By Amy White
The Texas Catholic
Through childhood nightmares and serious illnesses, prayer has guided Diana Gump her whole life, providing her with abiding comfort and peace.
A founding parishioner of All Saints Catholic Community, Gump’s journey of faith is paved with prayer: At a very young age, the cradle Catholic said, the power of petition became personally evident to her when she turned to God for respite from an upsetting recurring nightmare.
“I asked Jesus to help me,” she said. “I asked only once, and I never had that dream again. What a wonderful feeling to know he was listening!”
Her nightly prayers went from rote repetition to a true lifting of the heart as she discovered that she could entrust God with her personal intentions and words of petition for loved ones, she said.
Gump leaned upon prayer again when, at only four years old, she became very ill. Her right kidney, which had become cancerous, was removed, and she was given “the maximum radiation” she could be given, she recalled. Through that trial, Gump remembered her parents calling upon the Lord for assistance.
“My parents prayed with me every night,” she said, “and I knew God the Father and his Son, Jesus, were listening.”
As Gump entered high school, she met Rick, the man she would marry, in a Thomas Jefferson High School biology class. The two discovered they had much in common — including remarkably similar faith backgrounds: Each was raised by a Catholic father and by a mother who eventually converted from the Methodist faith to Catholicism. The two began dating; but in Gump’s senior year of high school, when she was a lieutenant on the drill team and Rick was a cheerleader, she once again fell ill. After some testing, the doctors spotted a tumor on an adrenal gland.
“Prayer and my faith aided me through all of that very difficult time,” she said. “My husband, Rick, was at my side every step of the way: first, a kind friend; and then, my dear husband.”
In August, Gump celebrated 58 years of marriage; and in October, she will celebrate 79 years of life. As she looks back, she thanks God for the many blessings he has given her, including her husband, her two children, her granddaughter, and her faith.
“What a life I have been blessed to enjoy with the help of my Catholic faith!” Gump said. “I have lived out my Catholic faith by years of teaching, volunteer service, and by caring for friends and family.”
Reflecting on the steady presence of prayer through both the joys and sorrows of her life, Gump expressed gratitude for the faith that continues to bring her consolation and peace.
“I love my Catholic faith because of the comfort it brings and how it has kept me anchored. My faith has been a blessing throughout my life,” she said.
When asked the question, “Why are you Catholic?” Gump responded: “Why should I be anything other than Catholic when this faith put me on a path that has brought me such joy and peace. I thank God every day for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me!”
Editor’s Note: Do you have an answer to the question: Why are you Catholic? Email [email protected] with a few details about your story of faith for consideration in The Texas Catholic’s “Why I am Catholic” series.
Cutline for featured image: Diana Gump, a parishioner of All Saints Catholic Community, is pictured at her parish on Aug. 18. Gump shared her story of faith with The Texas Catholic as part of the “Why I am Catholic” series. (AMY WHITE/The Texas Catholic)
