Hello and happy Easter to you all! We’ve been very busy here in Dublin with Easter liturgies, our weekly Taize service, and now Theology Uncorked, a lecture series for the Easter season that features short talks from people about various aspects of faith life. Caitlin, Ben, and I have been hard at work planning retreats and teaching catechism at Loreto Crumlin. This year has been absolutely fantastic for House of Brigid Dublin and I’m excited to see where next year takes us. With that said, there are some introductions that need to be made.
In my last blog post I spoke briefly about my experience traveling back to Notre Dame to interview those who applied to House of Brigid for next year. It was a wonderful week and we interviewed so many incredible people. I am very excited to announce the communities for Teach Bhríde X!
Wexford Community
Kelli Doyle (House Director) grew up in the parish community of St. Jerome’s Catholic Church in Largo, Florida. Kelli began her musical path at a young age and has participated in choirs and ensembles since she was 6 years old. She graduated in December 2017 with a BME in Choral Music Education from Florida State University. During her time at FSU, Kelli was a member of the FSU Singers and FSU Chamber Choir, and had the opportunity to travel and sing in New York, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Wales, and England. Kelli currently teaches Elementary Music in Tampa, Florida and private voice lessons at the Tampa Music School. She also recently completed her student teaching internship with the chorus program at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida. Kelli has a deep fascination and love of Irish music, which began to grow after joining FSU’s Irish Ensemble, and is excited to have the chance to enhance her bodhran-playing and singing. Kelli is most looking forward to delving further into her faith and fostering meaningful and spiritual musical experiences.
Katherine Dunn will graduate from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and minor in Philosophy. She is so excited to be moving to Wexford for this next chapter of her life! Katherine is originally from Modesto, CA and is the eldest of seven children. Before attending Saint Mary’s, she traveled for a year all over the United States as a missionary for NET Ministries. While at Saint Mary’s, she was the president of the college’s Right to Life Club, Belles for Life, enjoyed working for Campus Ministry as a Mass Coordinator, and sang in the Collegiate Choir. Her favorite things include Saint John Paul II, babies, and Hamilton (the musical.) She has never been to Ireland but is thrilled to join the House of Brigid community there!
Jenny Hagenauer says that Indianapolis, Indiana is the homeland of her heart, however she also has a special spot for South Bend, Indiana, as she will graduate in May from Saint Mary’s College after spending four years studying Global Studies, Anthropology and Environmental Studies. If she’s not brewing coffee at The Local Cup, then she is most likely holding a baby, singing and dancing, baking a new pastry, or planting trees throughout Indianapolis. Being raised in a Catholic family with Irish ancestry, she has always desired to travel to my ancestral country of Ireland. She never dreamed that she would have the opportunity to beautifully combine her passions of my Catholic faith and her family’s roots by living with and learning from the people of Wexford this year! She is thrilled to spend this coming year being grounded in communal living, nourished by prayer and growth in spirituality, rejuvenated through song, and sparked by the Parish of Clonard!
Erick Cruz will graduate in May from Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, IN with a degree in Theology. He is the oldest of four children from a Hispanic family from San Antonio, Texas. While at Holy Cross he was a member of various choirs including the Moreau Schola, Coro Primavera, and the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir. He enjoys spending his free time reading and improving his photography skills. Erick also has been a part of many parish ministries including being a Sacristan, a Lector, a Eucharistic minister and an Altar Server (15 years in August). Erick also enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures. He eagerly looks forward to spending the next year serving the Catholic community in Wexford.
Dublin Community
Kelly Koerwer (House Director) is overjoyed to return for her second year with Teach Bhríde. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2017 with a B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies and Medieval Studies. She grew up in New Jersey on “The Shore” with her parents, her two brothers, and her sister. She was raised in a faith-filled and musical household where she was encouraged to use music to supplement her faith. Throughout her life she has sung in a variety of liturgical choirs, including the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir. At Notre Dame, Kelly lived in Badin Hall and was highly involved as a member of the Liturgical Commission, planning the music for her dorm’s weekly masses. Kelly is absolutely thrilled to continue her Irish journey with House of Brigid. She looks forward to seeing where the continued work at University Church takes Teach Bhríde Dublin in the years to come.
Shane Jenkins will graduate in May from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies and a supplementary major in Theology. He grew up outside of Denver, Colorado with his younger brother, playing ice hockey and spending weekends in the nearby mountains. Shane’s Catholic identity was formed by the education and community he experienced at his Jesuit high school and later at Notre Dame, both of which gave him an outlet to explore life’s challenging questions. At Notre Dame, Shane loved working as a resident assistant for Siegfried Hall, attending rock climbing trips with the university climbing club, learning new languages, and discussing great books with his friends. Although new to performing in a choir setting, he has enjoyed exploring new music for a long time and experiments with other forms of art in his free time. Shane is excited to return to Ireland for the first time since he studied at Trinity College Dublin in the spring of 2017 and hopes to share his passion for community, conversation, and good food with the entire House of Brigid community!
Kerry Hayes is the second oldest of five siblings in her Irish-Catholic family, and was raised in Orange, Connecticut. She will graduate from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI, in May 2018 with a degree in English Communications and a double minor in Global Studies and Women Studies. While at Salve Regina, she was a staff writer for the school newspaper, worked in the Office of Intentional Programs as a Global Ambassador, and interned at the local family and children shelter. Her love for travel and humanitarian work began in 2015, when she began to serve on mission trips to Peru, where she taught English language skills and Catechesis throughout the different villages. Kerry studied abroad at Richmond University London, England, and is excited to have the opportunity to live abroad again. This year Kerry will serve in Dublin and is excited to see what God has planned for her!
While I am sad to know that this year is coming to an end, I am excited to welcome my new fellows and community members to Ireland. We are so blessed to have six wonderful people dedicating themselves to a year (or two) of service with Teach Bhríde. I know their gifts will strengthen the Teach Bhríde communities in the year to come.
In Christ,
Kelly
