Meet St. Paul’s Parishioner Kate McAndrews: Building and Sharing Faith with Family

Occasionally, you can catch Kate McAndrews and her two children, Mary, 7, and Luke, 6, cruising down the road accompanied by beautiful music that has touched their lives in wondrous ways. A few years ago, Kate began serving as a crew leader for our week-long summer Vacation Bible School program, and the blessings she has experienced from it are boundless.

“I have really taken a liking to the music we sing at Vacation Bible School (VBS),” Kate says. “It is wonderful to see the children sensing God’s presence and praising Him through music. Every year, our Vacation Bible School program produces a CD of the music we have sung that summer. I really enjoy listening to the CDs along with my children, both during VBS and after it is over.”

Amazingly, you might catch some of her family friends doing just the same thing, as well!

“I have bought about half a dozen extra CDs to give to my sister in New York and other family friends,” she says. “There are difficult things that people go through in their lives and this kind of music can really help them get through it all.”

Since Kate joined our parish community in 2008 upon moving to the area, she has been an integral part of our parish family, along with her husband, Michael. By giving of their time and talents to various ministries at St. Paul’s, they have continued to grow in fellowship and faith in wonderful ways.

“Neither of us is from Sauk Centre, so we have really appreciated how much the people of St. Paul’s care about our family,” Kate says. “They have been very open to us. We have found so many parishioners that we want to share our lives with. The parish has really grown on me over the years! Thirteen years ago, I wasn’t involved in the parish, but after I started helping out with one thing, it led to another thing, and I finally found my path.”

Every summer for about two weeks, the McAndrews have enjoyed helping out with the Gardening and Landscaping Ministry. Together, they pitch in to make our parish grounds a lovely place by weeding, watering, and picking up trash.

“Both my husband and I worked for summer landscaping companies when we were growing up, so this was something we have enjoyed doing together,” Kate says. “We are also dairy farmers, so it comes naturally to us to want to care for God’s earth. We also want to show our children that it is very, very important to do things for your parish in addition to just going to Mass. We try to teach them to respect the church and treat it as their second home.”

Furthermore, Kate has helped to coordinate our parish weddings for the last few years, helping to ensure that the “big day” goes as well as possible.

“Weddings are such an important part of people’s lives, as is the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony,” Kate says. “I began helping as a wedding coordinator because I wanted to be there for them at this special time in their lives.”

By giving generously to this ministry, she finds that she has been richly blessed in return.

“Coordinating weddings has helped me come to fully understand the meaning behind the wedding ceremony,” Kate says. “It has also helped me reflect on what it means to be a wife and see that I am here to help my husband get to heaven! This is such a powerful thought. Listening to each wedding homily has really made me stronger as well.”

Most importantly, Kate has found that living out the stewardship vision in God’s house helps her to live it out in her own home and with her own family all the more.

“By having children, I have grown stronger in my faith, and by having faith, I have become a better mother,” she says. “My faith helps me reflect on my motherhood. Ever since I became a mother, I have felt God’s love in a different way. I have really enjoyed learning God’s ways alongside my children, as well.”

Kate and Michael McAndrews with their children, Mary and Luke — by giving of their time and talents to various ministries at St. Paul’s, their family has continued to grow in fellowship and faith in wonderful ways.