A life of Faith, Love & Grace
Some of life's deepest lessons come from roads we never expected to travel. For Rev. Cathie Young, faith has been a lifelong journey of discovering God's presence in the beautiful, the ordinary, and the sometimes heartbreaking moments that make up a life.
An Anglican priest, author, and teacher, Cathie has devoted decades to sharing the Gospel and walking alongside others. Yet the wisdom she brings to her ministry has been shaped by far more than theological study. It has grown through a beautiful marriage, serious illness, profound loss, and the unexpected ways God continues to reveal His grace.
The Love That Shapes a Life
One of God's greatest gifts to Cathie was her beloved husband, Philip, the love of her life. Their marriage was filled with the richness of a life shared in faith—the laughter, companionship, ordinary joys, and quiet understanding that grow between two people who have walked through the years together. Their love was not simply part of Cathie's story; it helped shape the woman she is today.
When Cathie faced advanced breast cancer, Philip walked beside her through the uncertainty of treatment and recovery. Together, they discovered that even the hardest seasons could hold unexpected tenderness, laughter, and moments of extraordinary grace. Years later, Philip's journey with Alzheimer's brought different challenges, asking for new depths of patience, courage, and love. Though the familiar rhythms of their life changed, the bond they shared remained precious.
Since Philip's passing, Cathie has come to know grief as another expression of a love that continues. She understands that sorrow and gratitude can live within the same heart, that laughter can return without diminishing what has been lost, and that beauty can still be found in an unfamiliar season. Their marriage remains one of her life's greatest blessings, and the love they shared continues to shape the tenderness and wisdom she brings to the world.
Finding Gold Along the Road
In 2011, Cathie's diagnosis of advanced breast cancer brought her face to face with the vulnerability and uncertainty she had so often helped others navigate. Through treatment and recovery, she began recognizing unexpected gifts along the way—kindness, laughter, the love of family and friends, and the quiet reassurance of God's presence.
These moments became the inspiration for her book, Gold in the Road: Through the Cancer Storm with Jesus Christ. What began as a personal testimony has grown into a deeper understanding of how grace meets us in suffering. Cathie knows that faith does not spare us from heartbreak, nor does every difficult season end as we hope. Yet even along the hardest roads, there can be beauty worth discovering.
A Calling Rooted in Compassion
Cathie earned her Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and was ordained in the Anglican Church in 2007. Her years in ministry include serving as Associate Rector at St. James Anglican Church in Costa Mesa, California, where she shared her love of Scripture through teaching, preaching, and pastoral care.
She also serves as president of Twelve Eleven Ministries and founded Cancer with Compassion to encourage those facing cancer and the people who love them. At the heart of her work is a simple conviction: every person is deeply valued by God, and no one should have to walk through life's hardest seasons feeling alone.
Still Becoming
There is a particular wisdom that comes from having lived through enough seasons to understand that life is both more fragile and more beautiful than we once believed. Cathie has experienced extraordinary joy and profound sorrow, and she continues to discover that neither tells the whole story. Her faith has grown not because every question has been answered, but because she has come to trust the One who walks with her through them.
Today, Cathie continues to write, teach, speak, and share what God is revealing to her. She brings the perspective of someone still walking the journey—curious, grateful, sometimes grieving, often laughing, and always looking for the grace that meets us along the way.
She believes there is beauty still to be discovered, love still to be shared, and meaningful work still to be done. Through her story, she hopes others might find the courage to embrace their own, trusting that whatever season they find themselves in, God is already there.
