Meet Parishioner Maggie Mongeau: Carrying on the Blazing Torch of Faith

When Maggie Mongeau was young, she received the “torch of faith” from her beautiful, devout Catholic family. Now, many years later, she enjoys passing on this light of Christ to all of those around her.

“I do things for my parish today because I received a lot of help from my parish when I was growing up, as well as plenty of kindness from my mother and father, and I would like to pass it on,” Maggie says. “I am following in the footsteps of my mother, Anne Kilkenny. She was very involved in our church and helped with many projects there. It was a small-town parish and they needed our help.”

As the oldest of six children (one of whom is now deceased) and a member of the Kilkenny family, Maggie has learned what it means to put God and others first in life.

“The whole Kilkenny family was very helpful in our community and our parish,” she says. “They showed me the way to thank God through my faith by being active at church, and I am glad to carry on this family tradition.”

For example, over the years, Maggie has been highly active in the Legion of Mary.

“As part of the Legion of Mary, I really enjoyed praying the Rosary at church and bringing Communion to those in care homes,” she says. “However, when the pandemic hit, the care homes closed to visitors, so the Legion’s work there ended. Our group has also disbanded for now, but I would really like to get it started again after the pandemic ends. The Legion of Mary is such a special ministry.”

Furthermore, Maggie contributes to Martha and Mary, a charitable women’s group that helps with our parish social dinners and funeral receptions, as well as other parish ministries.

“We like to pitch in at the church however we can,” she says. “We assist Father as well because he has so much work to do, and he needs us. It is such a blessing to be able to help our parish priest.”

Maggie is also an enthusiastic member of People Enjoying Retirement Together (PERT), a ministry that reaches out to our retired parishioners by providing them with social events such as lunches and field trips.

“It is an organization that enables the retirees to meet one another and visit with each other,” Maggie says. “It is important that Catholics spend time with one another, and that parishioners get to meet the other wonderful people of our parish. It makes it more of a faith community, and makes our lives better and richer.”

Over the years, Maggie has found that by being an integral part of our parish family, she makes the stewardship vision come alive and is able to savor the beauty of fellowship in Christ.

“There are a lot of nice, good people in our parish, and by being active in ministries, I am able to meet them and get to know them,” she says. “It is such a blessing. Volunteering is also my way of thanking God for the good life I have.”

Maggie and her husband, Don, have three grown children, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. When they were raising their children, they made sure to bring them to Holy Mass. Two of their children attended our parish school as well. Today, as both a mother and a grandmother, Maggie enjoys the opportunity to bring them the love of Christ by attending family events and family funerals together.

“We show our Catholic faith and model it by attending these things together,” she says.

If you would like more information about the Legion of Mary, please contact Maggie Mongeau at 916-483-5807.

As she shares her stewardship gifts, Maggie enjoys bringing the love of Christ to her family and the members of our faith community.

Maggie Mongeau representing the Legion of Mary

Maggie with her husband, Don