About You:
Living Faith: Describe your vocation in life.
Deborah A. Meister: Wife and mother, followed by teacher/writer and church ministry.
LF: Offer a new general bio here, if you wish something other than what is listed here.
DM: My husband, Bill, and I have two adult daughters. Having moved from state to state eight times in 20 years due to job transfers, we finally settled in St. Louis, happily living near their three grandsons.
In addition to writing and editing for publication, I have been a university instructor in six states and a liturgical musician in seven dioceses. After earning an M.A. in Theology at the Aquinas Institute in St. Louis, I broadened her ministerial experience to include campus ministry, directing retreats for all ages, hospital chaplaincy, developing archdiocesan/parish programs and working in-house as an editor for Catholic publishers. I am certified as a spiritual director in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, prepared to accompany others through the complexity of living with deeper spiritually in a concrete world.
Throughout my years of ministry, I have been a Living Faith subscriber and eventually one of its editors. I credit Living Faith as a continual and integral part of my faith journey since 1988: I am grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in preparing my reflections and acknowledge the small part I play in discovering what Scripture has to say to us in our everyday lives.
LF: Do you reach out to readers online via a website or social media?
DM: Some LF readers have found me on Facebook.
LF: Share a little about your ministry or daily work. (A day in the life looks like…?)
DM: Every day begins with journaling, prayer and Living Faith. When I am not writing reflections for Living Faith, I write and edit the work of others seeking publication. Every day, for 722 consecutive days and counting, I have managed to study various languages on the Duolingo app (mainly Spanish).
In addition to our parish community, my husband (Deacon Bill) and I are active members of the Cursillo movement in St. Louis (and remain loyal friends to the Evansville, IN, Cursillo community where we began our Cursillo journey). I have in the last three years become involved in the Bridges Foundation, which offers the 19th Annotation Retreat, where participants experience the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola in everyday life. I am devoted to my parish choir, which has enriched my life not only with sung-prayer, friendships and improved musical skills but has taken me on two European tours to sing in magnificent cathedrals, including St. Peter’s in Rome. One of my most treasured ministries is bringing Communion to and visiting with people once a week in a nursing home. My husband serves as deacon in a Maronite parish, so on Sundays we head off in two different directions for Mass. Our weekends are always enriched by our grandsons, who continue to surprise and entertain us with endless fun.
LF: How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
DM: As a child, I wrote stories and plays with friends in the neighborhood, performing them in the basement and sometimes for neighbors (tickets were a penny). This early creative activity led to an interest in art and literature, which eventually led to a master’s degree. I have always been keen to take every opportunity to write (fiction and non-fiction) and to teach others to write well. Eventually, I gave up my time in the classroom to work in publishing and have never looked back.
LF: What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
DM: I find it difficult to properly edit my own writing, and I value the input from those with editorial skills. It is often difficult to know, honestly, when a piece is finished and to let go.
LF: How many books have you written, and which is your favorite? If you haven’t written a book, name a favorite that you’ve enjoyed.
DM: I have contributed chapters and stories to books, but have not published a book of my own. Maybe one day—I have lots of ideas for books.
I have authored numerous booklets and articles, mainly in the last 25 years. An older one, but one of my favorites, both in researching and writing, is Serving Others, which is the story of Jean Donovan, Sisters Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford and Maura Clarke, who were brutally murdered in El Salvador. It’s a small booklet for children, so telling this story in an inspirational but non-frightening way challenged my storytelling and writing ability. The courage and self-sacrifice of these women teaches a poignant lesson in serving others.
Writing doesn’t have to be serious or for publication. Not all of my writing is focused on faith. For example, I belong to an international group of writers—usually a dozen writers, give or take. We each write one short story every two weeks, and each of our stories begins with the same first line. This group has been writing together for the whole of this century! Two years ago, when we all had too much time on our hands, we published some of our best stories in a book titled It’s a Given. I encourage anyone with a love for writing to gather a group together and begin writing for one another.
LF: Where do you live today, and is that different from where you grew up?
DM: I grew up in St. Louis, MO, and moved away at 17 for college. My husband and I have lived in eight states over the years. We never had any intention of moving “home.” One day, the corporation transferred him to Southern Illinois, near enough to St. Louis where we could live right where I spent my childhood. With the blessing of hindsight, I see God’s hand distinctly in every move we made around the country, never more so than in that last transfer. Six months after we moved to our hometown, my father was diagnosed with cancer and died. As a family, we were blessed to be exactly where we needed to be.
LF: Three words your best friend would use to describe you.
DM: I wouldn’t hazard a guess. But I will say that my best friend is my spouse, and he is the image of God’s love in my life. Everyone who knows Deacon Bill has nothing but nice words to describe him.
LF: One additional thing you would want a Living Faith reader to know about you that we haven’t covered above. (A hobby, something silly or fun, an accomplishment, or an interesting fact?)
DM: I am an amateur artist and musician. Both of these creative outlets deserve more of my time. A visit to an art museum is my happy place. Beautiful cathedrals and botanical gardens, too. Oh, and I completed a marathon in 1995.
About Faith:
LF: When did you first know that God loved you?
DM: I have always known God’s love through my Grandmother Kelley. Widowed early in life, Hortense Kelley raised two children, attended college (when women did not go to college) and spent 50 years as a teacher. The love that she had for me and for everyone who crossed her path was generous, unconditional and life-changing.
LF: Describe a prayer practice that is meaningful to you.
DM: I begin each day (well nearly, to be honest) with the Examen, a practice described by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the Spiritual Exercises. Daily practice in discernment helps clarify my awareness of God’s will in my life.
LF: What’s something you’ve learned from the Bible or from the Mass or the Sacraments that has always stayed with you?
DM: The story of Jesus calling St. Peter from the boat to walk on water challenges me to get “out of the boat” (a.k.a. my comfort zone) especially when I feel inadequate.
LF: What excites you about being a Catholic?
DM: I love the Church’s history, rooted in the sacraments and brought to life through the lives of the saints—which is all of us in the Body of Christ.
About the Bible:
LF: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
DM: I’ve already mentioned Matthew 14:22-23, so I will give a shout out to Habakkuk and not just because it’s short. He begins in misery and anger, begging for God’s help, and ends with every confidence in God’s mercy. I find this inspiring every time things do not go as planned, and I start complaining. Almost daily, I’ll admit.
LF: Do you have a favorite Gospel? If so, which one? Elaborate if you wish.
DM: The Gospel of John is my favorite. I am fond of the mystical literary style and the wisdom expressed throughout.
LF: If you could spend a day with a person (besides Jesus) mentioned in the Bible, whom would you choose?
DM: Choosing only one is difficult. I’d start with St. Joseph because we know so little about him and his deliberate choice to support Mary had a critical impact. I think Lazarus, on the day Jesus brings him back to life, might be my second choice.
About Living Faith:
LF: How long have you been writing for Living Faith?
DM: I began writing for Living Faith when I accepted the position as editor in 2014.
LF: Do you ever get to meet your Living Faith readers? What do you talk about?
DM: I do meet readers who live in St. Louis and have met a few at conferences, many of whom have been faithful readers since the ‘80s and ‘90s. Usually they hear my name and wonder why it’s familiar. Once we figure out why, they tell me how much Living Faith means to them.
LF: What is one thing you love about Living Faith?
DM: The insights and wisdom shared by the contributors never fail to inspire me every day. I’ve been a reader since 1988 after the school principal in a small Appalachian town in Eastern Kentucky gave a copy of Living Faith to everyone on staff. I know the feeling other readers have expressed: “That day’s reflection was meant just for me.”
*The interview was edited for clarity and conformity to style. No meaning was altered in the process.
