By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer

Georgina Kotz, St. Martha Parish’s new director of religious education, has taken a number of twists and turns as she has travelled her journey of faith. Kotz, who began her leadership role in the Point Pleasant parish Sept. 15, is eager to nurture the shore-area youth in their quest to find Christ’s importance in their daily lives.

Kotz, a native of Gary, Indiana, first began her service as a catechist at age 16. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and a master’s degree from the Notre Dame Apostolic Catechetical Institute, Arlington, Va. (now part of Christendom College).

The catechist continued as a religious educator, first in Pennsylvania, then in Illinois where she met her future husband, Ted. Their shared faith proved providential; “We both were sixth grade catechists at St. Joseph Church in Libertyville,” she recalled. The two married 20 years ago and Kotz became an instant parent.

“Ted had three birth sons, and had adopted three more,” the new Mrs. Kotz recalled. “When I married him, they were all teenagers.” The newly blended family moved to northern New Jersey where Mrs. Kotz served first as catechist then DRE in St. John the Baptist Parish, Hillsdale, for eight years. Kotz is a parishioner of St. Martha Parish where Ted serves as deacon.

The St. Martha religious education program is large and still growing rapidly; Kotz reported that she and 50 catechists are responsible for the faith lives of about 400 registered children, “and parents are still calling,” she added.

Evoking the image of Christ as Teacher, she shared her philosophy on the value of catechesis. “We all are sitting at the feet of Jesus to learn and to grow in our relationship with him. This is a life-long journey that should begin at a very early age,” Kotz said. “When children come to us in the parish, we can help them to grow in their sense of belonging, and to receive support from the community to grow as disciples of Christ.”