“I was drawn to St. Jerome’s because of our call as a Catholic university to educate the whole person” she says. “It is really important to me to help students discover their own uniqueness and come to understand their spirituality and faith as their own.”
Along with her skills as an educator from teaching experiences in northern Alberta and rural Peru, to name a few, Fauteux also brought her gifts of pastoral care to her work. In her accompaniment of students, staff, faculty, and community members she drew on her Masters in Ministry and Spirituality from the Toronto School of Theology, and her training as a Spiritual Director and a Spiritual Psychotherapist. More recently, her passion for ongoing learning led her to train as a Certified Zentangle teacher, sharing this unique practice of meditation and artistic expression with the entire St. Jerome’s community.
Under Fauteux’s guidance, Campus Ministry has become a department synonymous with belonging. “The desire to be totally welcoming to everyone is very important to me” she says, noting the creation of the Fr. Bob Liddy C.R. Spirituality Centre as a point of pride in attaining this goal, recognizing the responsibility to support the spiritual needs of all community members and ensuring all students had access to spiritual spaces. Through her consistent presence, welcoming spirit, and listening ear, she has helped ensure that the Spirituality Centre is a space of reflection and belonging for all.
Fauteux has also been a highly collaborative leader and has worked hard to ensure that Campus Ministry is integrated with other student services. Integrating the spiritual support of students into larger conversations about student development has been essential to her work; a goal she is confident will continue after she has left her role.
“From my time at St. Jerome’s I believe more deeply in what it means to be a Catholic and I believe in all that the university stands for. We have something good to offer and it is important to have hope in it and see where it will go.”
Fauteux notes that this time of transition comes with mixed feelings of sadness and gratitude, “I have been greatly nurtured through my encounters with others and I have taken to heart many of their questions. It has been a privilege to walk with others on their journeys.”
Fauteux is looking forward to retirement as a time to use her gifts as a spiritual director and Zentangle teacher balanced with rest and time outdoors. She also hopes to remain connected with St. Jerome’s, especially through the Sunday worshipping community and the Lectures in Catholic Experience.
We are grateful for Martha Fauteux’s many years of dedication to St. Jerome’s and wish her all the best in her retirement.