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WHAT IS THE CORE TEAM?The Core Team is a group of adults (21+) in the parish who plan, vision cast, and execute different events for St. Mary's Active Religious Teens (SMART). Core Team members will proclaim the teachings of Christ and build relationships with the teens at St. Mary of Nazareth. There is no cookie-cutter model for a perfect Core Team member!
For a full guide of expectations and responsabilities of the Core Team, click here.
If you or someone you know is interested in serving the teens of St. Mary, please do not hesitate to contact Catherine Mares in the Youth Office!
catherinem@stmarysdsm.org or 515-251-7568
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Director of Youth Ministry - Catherine Mares
Hello friends! My name is Catherine and I am your new Director for Youth Ministry! I am originally from the south side of Des Moines. I grew up at St. Anthony Parish, where I attended k-8 and then moved on to graduate from Dowling Catholic.
I have been living and working in West Virginia for the past several years as a full time Youth & Young Adult Minister for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. I LOVE retreat ministry, middle and high schoolers, Eucharistic Adoration, and icons. In my free time I enjoy hiking, hammocking, and *attempting* to play the guitar.
#CoronaVirus has really put a damper on a lot of activities but the CORE team and I are going to work hard to ensure that the Church is able to provide SOMETHING substatial for high school students this year.
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CORE TEAM - MAMA P
My name is JoLynn Paszkiewicz. My husband, Steve, and I have been parishioners at St. Mary's for over 20 years. We have four adult daughters, so we are officially empty nesters.
I have worked with the youth program in one way or another since becoming a parishioner, from Faith Formation for the K-8 program, to the gap year for high school ministry when we were without a youth minister, to the implementation of the LifeTeen program. Each of these ministries have been rewarding, but I seemed to have found my home with the high school teens. When asked why I love being a CORE team member (adult leader for the high school program SMART...St Mary's Active Religious Teens), my reply is simple ~ the teens. The energy, the faith, the trust, the willingness to share, and the friendship they provide each and every time we meet is amazing. How could you not fall in love with being a part of all of this!
I hold St. Joseph, the Foster Father of Jesus/the Carpenter, close to my heart. Warm memories of my childhood come to mind when I pray to him and when I am around our youth. Hardworking, dedicated to family and protecting them, and blind faith in others close to you are the endearing attributes I find in St. Joseph. Mother Mary is also extremely special to me. I have so much affection for the love Mother Mary gave to Jesus and the strength she found in herself to endure everything she had to endure. I want to share that type of motherly love with my own girls and with the teens. At home I am known as 'Mom' ~ at SMART I am known as 'Momma P'.
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CORE Team - Erin K
I have been in the SMART Core Team for 2 years. My favorite saints are St. Josephine Bakhita (my confirmation saint :) ) and St. Maximilian Kolbe. I LOVE being on Core Team because I get to work with, get to know, and constantly be inspired by the faith of the incredible youth and fellow Core Team members of this group. I love the community that we have at St. Mary's SMART.
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CORE TEAM - Daryl J
My name is Daryl W. Jarman. I have been married to Carolyn Jarman for 33 wonderous years. I have four children: Clarissa, Melinda, Victor, and Joseph. We have attended St. Mary’s for over 6 years, and I have participated with the CORE team for over 3 years. My favorite saint would be St. Ignatius. My favorite scripture comes from Sirach (live long and prosper), chapter 26, verses 1 through 4, which I dedicate to my wife Carolyn.
I consider participation in the CORE team a great honor, for these children are the future of our faith, the church, and our world. This is how Christ and the church perpetuates ourselves for future generations.
Your brother in Christ,
Daryl
Jesus Freak.
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