Service to the church is the joy of their lives for Saint Henry parishioners

Intermountain Catholic

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From left: Julie Martinez, Paulleen Dolling and Wendy Moffitt, parishioners of St. Henry Catholic Church in Brigham City, are mother and daughters and have been serving their parish for many years. Courtesy photo/W. Moffitt

BRIGHAM CITY - Paulleen Dolling and her daughters, Julie Martinez and Wendy Moffitt, are tied by more than blood – they also share a love of and service for the Church.

Dolling became a parishioner of Saint Henry Catholic Church in Brigham City in 1976 and since that moment she has been very active in the parish.

"I started right away; first I served in our little parish councils and, when the Eucharistic Ministry was established, I started in it," said Dolling, who also is a lector and attends Mass almost every day.

"She also leads a women’s book club reading and that lasts about six weeks at the time," said Jesuit Father Patrick Reuse, pastor of St. Henry Parish.

"I also have a little Bible study group and I always invite people to it," Dolling said. "Hospitality is that way. I try to invite more people to be more in love with Jesus."

The three women also are very generous financially, Fr. Reuse said.

In addition, Martinez takes pictures of the children who are receiving their First Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation, as well as serving as hospitality minister for the children.

Moffitt is involved with the Eucharist ministry and also helps coordinate the bereavement ministry. Her motivation came from her mother’s example.

"If I wanted to be wonderful I had to do my part and one day I finally figured that out," said Moffitt, referring to the fact that, to feel wonderful, people need to become close to God. "My mom gave me a very good example; my mom’s church became my church."

"Wendy is a very good example to follow," Fr. Reuse said. "She is a very good person, she is a very good wife, she is a very good mom to three children, and she has been teaching catechism here for several years. She is also a Eucharistic minister on Sundays and she is a very active person in the church."

Moffitt emphasized that all the people have some gifts and everyone is different, but when they start using those gifts for the church, "you get a lot of joy, then you know that’s that what you are supposed to do," she said. "That’s just part of our mission."

What makes these three ladies singular is that they have been involved in many Church activities for many, many years but one thing that they also share is that they have husbands who are non-Catholics.

Service in the church for Dolling has been simply joy, she said. "The Holy Spirit gives me a deep joy. He fills me."