Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope: How God Brings Good Out of Suffering

By Steve Hemler

If God loves us and is so powerful, why does God allow disease and natural disasters, as well as terrorism and other human atrocities?

What are some true stories of Catholics today who faced significant suffering and now see the good that God brought from it?

Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope provides a Catholic response to the big question, “Why would a loving God allow evil, pain, and suffering?” This includes exploring why God would allow disease and natural disasters (natural evil) and evil human behavior (moral evil), as well as how suffering can help us find a deeper meaning and purpose in life.

This book contains several poignant and inspiring personal testimonies of Catholics who have dealt positively with significant suffering in their own lives. These stories provide contemporary accounts of how suffering can lead to personal and spiritual growth and bring us closer to God, others, and the Church. Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope helps us see suffering and hardship as an opportunity to experience God’s grace and love by focusing on Jesus Christ, who experienced profound pain and suffering himself and who cares deeply about our own suffering.

Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope helps readers undertake the Spiritual Works of Mercy to “comfort the afflicted,” “counsel the doubtful,” and “educate the uninformed.” Understanding the purpose of suffering and the greater good that can come from it will help us and those we love become better, instead of bitter, when facing life’s inevitable hardships and difficulties.