By Renée St. Martin Wizeman

While Tim and Sarah Kelly maintain that they have simply responded to circumstances, the grace and faith with which they’ve responded to an incredibly difficult circumstance is exceptional.

In July 2006, their 14-year-old son Patrick passed away suddenly, from an undiagnosed heart condition. In October of this year, Tim and Sarah shared their thoughts on stewardship and youth and young adult ministry during the prayer service at Son Light: Celebrating Youth Ministry.

Tim said when they were initially approached to be the Witnesses to Stewardship, he wasn’t certain he had anything to say that anyone would want to hear; but with Sarah’s help, he “wrote down a few thoughts” and delivered an impressive, heartfelt testimony.

“I don’t feel like we’ve done anything that anyone else wouldn’t do,” Sarah said, in reference to their selection.

In a recent interview, the Kellys recounted experiences of stewardshipp from their own youth. “We certainly saw it in action every day, with two uncles who are priests and an aunt who’s a nun,” Sarah explained, referring to her uncles Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen and Father Jack Hunthausen, and her aunt, Sister Edna Hunthausen.

“We were always taught to give, as part of our family, and as Catholics,” she said.

Tim also saw many examples of stewardship, from his mother teaching religious education in their home for neighborhood children and sewing baptismal gowns, to his father’s investment of time and talent as a coach at Carroll College and Helena Central Catholic School.

“As a parent, you have a different perspective on things than as a child. We were brought up in these environments where we observed people doing things, creating an awareness of stewardship, which we wanted to carry on in raising our own children,” Tim said.

Sarah said their daughter Kaelyn, a sophomore at the University of Montana, is very involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and has assembled a team in Missoula for the past two years; Sarah said she believes that many factors and people have contributed to her children’s understanding of and subsequent modeling of stewardship.

During their reflection at the Son Light prayer service, the Kellys highlighted the importance of Legendary Lodge in youth formation, and their memories as campers and parents of campers.

“It’s really the people – the counselors and camp directors – that make the place what it is. I think kids come away from the camp feeling that it’s okay to be Catholic, to profess your faith,” Tim said.

Sarah said the influence of Legendary Lodge over the years was huge in her life, and in her faith, and that she counts fellow campers among some of her lifelong friends.

“It’s a place where kids can go, at all sorts of levels of faith and maturity, and even with all these different groups, by the end of the week, the differences don’t matter,” Sarah said.

The Kellys praised the efforts of the youth and young adult ministers in the diocese, including fomer assistant camp director Michael Downs, camp director Colleen Dunne, diocesan youth minister Doug Tooke, Catholic Youth Rural Outreach coordinator Dan Thies and Our Lady of the Valley’s Dave and Deidre Casey.

“After Patrick died, something in me told me this was a way I could stay connected with kids, and help in their faith formation because I saw what great impact those people had on Patrick,” Tim said. He assists with junior high and high school ministry at Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Helena. And Sarah is involved with the R.C.I.A. program in the parish.

“Stewardship is about compassion,” Tim said, and Sarah agreed, noting that the support they’ve received from their friends and family following Patrick’s death is also stewardship.

“I think (Patrick) lives on, for sure,” Sarah said. “The impact of his life and death upon our friends, family and the community continues.”

“The people that we know maybe take the time to appreciate their children a little bit more,” Tim said, “and I think Patrick’s friends appreciate that he was comfortable in his own skin and okay with his faith.”

The Kellys encouraged their fellow Catholics to jump in, push past their apprehension about their particular gifts, and try to connect in their faith communities by offering their time, talent and treasure.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 24, No. 12, December 19, 2008.