Q. Tell us about your family.  How long have you been married?
We have been married for 45 years and we have one son.  After retiring we decided to move here to be close to our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, Michael.  We were both born in Alabama and lived there all of our lives until 2016. Actually, it was a friend of ours in Birmingham, AL who grew up in Chalfont that suggested we look at St. Jude parish. It was a leap of faith, but has turned out great! 
 
Q. What do you like about St. Jude parish?
It was through the church bulletin on one of our visits before moving that we found our awesome real estate agents and first Pennsylvania friends, Barbara and Al Tocci.  We were impressed immediately with the friendly atmosphere, the inclusivity, and the variety of ministries available at St. Jude. With the school here, there is a wide range of ages in the parish, which we appreciate.  We also feel blessed to have the wonderful priests and staff that we do.
 
Q. In what way do you participate in parish life?
We have learned over the years that it is important to do more than just attend weekly Mass in order to grow in faith.  It was amazing that on one of our first Sundays here we learned about a retreat being offered, called Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP).  We attended, and what a blessing!  We had immediate connections with other parishioners who are on a similar journey as ours.  We have participated in various projects for the Church with this new circle of friends.
 
We also attend as many of the Adult Faith classes as possible, help with Aid for Friends, and participate on the Evangelization Committee. John sings in the choir and Maureen is in the Bereavement Ministry and the Support Group for Parents (and Grandparents) of Special Needs Children.  We have participated in the site visits to some of the programs supported by the Catholic Charities Appeal, gone on the March for Life, etc.
 
Q. How do you nurture your faith as individuals and as a couple?
We both have our individual morning prayer routines, but we often discuss the daily readings or something else we have read. Attending weekly Adoration and Mass is a priority. As mentioned above, we enjoy the Adult Education classes at St. Jude to learn more about our faith. Our belief is that we should “give back” as part of living our faith, so we are involved in some volunteer work in the community.
 
Q. What do you do as a couple to have fun?
We both love being out in nature and so we enjoy hiking.  Spending time with our grandson every week is always fun.  We have some friends that we like to travel with or visit, as well as visiting both of our large extended families as often as we can.  Of course, there are also college sports which we enjoy watching… Yea Alabama, Roll Tide!