New Family Life Coordinator Sees Marriage and Family Ministries as Key to All Vocations

Story and Photo by Shelley Wolf

When Valerie St. Jean hears the word “vocation,” she thinks of every person’s call from God. Each of us is being called to service, she says, whether that’s to the priesthood, religious life, married life or some other ministry within the Archdiocese of Hartford.

But not enough people think in terms of their own vocation. And everyone needs to be introduced to the concept earlier in life.

“Vocation ministry is a developmental process that takes time,” she explains. “It’s planting seeds. There’s a need for better education, inspiration and support, so that God’s call to vocation can take root and mature.”

As the new coordinator of Adult & Family Life Ministries for the archdiocese, St. Jean is hoping to contribute to a new culture of vocations – in families, in parishes and in Catholic schools.

To do that, St. Jean is partnering with Father Anthony Federico, archdiocesan director of Vocations, and Kelly Henderschedt, archdiocesan director of Faith Formation, to raise awareness of the importance of all vocations.

In February, St. Jean attended an Office of Vocations’ workshop on Parish Vocations Committees, which was led by Rhonda Greuenwald, author of Hundredfold: A Guide to Parish Vocation Ministry and The Harvest: A Guide to Vocation Ministry in Education.

In addition to fostering a culture of vocations for the priesthood and religious life, Father Federico also teaches about the vocation of marriage. So St. Jean was eager to join him in supporting all vocations.

“So Father Anthony is raising awareness and he’s calling for 1,000 priests, 1,000 religious and 1,000 marriages,” she says. “I don’t think people recognize that marriage, a sacramental marriage, is a vocation. It is a calling from God.”

St. Jean, who opted for the vocation of marriage for herself, always felt drawn to religious studies. Eventually, she became a faith formation director for St. Ann Parish in Avon. She also sees possibilities for semi-religious vocations – such as Catholic schoolteachers, social workers, religious educators and even archdiocesan accountants – that might call people to service.

“We need all those people who have the calling from God to serve the Church with their gifts and talents,” St. Jean says. “I see vocations with a very broad brush and just how foundational it is.”

To support all vocations, St. Jean is accompanying Henderschedt to deanery faith formation meetings. Together, they are alerting parish faith formation leaders to the new Parish Vocations Committees and are asking, “So how can faith formation support them?”

The hope is to break down information silos within parishes and to get everyone working toward the same collective goal: to get people of all ages praying and discerning their vocation. “Ultimately, you have a stronger force,” St. Jean says.

St. Jean, who assists parishes in developing marriage preparation and marriage enrichment programs, says these programs also have the potential to produce future vocations, including priests.

“Focusing on strengthening Christ-like marriages leads to strong Catholic families who will increase parish participation, Mass attendance, faith formation, service and ministry participation. That’s why I call it such a strong cornerstone,” she says. “Strong marriages and families create the next generation for our Church.”

Now St. Jean is offering pastors help in building “pre-Cana teams” to coach engaged couples, and “Endure,” a pilot program to help married couples apply their pre-Cana communication skills.

Henderschedt is working on “Nurturing Seedlings,” a pilot program to help young parents introduce Jesus to their children from birth to age five.

“It’s building family ministries,” St. Jean says. “It’s living the lifestyle. It’s more than just checking the box. And that’s why I wanted to jump on Father Anthony’s bandwagon.”

For more information, visit catholicedaohct.org/faith-formation/family-life-ministries.