Bio
Hello. My name is Lawain. I have been married for 38 years to my wife Pam and have three adult children, and three (wonderful) grandchildren.
I am the creator of this Substack and site—The Call to Holiness. By the way, thank you for visiting.
I hold a Bachelors degree English Bible and a Master's Degree in Theology (specializing in Historical Theology). My particular discipline is in America’s Second Great Awakening and its anti-Catholic impact on America's founding (particularly with its founder Alexander Campbell).
I am a former ordained Church of Christ- Christian Church minister who entered into full communion with the Church in 1992. Last year, I was invited on The Coming Home Network (EWTN) to share my journey into the Church. The interview is below.
My career trajectory spans nearly three decades as an entrepreneur. The past 20 years, I was in investment management and financial software & technology. I sold my business and partnership in 2015 to focus on teaching, studying, writing and guiding others into the fullness of the Catholic faith. Since 2015, I have held various positions in the local parish and Catholic ministry organizations. I retired from business in 2024.
I am a Third Order Lay Dominican and serve as the Vice-President and formation director for our Lay Dominican Fraternity (to learn more about the Lay Dominicans, visit this link).
I am the co-founder and co-creator of the apostolate, The Surrender Initiative. This evangelization apostolate is modeled on the life of Servant of God, Elisabeth Leseur. The Surrender Initiative presents an opportunity to come together as the Body of Christ—to gather in the sacredness of the Holy Mass, praying intentionally and dedicating our Mass prayers and sacrifices for those we love who are no longer practicing their faith. To learn more about The Surrender Initiative, please visit this link. By the way, my co-founder and co-creator, Brad Bursa is a talented writer (a Ratzinger scholar), thinker and leader in Catholic ministry. His book, Because He Has Spoken to Us, is an important study and analysis regarding the current state of evangelization and catechetics (for the record, I am not a paid spokesman). Check out Brad’s book at this link.
As I enter my 60th year, I aim to persevere in the humble mission of evangelization. I want to inspire others to pursue the universal call to holiness. Please pray for me:
to introduce more people to the teachings of Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur;
to live out 2 Peter 1:3-4—"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
to teach others the practice of Lectio Divina;
to encourages others to a deeper prayer life;
to pray daily for the intercession and guidance from St. Dominic, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Charles de Foucald, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Augustine, St. John of the Cross, St. Terese of Avila, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Zelie Martin.
The Universal Call to Holiness
Jesus call us to holiness. This invitation is not limited to those who have devoted their lives to religious vocations; rather, it encompasses every Christian. Our fundamental vocation, as given by the Father through Jesus Christ and animated by the Holy Spirit, is to pursue the perfection of charity—holiness.
"All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity." - Christifidelis laici
Our daily lives and the ordinary moments we experience are not obstacles to sanctity but the very pathways to it. This means that our workplaces, homes, and communities should be arenas where holiness flourishes. All Christians are tasked with the mission to live a life imbued with the spirit of the Gospel, transforming every interaction and every task with the love of Christ.
The call to holiness is urgent and necessary—a response to the love of a God who desires to see His image reflected in His children. We are encouraged to "be holy in all conduct" (1 Peter 1:15), to see every moment of our lives as a chance to manifest God's love.
Let us pray for each other
Holiness is demonstrated through praying for one another and lifting each other up in encouragement, as these acts of love manifest the compassionate heart of Christ and build the spiritual unity of His Church.
