Meet the Officer – Major Gai Cathcart
- May 1
- 3 min read
Updated: May 1
1. What is your current appointment and what do you find most satisfying about it?
I am the Corps Officer, along with my husband, Peer, at North East Salvos in Adelaide. The thing I find most satisfying about being an officer is the look on people’s faces when they discover something new about themselves that gives them encouragement, a sense of purpose, and affirmation of who they are in Christ. It doesn’t matter where that discovery comes from, whether it be in a small group, in a church service, while volunteering, or through a one-on-one conversation. The moment they ‘get it’ is inspiring.
2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?
As much as I love my role – and it can be all-consuming at times – I do take time to relax and unwind, and I have quite a few options. I really enjoy doing the housework on my day off. My home is my sanctuary. So, when I know it is clean and tidy, it helps my mind and body relax and prepare for the busyness that the rest of the week may hold. I also enjoy a good crime thriller or medical drama on TV. I also love getting creative, whether it is sewing a quilt, playing music, or, on the rare occasion, spending time at the cottage we are renovating in the country.
3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it?
That’s a really difficult question to answer. As a musician, I understand and appreciate musicality, and as a Christian, I like to feel connected to the words and meaning behind the song. So, today I choose ‘I am Carried’ by Geoff Bullock. It is one of the songs I pull out and play and sing when I sit down at the piano. The song takes me on a journey of acknowledging the constant presence of God in my life, no matter where I am, who I am with, or what I am doing. The last line of the chorus says: I am carried in the arms of grace and love Divine. There’s no place I’d rather be than in God’s arms as I do this life that He has called me to.
4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about?
Another tough question to answer, but I would choose Mary, Jesus’ mother, and we would talk about grief. There is something different and unique about the grief that comes from losing a child. I lost my son when he was 22 years old and under very different circumstances from how Mary lost her son, Jesus, but I can imagine that we would have a few things in common and lots to talk about. I could learn from her experience and take comfort in her wisdom. Despite the fact that our children lived very different lives, there is an inner strength, deep compassion and broad understanding that comes from being a mother who is grieving the loss of her child. I would want to learn from her, and I want to connect with other mothers in the same way.
READ MORE: Gai discusses her grief over losing her son in an interview with Salvos Online journalist Lerisse Smith. Click here
5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?
I would say listen. Listen well and listen long. Take your time with God first and foremost to make sure it is His calling. In my answer to the first question, I mentioned how good it is when someone discovers their purpose. It is one of the questions that people find most difficult to answer: “What is my purpose?” The answer is quite simple really: my purpose, everyone’s purpose, is to show off the goodness and glory of God, and the Bible tells me so. Some people get it, some don’t, and until they do, they will always be searching. How we fulfil that purpose is as individual as we are and is based on God’s call for our lives. The first call on our lives is to be disciples of Jesus. How we do that will be determined by an open, surrendered, listening and obedient heart. So, listen. Pay attention to what others are saying around you, too, and test it with Scripture and prayer so that you will hear the voice of God louder than any other.
