Virginia Mayo began her acting journey at a young age, starting with dance and local theater. The Great Depression impacted her family, shaping her desire for joy beyond the entertainment industry. She gained recognition through performances in vaudeville and at Billy Rose's 'Diamond Horseshoe'. Sam Goldwyn signed her, leading to roles in comedies and musicals as one of his 'Goldwyn Girls'. Goldwyn recognized her potential as an actress, giving her a role in 'Jack London' and setting the stage for her marriage to Michael O'Shea.
15 days ago
Virginia Mayo, born Virginia Clara Jones on November 30, 1920, in St. Louis, Missouri, discovered her passion for acting at age six through her aunt's dance studio.1 As a great-great-great-granddaughter of a Revolutionary War veteran, she grew up in the Roaring Twenties, often playing "show" with friends and performing in local theatrical productions.1
The Great Depression profoundly impacted her family when her father, a prominent newspaper writer, lost his job after two decades.1 These hardships instilled in young Virginia a longing for deeper fulfillment beyond the stage lights, shaping her resilient spirit.1
At 16, Mayo auditioned unsuccessfully for the Muny Opera in St. Louis but succeeded the following year, performing in its grand amphitheater.1 After high school, she joined a vaudeville troupe under the stage name "Virginia Mayo," eventually landing a spot at New York’s Diamond Horseshoe nightclub in 1942.1
A talent scout discovered her there, leading to her role as a Goldwyn Girl in Samuel Goldwyn's musicals and comedies.1 Her breakthrough came with small parts in films like Jack London (1943), evolving into starring roles such as Princess Margaret in The Princess and the Pirate (1944) alongside Bob Hope.1
Mayo's career peaked with acclaimed performances, including the unfaithful wife in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), the dream girl in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), and Verna Jarrett opposite James Cagney in White Heat (1949), earning her career-best reviews.1 She continued acting into the 1950s, balancing roles with motherhood after giving birth to daughter Mary Catherine.1
During filming of Jack London, Mayo met actor Michael O’Shea, a Catholic, whom she married in 1947.1 Their union provided stability amid her rising fame, though her career began to slow in the 1950s.1
Tragedy struck with O’Shea’s untimely death, which Mayo suspected involved foul play.1 This loss deepened her emotional wounds, prompting a profound reevaluation of her life's purpose beyond Hollywood's fleeting glamour.1
Despite professional success, Mayo felt an inner void, describing Hollywood's allure as a "short-lived imitation" of true joy.1 She yearned for a spirituality to embrace, leading her to explore faith deeply.1
Inspired by Bishop Fulton Sheen's television broadcasts, Mayo and her husband sought him out in New York.1 Sheen's gentle guidance, brilliant insights, and recommended spiritual literature moved her profoundly, helping her discover Catholicism as the faith she had always sought.1
Mayo formally converted to Catholicism in 1974, finding lasting peace and comfort in the Church after years of searching.1 This conversion healed her wounds and affirmed her destiny transcended theatrical fame, quenching her lifelong thirst for authentic joy.1
How does Catholic teaching define authentic joy amid worldly success?
Catholic teaching presents authentic joy as a profound, spiritual reality rooted in union with God, distinct from the fleeting pleasures of worldly success. Far from being a mere emotional high or a byproduct of material achievements like wealth, power, or acclaim, true joy emerges from encountering Christ's love, embracing His commandments, and orienting one's life toward eternal beatitude. Amid worldly success, this joy serves as a safeguard, reminding believers that earthly triumphs are secondary to the soul's fulfillment in God. As Pope Pius XII emphasized, pursuing riches and conveniences without God leads to grasping at what crumbles, while only "heavenly joys, which are eternal, and not what is in flux and transitory, can fill and satisfy the soul." This perspective, drawn from Scripture, papal exhortations, and theological reflection, underscores that authentic joy is resilient, even in trials, and invites a discerning approach to success that prioritizes stewardship of creation and charity.
At its core, Catholic doctrine defines authentic joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, arising from the experience of God's merciful love and the pursuit of His kingdom. It is not a superficial emotion but a deep peace that persists through suffering, as Jesus promised His disciples: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (Jn 15:11). Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, describes this as "the joy of the Gospel [that] fills the heart and the whole life of those who encounter Jesus," a joy that overcomes anguish and cannot be taken away, even by death. This joy is inherently relational, born from abiding in Christ's love and sharing it with others, much like the parable of the treasure in the field, where discovery prompts joyful sacrifice of all else (Mt 13:44).
Theological tradition, particularly in St. Thomas Aquinas, distinguishes this spiritual joy from mere passion or sensory delight. Joy, as the completion of the rational appetite elevated by grace, finds its perfection in the presence of the beloved—ultimately God. It consoles amid trials, alleviating anxiety through friendship with the divine. Thus, authentic joy is "inchoative," a foretaste of eternal beatitude through charity, attracting others irresistibly, as seen in the lives of the saints. Pope John Paul II echoed this in his address to youth, portraying true joy as a "victory" won through Christ's kenosis—His self-emptying obedience unto death—which restores humanity's path to happiness lost in Eden.
In contrast to worldly definitions, this joy rejects pessimism or resentment toward modern secularization, which often sidelines God. Pope Francis advocates a "discerning view" of the world, recognizing that while cultural shifts may dim faith's joy, Christian peace remains an anchor: "the storm is always on the surface but the depths remain calm and peaceful." It is a free gift of knowing one is "loved, sustained and embraced by Christ in every situation."
Catholic teaching warns that worldly success—wealth, comfort, power, or dominance—cannot yield authentic joy because it is transient and often corrupts the will. As Pius XII observed, trusting in earthly goods chases "what escapes him" and clings to "what is crumbling down," lacking the "solid basic norm" of God's law for true order and happiness. Sin disrupts this, as in Genesis, where paradise's happiness is spoiled, but Christ redeems it through His struggle, offering a "more beautiful idea of heaven."
Pope John Paul II critiqued the "worldly spirit" that equates meaning with riches, pleasures, and power, even at the cost of violence, deeming the poor and afflicted "losers." Yet Jesus declares them blessed, promising inner joy now and heavenly reward: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven" (Mt 5:12). Success by worldly metrics fosters schemes and anxiety (Eccl 7:14, 29), while authentic joy calls for simplicity and gratitude, as in Sirach: "My son, treat yourself well... Do not deprive yourself of a happy day" (Sir 14:11,14), balanced by contentment: "I have learned to be content with what I have" (Phil 4:11).
Even in pursuits like sports, which can mirror success, joy must promote "common joy" rooted in God's love, not just performance or victory. Amid secularization, where God fades from the horizon, joy risks diminishment unless anchored in faith that "attracts by the joy it communicates." Theologians like Reinhard Hütter note that without religion's virtue, seekers of happiness in fame or pleasure remain unfulfilled, craving the "universal good" only found in God. Aquinas adds that partial joys from imperfect goods console but cannot fully satisfy until eternal union.
This caution extends to environmental stewardship, as misuse of creation for success violates moral limits. The Creator's dominion is not absolute but ministerial, requiring respect for nature's integrity to avoid "disastrous consequences." Worldly success that exploits resources endangers future generations, contradicting the call to "cultivate and care for" the earth (Gen 2:15). True joy, then, involves responsible use, recognizing creatures' goodness as reflections of God's wisdom (CCC 339).
Catholic teaching guides believers to integrate worldly success without letting it eclipse spiritual joy through obedience, gratitude, and evangelization. God desires human happiness, providing "everything for our enjoyment" (1 Tim 6:17), yet within His plan. Young people, especially, are urged to rejoice in youth but banish anxiety by aligning with divine wisdom (Ec 11:9-10).
Pope Francis stresses resilience: imitate St. Paul in contentment and St. Francis in praising God for simple gifts like bread or breeze. In success, joy arises from sharing the Gospel's glad tidings, as sports or achievements become spaces for communal joy when oriented toward God's reign. John Paul II's vision of the Beatitudes as "road signs" to joy amid uphill paths reminds that Christ precedes us: "He who follows me will not walk in darkness" (Jn 8:12).
Theological depth reveals joy's compatibility with sorrow, as in contrite penance restoring the will. Stewardship of creation amplifies this: human dominion, imaged in God, demands wisdom and love, rendering account as "minister of God's plan" (Evangelium Vitae 52). Thus, success in business or influence becomes joyful when it promotes life, respects creatures' value—"the Lord rejoices in all his works" (Ps 104:31)—and avoids tyrannical anthropocentrism.
In summary, Catholic teaching defines authentic joy as the enduring fruit of divine encounter and charity, unassailable by trials and superior to worldly success's illusions. It calls for discernment: enjoy God's gifts responsibly, but root fulfillment in Christ, who restores paradise's promise. By this, believers amid prosperity witness a joy that evangelizes, drawing others from indifference to the "life of charity" and eternal beatitude. This path, faithful to Scripture and Tradition, ensures success serves the common good, honoring creation and the Creator.