My journey to SoulCore was always in God’s perfect timing, but little did I know it at the time. We all have deep wounds, traumas, sufferings, and pain that we carry throughout our lives. Christ is always with us in those Crosses, and He is always gently embracing our hearts and guiding us towards Him - for whole healing once we fully surrender to Him. To trust.

Well, to be real with you, I had to learn that lesson for myself years ago. After suffering a great deal from childhood and adult wounds, I found myself heartbroken and lost. We all do at some point in life. I was on a humble journey to discover real inner peace that only Jesus can provide in this world. And who orchestrated that symphony? That’s right… your homegirl, Mary.

My journey for peace led me to the Sisters of Life in New York City. Let me tell you something, Jesus is alive in New York! Sister Catherine Marie (Superior of the convent at the time) welcomed me with open arms and a personal “Fiat!” that Mary knew I was right where I was supposed to be. It was as though God took everything from my past and lined it all together in that very moment to bring me back to New York City. I was blessed to be with these joyful nuns and time to just be with Christ - to breathe, to rest, and to pray. God had designed His greater plan for my life to be woven with these Sisters, and for our futures to do life together. As Sister Mary Catherine (one of the most beautiful Sisters filled with joy, peace, and playfulness) would later tell me, “Tiff, Jesus’ Most Sacred Heart is on this journey with you. He has been a part of everything that has brought you here now. In the pain and in the heartbreak. He is a gentleman, and patiently waiting for you to put Him first in your heart. In your wounds you will see His greater glory! Allow Him to create a bouquet of flowers - like St. Therese the Little Flower - here in New York City for you to take back home.”

My time with these holy women would reveal that in the sufferings of life, Jesus invites us to transform and unite closer to Him on the Cross - a purification through the flames of the fire. The wound is the place where the light enters your soul. A lot of my spiritual conversion and healing has to do with the Sisters of Life and New York City. Well, also St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Pieta, and many Saints including: Saints Maximilian Kolbe, Augustine, Faustina, Pope JPII, Alphonsus Liguori, Benedict, Padre Pio, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Michael the Archangel… I could go on and on. But that’s a story for another time.

It was through the Sisters of Life that I met Fr. Vincent Druding at Holy Cross Catholic Church in the Bronx, NY. It was a cold winter’s night on the Feast Day of St. Stephen, December 26th, and I’ll never forget that late evening in the Bronx (and Sister Mary Casey’s driving through the snow and ice!). I met this truly holy priest who would forever transform my life to be made new. When you meet Fr. Vincent, it is what I imagine a young St. Padre Pio must have been like to be around. Except Fr. Vince speaks fluent Spanish instead of Italian, and comes from a large Irish Catholic family. This priest has lived spiritual warfare, and it is real. He is a source of purity, with a gentle servant’s heart, selfless character, filled with virtue, and he has a spiritual presence that pierces Christ’s radiant light through the darkness. After time in prayer together with the Holy Spirit’s presence, Fr. Vince gave me the gift of Christ’s Peace for the first time in my life. He immediately introduced me to his big sister, Colleen Scariano - who along with her best friend, Deanne Miller - are the two beautiful souls who Co-Founded SoulCore.