anton. They share how they’ve built their lives after FOCUS, where they feel both gratitude and regret from their time in the ministry, and what they would say to their younger selves. 00:00 — Introduction: the final chapter of the FOCUS series 02:13 — Healing after leaving high-control religious spaces 03:21 — Mary on identity, deconstruction, and finding joy 06:13 — Christine on reclaiming her voice and trusting herself 10:21 — Zebra pants, belonging, and taking back joy 12:32 — Anton on faith, freedom, and an expanding world 14:14 — Revisiting the past: rumination, regret, and solidarity 17:30 — Anton on therapy, trauma, and inherent worth 20:10 — Gratitude for speaking out and sharing stories 21:25 — Carol on anger, finding her voice, and public honesty 25:03 — Accountability, repair, and compassion for people who caused harm 29:02 — Chris reflects on the series and the work still ahead 32:09 — What the panelists would tell their younger selves 38:52 — Closing reflections and thanks