Ally Johnson
Parish Secretary
My family: Andy (my husband), Colter (our 3-year-old son) and Snoopy (our miniature Sheltie)
I work at St. Katharine Drexel Parish as Secretary. My duties here at the office vary from day to day. I answer the phones, help Father and Suzie with any and all projects they do. That includes everything from CFSA to the building project. I also try my best to help Jennifer and Gae with projects they have. I do the bulletin each week and make sure each parishioner gets their monthly envelopes in the mail. I was also in charge of the picture directory. As you can see I do whatever needs to be done around here, making sure the other people I work with can do their job as efficiently as possible! I’ve only been here at the Parish Office since April of 2006.
I applied for this job not really knowing what I was getting myself into, but I knew I couldn’t work in the insurance industry forever. I started rather wide-eyed, not having a clue about the process it takes to complete the bulletin or get the envelopes mailed out. For some reason I just figured all that stuff just did itself…it doesn’t! It’s been a wonderful experience and everyone has been so gracious to answer any and all of my questions.
My husband, Andy, is finishing up his Nurse Anesthesia schooling through Mount Marty College. He will be officially done on Friday, February 23rd. He took a job in Watertown at the Prairie Lakes Hospital, so we will be moving at the end of February. I am excited about the move, discovering a new town, and getting involved with a new church. I am sad to leave Sioux Falls and it goes without saying, St. Katharine Drexel Parish. I didn’t grow up Catholic, so this is the first close knit church community I have been involved in and I will miss it dearly. It’s been an honor working with and for such a great parish. There will always be a soft spot in my heart for everyone in this parish.
There are going to be so many things that I’ll miss about working here. I will miss my wonderful conversation with the Morning Mass crowd. I’ll miss Morning Prayer with Suzie, Father Joe, Gae and Jennifer. For that matter I will miss everything, quirks and all, about working with these four fantastic people! I will miss interacting with all of our faithful volunteers. I will also miss the adult choir. It’s such an uplifting hour and a half during the week, where I am assured to laugh really hard at least once! As a whole I will just miss the people that make this parish as vibrant as it is.
Count on seeing me around in the future; I may be moving to Watertown, but it’s only a short hour and a half up the freeway. I will be visiting as often as I can, especially to see the new church!!!! Thank you to everyone who has welcomed our family so warmly into this parish. Thank you also for letting me serve you, though briefly, as Parish Secretary. Oh! And if you’re in Watertown, look me up — it will do me good to see friendly, familiar faces!
Julie Kolda
Hi from the new kid on the block! I have just over a month under my belt as a new staff member here at St. Katharine Drexel Parish. I am pleased to be here. I have lots to learn. Please be patient with me as I put names to faces. Our picture directory has become a working Bible. It is a great resource for me!
I am the “new Suzie” and have huge shoes to fill! Suzie has done an incredible job setting up our Parish Office. I am thankful that she will be here part time to help get my feet firmly planted. Joining the team with Fr. Joe, Jennifer, and Gae is exciting. The office will not be the same without Ally, though — she is so vibrant.
My duties will be directly involved with the finances of the parish and assisting Fr. Joe. I will trust and invoke my prayers to St. Katharine Drexel that I may be a good steward of the finances of our parish. She is a wonderful example of that.
I was born to Ray and Albina Soukup in Wagner, SD. I am the oldest of three children. I have a sister named Rosie and a brother named Joe. I grew up on a farm three miles east of Marty Mission. St. Katharine Drexel visited South Dakota many times, including Marty Mission. We went to Marty Mission often as I was growing up. I am in awe that I actually walked were she walked!
I was married in 1972 and moved to the big city of Sioux Falls. Larry and I have two sons, Clint who is thirty-four and Jason who is thirty-one. Clint is a mechanical engineer at Sencore and Jason is a Web analyst for Woodbury County in Sioux City, IA. Clint and his sweet wife LeighAnn, who is a nurse at Sanford Health System, have two sons: Kyle who is nine and Noah who is seven. They live six blocks from me — so it is wonderful to be a grandma in their neighborhood. I have a puppy named Gabriel who constantly reminds me what “full of life” means!
I have worked in banking since 1970, in many different roles, but my favorite job was as a teller. During the past three years, I worked as a teller at First Dakota National Bank here in Sioux Falls. I have also worked at First Dakota in Yankton for four years, the District Office at UPS in Sioux Falls for eleven years, at Norwest Bank for seven years, and at the Chamber of Commerce in Yankton for one year. While at the Chamber, I learned a lot about surviving on a budget with trust from wonderful members and donations from the community!
My favorite pastime is reading, especially about the lives of the saints. I also collect statues of saints and the Blessed Mother. I rescue them from antique shops and garage sales! I love to cook, bake, and garden as well.
I am a retired Boy Scout mom and have graduated to a Scouting Grandma. Both Clint and Jason are Eagle Scouts and it appears that Kyle and Noah are heading that direction. Those years as den mother truly were the best of my life!
I have been involved with teaching Confirmation for thirteen years but have now started to teach my grandson Noah’s first grade Religious Education class. I have a passion for the sacrament of Confirmation, but I can see it transferring to First Communion as I move with Noah’s class next year. I have promised Kyle that once that year is over, I would love to take his class. If you haven’t taught Religious Education, I would challenge you to do so -- it is truly inspiring. Children’s hearts and open minds help build our faith far beyond our understanding.
It is exciting to be working at St. Katharine Drexel Parish. I am in awe of the incredible community that is being built here long before a building has been constructed. So much credit is due to Divine Providence bringing Fr. Joe to us! His leadership is awesome. And even more so are the great committee leaders and members and volunteers. The privilege that has been given us to start this parish is breathtaking, and I believe that it is no coincidence that we are all called to this parish for a reason – watch for the miracles!!!!!! St. Katharine Drexel Parish, pray for us.
Suzie Rierson
Meet Suzie Rierson, who’s been working in the Diocese for twenty-one years – eighteen at St. Michael and three at St. Katharine Drexel Parish. Suzie’s family includes her husband, Mike, daughter Jody, son Patrick, three grandsons, and one granddaughter. The Riersons also have a pekingese/bichon mix puppy named Sparky...because he adds spark to their lives!
Suzie and Mike have lived in Sioux Falls their entire lives. In fact, they met while ice skating on Covell Lake at the age of fourteen, and “it was love at first sight.” Suzie attended school at Cathedral and O’Gorman, while Mike went to Washington High. “Back then,” said Suzie, “that made for an interesting friendship.” They married when they were nineteen, and the rest is history, as they say!
Suzie told me that Mike was off work the year St. Katharine Drexel Parish was just getting started. “God puts people just where they need to be when they are needed,” she said. Mike moved furniture, helped build the sun porches on the office and rectory, handled maintenance, shopped, painted and cleaned. “Mike has helped me and the parish in countless ways and given hundreds of hours. He is the best!”
Suzie’s role as Parish Secretary is changing. With Ally’s move to Watertown, Suzie said it was the perfect time to go part-time. Julie Kolda was recently hired for the full-time secretary position, so you’ll see Suzie around the Parish Office only half as much as you did before.
I asked Suzie what is important about being a part of and working in our parish: “In my role here at the parish, it’s all about the people. They are so good! It has been so exciting and such a privilege to work with so many of you on committees and at functions as we come together to build our community and very soon our church. It has also been an unusual blessing to work closely with many priests and seminarians over the years. They are truly called by God and have taught me so much about prayer and acceptance of God’s plan for me and for the Church.”
And what about the building of our new worship and educational facility, on which Suzie has worked so hard? “For most of us building a church is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I would encourage everyone to find a way to do something in this process and to point out to your children how blessed they are to be called to be a part of St. Katharine Drexel Parish.”
Gae French
I asked Gae French what is most fun about working in the Parish Office. Her answer was simple, but powerful: “I work with a caring and loving staff,” she said. “What more could anyone want at his or her workplace?”
Gae French has been our Parish Religious Education Director for almost two years (April is her anniversary). Gae and her husband, Joe, a carpenter foreman, have three children: Michael, Mary, and Peter. Michael is a manager at a Barnes and Noble Book Store in Minneapolis, Mary (Jefferis) is an independent designer in Sioux Falls, and Peter is a student at USF and plans to marry in the summer.
Gae was born and grew up in Waterbury, CT. Before coming to Sioux Falls, Joe’s job took the family to a number of places: Moscow, ID, Bothell, WA, Vancouver, WA, and Oahu, HI. Gae loves to read and to cook for her family. Joe loves to spend time in his workshop. Both also look forward to the time they spend with friends.
As Religious Education Director, Gae administers our parish educational activities for grades 1-6, including coordinating the sacramental preparation of students for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. She facilitates the religious education program for students in grades 7-9 and assists with the Confirmation program. Gae also works with adults, leading adult Bible studies and other education programs. Most recently, Gae has taken on the task of coordinating the Little Parish Leader Program.
I’ll let Gae sum up her thoughts about being a part St. Katharine Drexel Parish, both as a parishioner and as a staff member: “I am so excited to be a part of St. Katharine Drexel Parish. What an opportunity to be here at the beginning of our community. I thank God for the chance to work as your Religious Education Director and to get to know so many wonderful parishioners. I would also like to thank all the teachers and volunteers who make our programs what they are today. Thanks for saying “yes” to God’s call, so we can pass the faith to our youth.”
Jennifer Hartman
Ever wonder who directs all of our beautiful worship music AND insures that our liturgies run smoothly? Meet Jennifer Hartmann, St. Katharine Drexel Parish Director of Liturgy and Music and Volunteer Coordinator. Like Gae French, Jennifer is from “back east”: she was born in Fall River, MA, but moved with her family to Sioux Falls when she was six years old. Jennifer’s family includes her parents, Rob and Linda; her sister, Gretchen; brother-in-law, Josh; and nephew, Henry. Linda is a member of St. Michael Parish, while the rest of Jennifer’s family are members of Zion Lutheran Church in Hartford. And we can’t forget Maggie, Jennifer’s five-year-old beagle/foxhound mix!
Jennifer has been in her position since the beginning of our St. Katharine Drexel Parish. Before that, she was busy gaining the knowledge and experience that make her such an asset to our parish: she earned a Bachelor of Music Education from SDSU, taught at Mickelson Middle School in Brookings, earned a Master of Arts in Liturgical Music from St. John’s in Collegeville, MN, and served as Director of Liturgy and Music at St. Pius X Parish in Rochester, MN.
In her position at our parish, Jennifer, like the other office staff, wears a number of hats. She directs the Children’s Choir, the Adult Choir, and the youth band, Well-Known Stranger. She oversees the preparation of our liturgies; works with cantors; helps engaged couples plan their wedding liturgies; visits and registers all new parishioners; and trains, coordinates, and schedules our liturgical volunteers.
Jennifer’s “out of the office” life is just as busy and filled. She loves to play piano, sing, exercise (she’s partial to tennis, rollerblading, and biking), read, work in her flower garden, and take Maggie for walks.
Over a year ago, in our first parish e-communication, I wrote a piece about Well-Known Stranger, St. Katharine Drexel Parish’s youth band. The band’s admiration, respect, and love for Jennifer deserves repeating: “We’d be lost without her,”...“Yeah!”...“We love her”! ...“I wish we had a video from our first Mass,”...“Yeah, “we’re so much better now!” ...“Zach — he went from being shy to singing solo!”
“Music is my passion,” Jennifer told me. “This job allows me to work in music every day and share my passion with others.” And that she does!
Fr. Joe Vogel
Did you know that this May – May 29th to be exact – Fr. Joe will have served in the priesthood for 20 years? Sounds like a good reason for a party!
Fr. Joe is the third of eight children. He has two older brothers, Scott and Terry, and five younger sisters, Audrey, Jill, Jennifer, Amy, and Mary (who has passed away). His mother, AnnaBelle, is living in the Good Samaritan Nursing Home on 49th and Marion; his father, Eugene passed away fifteen years ago.
Like many folks in South Dakota, Fr. Joe grew up in the country. The Vogel family farm was near the small towns of Doland and Turton, between Watertown and Aberdeen. Those early years no doubt instilled in Fr. Joe a love of the outdoors, which is where you’ll find him when he has some down time. He especially loves bicycle riding, golfing, hunting, gardening, and just goofing around with friends and family.
After high school, Fr. Joe left the farm to attend SDSU, where he graduated in 1973 with a B.S. in Sociology. In May 1973, he was commissioned as a security police officer in the Air Force. While in the service, Fr. Joe had the opportunity to live in a number of different places: he was stationed in Montana, Thailand, England, and at two different bases in California. It was while he was in the Air Force that Fr. Joe heard and answered the call to religious life. He left military service in May 1982 and entered the seminary the following fall.
When I asked Fr. Joe what is most fun about his job, he gave me three answers – of course! “My favorite thing to do as a priest,” he said, “is to hear confessions and preside at Mass.” He also loves “working with the youth” and “working with so many different people and watching them use their gifts and talents.”
And what about leading the building of a new parish? “It has been a surprise to me how exciting it is to be part of starting a new parish. It hasn’t been as much work as I anticipated and a lot more rewarding than I anticipated.”
“I never grew up thinking I would be a priest,” said Fr. Joe, “and I never thought about it until I was twenty-nine years old. I think the many parts of my background qualified me to do many of the things I do as a priest. God has been very good to me and I am ever so grateful.”
