Lucy and Ted Mercado have been teaching in the pre-school area for twelve years. Lucy stated “when we moved to Houston I needed to get involved and I was referred to Ms. Marilynn. I was a teacher’s aide for three years and when the teacher left I stepped in to teach the class. At that time, classes were in the afternoon and I did not have a car so I would push my baby’s stroller and walk to the church to teach the class. One morning my husband said I want to help you teach; now, he is the teacher and I am his helper. As a family we are so blessed, my 13 year old daughter and son also help in the pre-school and they are both altar servers. We have unity as a family and we pray together.”
Brian Begle, a long-term confirmation catechist became involved 12 years ago with the high school group “because this is the age I felt comfortable with. Over the years, I have learned from them and am amazed at how faithful and loyal they are in participating in their classes, I know I wasn’t like that when I was their age. One of the things that has also changed since my growing up days, in a little town in Indiana, is the challenges these kids have to deal with today, gangs, drugs, etc. In my class I like to draw into conversations the kids that sit in the back, because that is what I would have wanted — to be pushed a little to learn about my faith. We just got back from a retreat which is so meaningful for the kids, they grow closer together and it helps build community. It is fulfilling for me to see kids who went through confirmation and are now serving in the parish in different areas. We also have a great teaching team and leader in Sara Delgado”