Director of Catholic education for the Akron Clarence Roman Catholic Community announced

Christina Egleston has accepted the new position of director of Catholic education for the Akron Clarence Roman Catholic Community Family of Parishes. The ACRCC Family of Parishes includes Our Lady of Peace, Clarence; Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Harris Hill; St. Teresa of Avila, Akron; and St. Mary’s, Swormville. Egleston will also continue her current role as the director of Catholic education at St. Mary’s Church, Swormville.

Egleston and the directors of religious education at the other three parishes have already built a solid working relationship as they have been meeting for the last two years to share ideas, discuss best practices, and coordinate several events for the family of parishes. Egleston shares that she is, “looking forward to working alongside our clergy, religion coordinators, schools, catechists, and parents in developing Christ-centered disciples at all ages and stages of their faith journey.” She will “hit the ground running” as all four parishes will unify the ACRCC faith formation program in September by adopting the publisher, St. Mary’s Press. Regardless if classroom or home based, every lesson opens the Bible to Sacred Scripture, encourages family discussion, and includes suggested ways to live out the faith in everyday life. Egleston said of her Catholic Education team, “Together, we will strive to grow and adapt to meet the faith formation and faith enrichment needs of the entire family of parishes.”

Egleston’s life ministry is catechesis of the Catholic faith. She became a catechist immediately following her own confirmation in high school. She shared, “I felt the call to share our faith which has blessed my own faith journey beyond measure.” She became a catechist at St. Mary’s as soon as she and her family joined the parish in 2005. Christopher, her husband of 30 years, and their two children, Tyler (20) and Victoria (23), have been at her side as her journey led her to be sacrament coordinator and then youth minister for St. Mary’s, prior to taking on the role of director of Catholic education in April 2021.

Egleston also feels blessed to have a team at St. Mary’s that works tirelessly with her to be present within the faith community while creating a Catholic education program that truly has something for everyone. At St. Mary’s, she oversees the family faith formation program, youth ministry, sacrament preparation and adult formation programs. It is also a joy for her to work collaboratively with St. Mary School’s principal, teachers and students in forming disciples for Christ. Mindful that parents are the first teachers of the faith to their children, the goal is to strengthen the domestic church. 

Egleston emphasizes that we are all lifelong learners of our rich Catholic faith. She is blessed to be part of a faith filled ACRCC family. Her prayer is, “Work through me Lord, so I may be your hands and feet, lead us all into a deeper relationship with Jesus.”