Andrew & Katie Baka: Youth whispers for Christ

Andrew and Katie Baka began their journey in youth ministry simply by being asked to get involved. First, they volunteered and now Katie Baka, also a dental hygienist, is the part-time youth director at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton, with her husband Andrew assisting with high school CYM.

“It just seemed like we were being drawn,” Katie, 28, said, who also is involved with Cursillo. “Part of Cursillo is studying. You have to know the good stuff so you can share it with the kids.”

Andrew, 30, a mortgage lender who is active in Knights of Columbus, said he can relate to the teenagers who don’t appreciate the faith yet.

“I wish I would have had that respect and knowledge when I was younger,” he said. “So for me that’s what’s helped me grow (in my faith) because it’s shown me how wonderful the Church is, and I missed out on so much and I don’t want other people to miss out on that.”

The couple married on Aug. 1, 2009, exactly a year after they started dating. Their daughter Karlie is 20 months old.

“If I could have my daughter know anything, be at church. Be at church on Sunday, go to the Mass, get the Eucharist. That would be the most important,” Andrew said, with Katie adding, “To keep Christ at the center.”

 

• What is at the top of your bucket list? Why?

“Hit up all the Marian sites. We’ve been to one,” Katie said. “We got to go to Knock in Ireland … Wouldn’t you want to go see where your mom was? There was something calming about being there,” Andrew said.

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