[News Archive]

Leah Huber joins staff of St. Katharine Drexel, Frederick

Leah Huber joined St. Katharine Drexel's staff as Pastoral Associate this past May.  She will be overseeing general faith formation and evangelization within the parish, including welcome ministry, pastoral care, Baptismal preparation and RCIC.

While new to St. Katharine, Leah is not new to church ministry, having served St. John the Evangelist parish in Frederick from 1995 to 2002 as Coordinator of Faith Formation.  After leaving St. John's, Leah attended the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore where she recently completed her Masters degree in Church Ministries.  Leah also holds a Bachelors degree in Religion and Religious Education from Catholic University.

Leah was born in Buffalo, New York, and lived in various locations along the East Coast as a child.  Her parents were very active in church ministry and catechesis and, as a result, had children who were also very active.  As a teen, Leah was an active participant in C.Y.O. (Catholic Youth Organization) and the Search Retreat movement..

Leah is happily settling into her new position at St. Katharine Drexel.  Having just celebrated its one year anniversary in July, St. Katharine, as an independent mission, offers many possibilities to its staff.  Among future plans for the parish is the establishment of an “intentional community,”  - one in which members share active ownership of the parish.  To this end, Leah and the rest of St. Katharine's leadership hope to begin hosting monthly “welcome gatherings” after Mass, during which prospective members will have an opportunity to meet the parish staff and leadership, be introduced to the parish vision and mission, share their own needs and expectations, and receive a personal invitation to belong.

Among her other interests, Leah would like to some day become active in ministry to families of persons with disabilities.  She is a long-time admirer of Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche, an international network of faith-based communities creating homes and day programs with people who have developmental disabilities.  [More on Jean Vanier's L'Arche]

Leah and her husband, Carl, are also raising their family of five children, Soren, 20; Leif, 16; Logan, 13; Kai, 10; Anna, 6.  They are members of Holy Family, Middletown where Leah has been active as a catechist and in Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

Leah finds inspiration in Mark's Gospel,

Welcome back to ministry in Central Maryland, Leah!