b'Serving with St. John Vianney High Schools principalon the Marianist Advisory Council led to an opportu-nity Mary Kay had long sought: working at Vianneyas its director of campus ministry. She led retreats and taught religion at Vianney,worked in the Marianist St. Louis Province office,and contributed to Marianists Family Online. Herefforts earned her the MarianistHeritage Award for outstandingservice. At Vianney, she introducedthe idea of crafting a specialquilt for each senior class. Theidea was a hit, and for nearly 25 years now, it is still a tradition.Seniors create designs on quiltsquaresimages important to themincluding Marianistsymbols. Mary Kay sews thesquares together into beautifulquilts that are raffled for schoolfundraisers.In the mid-90s, Mary Kay leftVianney for about five years.Those years as a self-employedQUILT PHOTOS BY MARY KAY FITZPATRICKquilter and quilt-shop workerwere fruitful but challenging.She earned a masters degree in theology and endured breastcancer. Mary Kay said her Marianistfriendships, strengthened dur-ing her cancer ordeal, inspired poor children in Marianist missions. In 2020 she Above: The two-piece, wall-her to become a Lay Marianist. married her husband, Denis. Their quilt of life now hanging set represents theFor nearly 25 years, she was a includes the Mission Viejo home they share. the Marriage Feast at Cana,the Society of Marys hall-member of St. Louis Lay Mari- She still visits Marianist friends in St. Louis, and mark scripture reading anist Cana Companions Faith she has joined long-time friend Marianist Father Tim Do whatever He tells you.Sharing Community. Kenney on Marianist Mission pilgrimages to Scotland,In 2001, Mary Kay returnedIreland, and Israel.Left: Three small pieces designed by former Marianistto Vianney to serve for nearlyMary Kay rekindles her Vianney connection each Brother Martin Erspamer (nowa dozen years before acceptingyear as she sews together the senior class quilt.a Benedictine), and quilteda new assignment: parish secretary at Our Lady of Everyone has something to contribute to the by Mary Kay Fitzpatrick, thatthe Pillar. In 2016, she returned to California to sup- mission to bring Jesus to the world, she said. I like hung in the chapel of BrotherErspamers Marianist com-port her mother after her father passed. to think, What would Mary do?\x00 munity during the Lenten andMary Kay said she lives her Marianist spirit quietly Easter Seasons.now and continues her tradition as a donor sponsoring Kevin Conway is a freelance writer from Bloomington, IndianaBECOME PART OF MARYS MISSION: If you would like to donate funds to support the Marianistsand their ministries, please visit marianist.com/donate or call 1.800.348.4732.marianist.com/donate 7'