The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama recently welcomed Sophia Jaunet as the new director of Camp Tekakwitha. Jaunet graciously granted the One Voice an interview to introduce herself to the faithful of the diocese: the complete text of which follows herein. To learn more about Camp Tekakwitha, please visit camptekakwitha.net.

What did you do prior to this job and why did you apply for the job as director of Camp Tekakwitha?

I applied to be the director of Camp Tekakwitha because I felt called to continue working for the Church and with young people after my last job as a recruiter for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I had enjoyed working in an environment where we were nurturing the spiritual lives of young people, giving them an experience of community and showing them how to live in solidarity with those on the margins. I felt like all of those values were things I could live out again in the director’s role at Camp Tekakwitha. I think the camp is a place that for many years has provided youth of our diocese with a retreat from the hustle and challenges of being a young person in this time. They have the opportunity to pray, reflect, connect with creation, and disconnect from their phones, all of which I believe young people need now more than ever! I grew up in the office of the Cathedral of St. Paul, literally going to work with my mother every day from the age of six weeks old, so I knew that working for the Church was going to allow me to maintain a healthy work/life balance and would let me prioritize my family. I am so grateful to be the director of Camp Tekakwitha, and I hope that we will continue to serve the youth of our diocese for years to come!

What is your vision of the camp/what are your goals?

My hope for the future of Camp Tekakwitha is that it will remain a home for those who have used our facilities for years. I would like to recognize the Hispanic communities throughout the diocese who have continued to bring their groups here over the years, but I also hope that through conversations with priests, directors of religious education, youth group leaders, and Catholic school administrations, Camp Tekakwitha can grow into a place where all the young people in the diocese can come experience Christ through the beautiful place that we have at our fingertips!

Where do you go to church?  

My family and I are parishioners at St. Francis Xavier in Birmingham.

Now that you have joined the Chancery staff, what do you look forward to most?

I’m really looking forward to creating programming at Camp Tekakwitha! Right now, groups that use the camp are responsible for planning their own retreat or event. I hope we will be able to host our own diocesan youth retreats, Stations of the Cross hikes during Lent, or Laudato Si’ service-learning days for young people. However, I’m mostly looking forward to connecting with the people of this diocese to collaborate on how we can make Camp Tekakwitha a place where all the youth would be excited to go!

If you want to share about your family, please do?

Another perk of this position is being able to share Camp Tekakwitha with my husband and two children! My husband, Mark, is an Eagle Scout and loves exploring the trails and helping the groups learn to canoe. Our son, Augustine, loves that there is endless space to run and throw things at camp, and our daughter, Henrietta, waves to all the bunny rabbits that hop across the lawn of the log cabin every morning. I’m so grateful to be in this role, and I ask for your prayers for its success!