Catherine had spent years urging employers and donors to be open-minded, asking them to imagine how they’d feel if they were defined by their biggest mistake. Suddenly that was her own life. “I violated my spiritual values. I felt like I was covered in the thickest wall of shame,” she told us. “I lost my identity as a leader. I was dead broke financially. I didn’t want to live anymore because I felt like I had ruined God’s calling for my life.” She attempted suicide. Catherine had dedicated herself to helping people get a second chance. She had fostered compassion for ex-offenders. Now she
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