There’s no denying the featured speaker at Catholic Social Services’ annual Breakfast with the Bishop runs with fast company.
Cody Coughlin is a drag racing and stock car driver who has a last name familiar to many racing fans. Not only has the 29-year-old experienced his own success on the track, his family has been part of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) series for decades and his grandfather founded the auto equipment retailer JEGS High Performance.
After his presentation on Friday morning, Sept. 12 at the Renaissance Hotel grand ballroom in downtown Columbus, he hurried off to Pennsylvania to compete in the NHRA’s Reading Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
Coughlin, 29, joined his family in NHRA for the first time this year after competing in stock car and truck series racing since he started in the sport in 2009. Along the way, he won a rookie of the year award, four national championships and 20 national events in late-model stock car series on oval tracks.
“Racing at all these different levels has taught me resilience, discipline and how to perform under intense pressure,” he said during his presentation. “In fact, right after this event, I’ll be heading to Pennsylvania to compete, so if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate your thoughts and prayers for a successful race. And you know, a few Hail Marys would be great, too.”
But Coughlin, who went on to finish second in the Pro Stock division in Pennsylvania, didn’t talk as much about his racing career at the Breakfast with the Bishop gathering as he did about his faith journey as a Catholic and the importance of contributing gifts and talents in the community.
“It goes without saying that’s my most important journey,” he said.
Coughlin was baptized as a Catholic and raised as a Protestant, “but just a few years ago, I felt the Lord really tugging at my heart, calling me back to the Catholic Church,” he said.
“With the guidance of Bishop Fernandes, Father (Jonathan) Wilson and Father (Daniel) Olvera, I was able to receive the sacraments and be fully welcomed into the Catholic Church” at Westerville St. Paul the Apostle Church.
“The decision has changed my life because I realized something important at the end of the day,” he continued. “No matter how much we achieve or what we do at preparing this earth, everything is just temporary. Nothing here on Earth, at least for me, fulfills us in an eternal way (that) a relationship with God can. … advance God’s kingdom.”
In addition to racing, Coughlin launched another career in 2022 as a real estate developer and entrepreneur who has built one high-end residential apartment community and has similar residential and commercial developments in the works.
“My journey into the Catholic faith has made me realize to be a disciple of Christ, you truly need to have a conversion of heart,” Coughlin said. “We’re called to genuinely love our neighbor as we love ourselves. My personal experience with becoming a practicing Catholic has been one that challenges me to advance beyond my comfort zone every day and to advance internally, not just externally. I believe that Christ taught us that we should truly be sincere and authentic in our good works.”
Coughlin shared that he’s working with the diocese on several projects aligned with the mission of the Church and Catholic Social Services.
One of those is the rollout of mobile food pantry delivering meals directly to people in need throughout the diocese. His vision is grow the pantry into a fleet of vans going wherever there’s a need.
“And maybe it’s no coincidence, after spending so much of my life on four wheels, my service work is also being carried out on four wheels,” Coughlin said.
A second initiative is the establishment of a mental health facility in Columbus.
“I don’t often share this publicly that much, but I struggle with anxiety and it affects all aspects of my life, whether it’s relationships, work, peace of mind,” he said. “And so I know personally how difficult that can be and how much of a true systemic problem it is in society not talking about mental health and getting to address the care that it needs.”
Bishop Fernandes also spoke at the gathering after celebrating Mass at 7 a.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral and then led a question-and-answer session with Coughlin, who is engaged and will be married by Bishop Fernandes.
“When I look back on my journey, it’s been more than racing and business, it’s been about faith, about service and about answering God’s call to use what I’ve been given, not just for myself but for others,” Coughlin said. “And I’m grateful beyond words for the blessing of my life. I’m even more grateful for the chance to use those blessings toward servicing the needy and the Church as Christ instructed us to.”
S. Kelley Henderson, president and CEO of Catholic Social Services, served as a master of ceremonies and encouraged guests to volunteer for its programs and to provide support spiritually and financially.
For more information on Catholic Social Services and opportunities to volunteer or donate, visit www.colscss.org.
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