Getting to know you

by Mare Ernesto

When I first learned of the partnership being formed by CUSA and RENEW, I immediately shared my interest in helping with this process.

My parents, happily married to this day, made a difficult decision when I was a young child: my mom and I would move in with my grandparents and uncle who lived around the block from our house. My grandparents could no longer care for my uncle due to their own declining health.

At the time that we moved in, my uncle Billy was in his mid-20s. When he was born, doctors did not expect him to live more than 72 hours. Billy had been born with a multitude of physical and cognitive disabilities including but not limited to cerebral palsy, spina bifida, limited speech, and impaired vision. In addition to us moving in, there was a visiting nurse during the week for several hours a day. She remains a member of our extended family.

That experience shaped me from a young age. At about seven or eight years old, I was allowed to help in some ways as a caregiver for Uncle Billy. I learned how to use the feeding tube, and I enjoyed talking with him in our own way and making him laugh.

Billy passed away when he was in his early 30s, and I was in middle school. It’s been nearly 30 years since his death, but I feel his spirit in all that CUSA does. I like to think he is watching over me and guiding me in some ways as I begin this journey as the new administrator for CUSA.

Over the last few months, I have had an opportunity to meet and speak with some of the wonderful people who have been leading and participating in CUSA. While most of these meetings have been virtual or on the phone, I was able to meet in person with Joan Donnelly, Dolores Steinberg, and Anna Marie Sopko in September. We shared stories, laughs, lessons, and hopes for the future of CUSA during our visit that afternoon.

Prior to joining the staff at RENEW in May of 2021, I worked for a Catholic non-profit that focused on ministry with youth and young adults. Before my work with Catholic non-profits, I worked in higher-education student affairs for about 12 years. I went to Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey where I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology/multicultural affairs and a master of arts/education specialist degree in community counseling.

Getting acquainted as CUSA and RENEW International plan for their new partnership are, from left, Anna Marie Sopko, a CUSAN and regular contributor to The CUSAN; Mare Ernesto, who will be the new CUSA administrator as of January 1; Joan Donnelly, a former president of the CUSA Board of Directors, and Dolores Steinberg, editor of The CUSAN.

I have been a volunteer core team member for my parish’s middle school ministry program since it began a few years ago. I will be celebrating my 10-year wedding anniversary in January. My husband and I have two dogs, Justice and Gracie. Our dog Justice and I are in the process of finalizing our therapy team certification so that we can do visits to hospitals and nursing homes when restrictions are lifted.

On another personal note, as a child I had fainting/blackout spells that were eventually attributed to chronic low blood sugar and low blood pressure. It has been over 30 years since that diagnosis and something I need to be mindful of every day to ensure my blood sugar levels are stable. As an adult, I was diagnosed with chronic allergy-induced asthma that needs regular treatment through medication and immunotherapy as well as pulmonary tests to check my lung function.

Around the same time of that diagnosis, I was also told I have a gluten intolerance which was a root cause of a few other health issues I had been facing that have since gotten better.

It has been such a gift for me to be included on the EGLs and sort of “get to know” some of the individual CUSANs who have written. I am grateful for their work and dedication to this ministry. Everyone has been helpful and encouraging during this time of transition. I am looking forward to “meeting” with you throughout the year ahead and continuing to learn about the heart of CUSA—the people—who are members of this wonderful ministry.