You Were Made for This: The Family on Mission

Written By PS Team

"Your family has a mission." That's what Julie Liotta's priest told her in confession one ordinary Wednesday morning, and the words changed everything. Jim and Meghan sit down with Julie, a former Marine Corps company commander now serving as coordinator for adult faith formation and evangelization at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, to talk about what it means to live as a family on mission. Drawing from her years in the Marine Corps, her work walking converts through OCIA, and story after story of God pursuing hearts in unexpected ways, Julie shows how ordinary moments, from chicken tenders to confession, become the mission field.

What’s in this episode:

  • The moment a priest told Julie her family has a mission

  • Lessons from the Marine Corps on leadership and mission

  • The atheist midshipman who asked, "Am I invited?"

  • A stranger's 40-year journey away from the Church and back

  • Encouraging a man wrestling with frustration in his conversion

  • Why pausing before speaking opens space for the Holy Spirit

  • The surprising origin story behind Teams of Our Lady

  • Julie's work leading OCIA at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament

  • Why being fully yourself is key to sharing your faith

  • A call to be brave in living out your Catholic identity

  • One resource every Catholic family should know: Teams of Our Lady

  • Book she is currently reading: 60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple by Fr. John Bartunek

  • Favorite book: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

  • Advice to her younger self: Be present exactly where you are, because that's where God is pursuing you

  • Final wisdom for listeners: Be brave. The world needs brave people who aren't afraid to be who they're called to be.

Resources Mentioned:

Teams of Our Lady – A lay apostolate that helps married couples grow closer in faith and community

60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple by Fr. John Bartunek – A 60 day guide to living as a missionary disciple

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell – A classic novel that ignited Julie's love of reading as a child

Camp Wojtyla – A Catholic summer camp for kids in Colorado

Mustard Seed Communities – A Catholic community in Jamaica serving people with disabilities

PS Team
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