“Why would I ever go back to high school?”
For OLSH Theology teacher and Campus Minster, Caitlin Snatchko '10, this was a question that pulled on her heartstrings for some time before accepting the position at OLSH in 2017.
Caitlin always knew she wanted to be a teacher. It wasn't until her classes with Phil McCarren and Nancy Jarocki at OLSH that she knew that theology was her calling. This calling led her to attend Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH where she earned her B.A. in Catechetics and Theology.
Prior to joining the OLSH faculty, Caitlin worked at St. Bede parish for five years, where she also filled the roles of Youth Minister and Director of Religious Education, overseeing the CCD program and teaching in the school. In this role she found that her passion was getting to know students on a personal level and helping them grow in faith through youth ministry.
“OLSH was one of the places where I really came to know my faith. So as all of these pieces of my life fell into place, I knew that this position at OLSH would be a great opportunity for me,” Caitlin said. “OLSH still has that same sense of family and community that I remembered from being a student.”
Over the past two years, Caitlin and OLSH chaplain, Fr. Bill Dorner, have worked together to build up student involvement in Campus Ministry. The most popular and powerful retreat hosted by Campus Ministry is the Chi Rho retreat for upperclassmen.
In addition to Thursday after-school meetings, retreats, and off-campus experiences, the students meet for individual spiritual guidance, participate in weekly masses, confession, and adoration and have even started a rosary group.
“You can just see the faith coming alive in the school and that is a really wonderful thing to see. We talk about living the faith in the classroom but as Campus Minister, I get to know the kids both in the classroom and see their faith lives grow in a very real way,” Caitlin said.
Teaching high school sophomores and seniors Theology is not always easy. However, Caitlin has enjoyed being posed with challenging questions in the classroom that have spawned great discussions. She wants to ensure that students feel they have a safe space to explore questions in their faith.
“My discussions with the students are now deeper and more difficult,” Caitlin said. “People come from a lot of different experiences these days, so I always appreciate these honest discussions with my students.”
Caitlin and her husband Joshua Snatchko were married in 2014 and now have two children, Patrick, 5, and Mary, 2. The kids keep the couple on their toes with their fun and rambunctious nature, but Caitlin continues her ministry at home in a different fashion. She finds God’s grace in small ways like encouraging her kids to “wave hi to Jesus” as they pass a church while driving.
Caitlin and Joshua enjoy being outside and active with their kids as they also enjoy short weekend road trips in PA and OH. Caitlin’s favorite place to travel is to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Caitlin is also an avid reader who read 52 books during 2020! Her all time favorite book is the historical fiction novel, Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan.
Even though the opportunity at OLSH may have come unexpectedly, Caitlin is grateful to God for the opportunity to minister to students at a place that was so influential to her own faith journey.
“My first time being back in the chapel now as a member of the OLSH faculty was very special to me. I was right back where I started on my faith journey and I just thanked God that things had come full circle. Being back in there, I realized that all of the things I prayed for for so long had finally happened.”