If you are reading this welcome letter then you found my web site God & Free-Will. To those that do not know anything about me, my name is John Lawrence Fontana. I was raised in Abbeville, Louisiana, in a strong catholic family with wonderful loving parents. I am the seventh son of seven sons (I was told that is a special blessing but I am not sure). I attended Catholic elementary and high school and was highly active in a program call “Come Lord Jesus” . I actually introduced “Come Lord Jesus” to the LSU Catholic Church when I was a student in 1978 and then again to some students at Charity Hospital Nursing School I attended in 1983.
Anyway, for the past 34 years I basically live in Covington, Louisiana (which is just north of New Orleans). For ten years during this time, I was a volunteer CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) teacher, to ninth and tenth grade students, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mandeville, Louisiana. You might ask, what exactly does this mean? I provided Catholic religion lessons to those catholic students attending public schools. Once a week, every Monday night, these public school students attended a one hour catholic religion class so that they may have the religion education as those students attending catholic schools.
In addition to volunteering to teach, I worked as a Registered Nurse for 36 years. I have clinical experience in the trauma-emergency room, post anesthesia recovery room, hyperbaric-wound clinic, and medical sales. I was also a diving medic instructor and a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army reserve then in the Louisiana National Guard. I am married with five beautiful adult children and 4 wonderful dogs (Siberia Husky, Poodle, Miniature Greyhound and a Pomsky). This coming February 26, 2021, I will gain a new son-in-law as the oldest daughter will become a new wife.
Base on the title of my newly release book, God & Free-Will web site is dedicated to Catholic and Christian stories that shows praise and glory to our Lord and savior- God. I will assure you that this platform will not be use to express my or any personal political or current affair views. Probably, about twice a month, I will post stories and articles that highlight true -to life, spiritual and inspirational life events. For example, I plan on writing about my favorite saints, my favorite theologian authors, miracles occurrences in my life, why we honor Blessed Mother, as well as explanations of the historical events in the bible. My first blog that I am posting is my reflection of “the good shepherd” from the bible passage Luke 15:1-7.
To my new friends that have not read my book, my writing is not on the same disparity as the deep theologian philosophers such as Scott Hahn, Emmet Fox, Laurie Beth Jones, Rick Warren, Jonathan Kirsch, Eric Metaxas, and Bishop Fulton Sheen. I am just your every day catholic brother who have been a studious educator of the faith for the past 50 years. As a result, I am able to present my thoughts, ideas, and reflections in a logical, balanced, and simple approach. I want my method to reflect the simple but serious tone of the teachings of Christ to correspond into easy reading with entertaining stories. In simple words, I hope to capture the everyday struggling catholic to help them fully understand the many road maps that help us achieve our ultimate prize in life- eternity in Heaven.
Again, welcome to God & Free-Will and I thank you for your visit.
God and Free Will 