Been at Lake Country Life Teen: Since August 2023
Dominic Van Hecke Edge & Retreats Core Team
“Sanctity does not mean this or that practice, it consists in a disposition of the heart which makes us humble and little in God’s arms, aware of our weakness and confident even to the audacity in the goodness of our Father.” - St. Thérèse of Lisieux
I started my journey into youth ministry back in highschool. I was a pretty shy kid at the time, but I had a powerful encounter with the Lord, through which He asked me to join a student leadership group focused on evangelizing to our peers. From there He continued to ask more and more. What was at first a very intimidating thing in my eyes, started to bring me a sense of fulfillment and joy. The more I put my heart into ministry, the more I seemed to enjoy it until it really became a passion of mine.
I spent 3 years ministering to middle schoolers on EDGE nights during the school year, and even high schoolers at times (such as the Wisconsin Catholic Youth Rally, St. Charles Confirmation retreats, and more). After graduating from High School and moving on from the volunteer positions I was involved in, I began working for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on the Core Team for the Love Begins Here Mission trips for 2 years in a row.
My love for the Lord, and for evangelizing His children, led me to discern if I was called to the priesthood. I spent a year in seminary formation at Immaculate Heart of Mary College Seminary in Minnesota. But after much careful discernment I could tell the Lord wanted me elsewhere. Shortly after I found that the Student Discipleship Co-Lead for St. Charles had left, and they were in need of help running the many aspects of Youth Ministry at this constantly growing parish. With my experience in Youth Ministry, and having just discerned out of Seminary, I offered to help Nick in running the programs until they could find someone to take over full-time. I am very happy and excited to be working alongside Nick in bringing teens closer to Christ. Now I am volunteering on Core Team leading teens closer to Christ.
