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Dolly Parton Gave Me the Courage to Outgrow My Faith Community

By Ryan McQuade
Host Dolly Parton gets the musical performances started with a hand-clapping country anthem during the nationally televised 22nd annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House Oct. 10, 1988. Callie Shell / The Tennessean via Reuters
Aug 26, 2026
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At 28, I resigned from my dream job, packed up my life and made the 24-hour drive from Gilbert, Ariz., to Nashville, Tenn. I had wanted to work for a big Catholic ministry since high school when I went to a youth conference and saw speakers giving passionate sermons about how God changed their lives and could change mine too.

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Host Dolly Parton gets the musical performances started with a hand-clapping country anthem during the nationally televised 22nd annual CMA Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House Oct. 10, 1988. Callie Shell / The Tennessean via Reuters