The Terry Family: Keeping a Vibrant Catholic Faith at the Center of Life Together

Years ago, as high school sweethearts, Jessica and Zach Terry could never have predicted the wonderful blessings the Lord had in store for them! Today, the couple is thankful for their four children — Emily, 12; Zachary, 10; Noah, 5; and Elijah, 3 — and the many ways that the parish family at St. Vincent de Paul has helped them keep a vibrant Catholic faith at the center of life together, even amid this year’s many challenges.

During their high school years, Jessica was a parishioner here while Zach and his family attended St. Joseph Catholic Church. Following their 2006 wedding, the couple decided to make St. Vincent de Paul their faith home. Although the two had been practicing the Catholic faith passed down to them by their parents, they decided to make it an even bigger part of their life when they learned they were expecting their first child.

For a young family, some of the easiest — and most rewarding — ways to get involved in parish life are ministries that include or serve children. Jessica began by volunteering in the church nursery. She then taught in our parish preschool for a couple of years before being hired as the coordinator of the preschool, Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School. During the five years in which she filled that role, Jessica was pleased to see her family develop a great love for our faith community.

“We started meeting the families, and I think that’s when we started to feel part of the parish,” she says. “I loved seeing the families and the babies growing up through the programs and the relationships that my kids built just by being there all the time. We became a part of the church family at that time, and the parish became a second home for my kids.”

The Terry family found another way to stay active in parish life by helping with the Las Posadas event each year. Jessica, Zach, and the children have all pitched in with various aspects of the reenactment and related festivities. They love this special opportunity to stay engaged with the Mexican heritage on both sides of their family.

Jessica has also participated in an adult Bible study for the past four years, a group that has brought her many wonderful friendships, as well as an increased knowledge of Church teachings and traditions. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Terry family had started helping with the Second Sunday breakfast bar after Mass and enjoyed meeting even more parish families there.

As they raise four children, Jessica and Zach hope their commitment to living active discipleship will leave a legacy.

“We want to be role models for our children and show them that church goes beyond Sundays,” Jessica says. “Of course, Mass is the most important thing, but to live out your Christian life is to serve. We certainly don’t have all the answers, but this in turn has helped us to grow as Christians, as well. There are struggles, and it holds us together when times get tough, in marriage, and as a parent. I pray that strong faith will also guide our children and keep them more grounded in life.”

Certainly, we have all experienced struggles in the past year as we learn to live and worship during a global pandemic, with numerous ministries and typical gatherings curtailed. Like so many, Jessica found her faith tested as COVID-19 seemed to turn the world upside down. Now more than ever, she is thankful for the gift of our Catholic faith and the loving parish family here at St. Vincent de Paul.

“It’s hard not being [physically] part of your church family,” she says. “It was part of our daily lives and we took it for granted. Now we miss it all. Everybody is struggling with this right now, and I’ve had to work harder to keep my faith alive during this time. We just need to hold on. Thinking about our parish community makes me realize that there is so much to look forward to and hang on for. God will get us through this.”

Zach and Jessica Terry and their children, with Jessica’s parents and sister.