Kaitlyn Hartman: Childlike faith

UCA student teaches youth faith formation at St. Joseph Church in Conway

By Aprille Hanson Spivey
Special to Arkansas Catholic

When Kaitlyn Hartman, 20, is teaching faith formation to youth at St. Joseph Church in Conway, it’s a chance to share the faith and “feed off of their energy and have that childlike faith that God wants us to have.” 

A full-time junior at the University of Central Arkansas studying middle-level education, Hartman was hired as the faith formation director in May, overseeing kindergarten through 12th grade faith formation classes, retreats, vacation Bible school and sacramental preparation. She attended public school in Greenbrier and grew up at St. Joseph. 

After confirmation, Hartman began to assistant teach, and then around age 15, she was teaching faith formation classes. 

“Faith formation honestly starts at home. I credit a lot of who I am today to my parents. They are the ones who really shaped me and formed me. It’s little things, like taking me to class Sunday morning even if I didn't want to,” she said of her parents, Brandon and Angela Hartman. 

Despite the hectic schedule of college and youth ministry, Hartman said “it’s crazy, but it works.” 

“I think the first thing that should be said is I feel like this is my vocation, this is my calling and where I need to be. But at the same time, I need to remember I have to be spiritually fed myself,” Hartman said. “As much as this is my vocation, this is not how I'm fed as a Christian and Catholic. I’m fed with spending time in adoration and going to Mass and taking care of myself. But with all of that said, seeing kids grow and being able to teach, I feel the closest connection to God when I'm teaching.”

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