Alumni Spotlight: Vickie Figueroa

Faith Alive and At Work
by Martha Demerly
MOSAIC, Fall 2010

  
To inspire her mission to bring the gospel message to the people with whom she works and worships, Vickie Figueroa frequently meditates on Paul’s hymn of the Crucified Lord (Phil 2:6- 11). Vickie, a 2010 graduate of the MA Pastoral Studies program (MAPS) at Sacred Heart, often uses meditation to direct her ministry as a volunteer leader within her parish, Corpus Christi Parish on Detroit’s northwest side.

The only daughter of a family of four, Vickie was raised by her Catholic father and by her mother, a Baptist, who kept their pledge to nurture their children within the Catholic faith. Vickie attended Immaculate Conception Middle School and Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio, before attending Youngstown State University, where she earned a degree in communications and English. After coming to Michigan, Vickie used her communication skills to develop her career as a pharmaceutical representative in the Metro Detroit region. This challenging work involves many hours in doctors’ offices and clinics as well as writing reports and continuing her professional education. Vickie believes these experiences provide the practical basis for her success as a volunteer parish worker.

After joining Corpus Christi, Vickie served as a volunteer and part-time paid coordinator of the Young Adults Program. It was while doing this work that the pastor, Fr. Donald Archambault, asked her to attend a vocation dinner at Sacred Heart as part of the Mission Possible lay leadership campaign. Consequently, Vickie realized she was indeed called to serve not as a religious but as a lay person. Vickie felt that "God was tapping me on the shoulder" as she realized her status as a single woman allowed her "some luxuries of freedom and time." Her response was a determination to prepare by study and discipline. After completing the pre-requisite courses, Vickie enrolled in the MAPS program where she found the content of the curriculum to be comprehensive and practical.

"I feel prepared for many ministerial situations so that I can respond to questions relating to Scripture, dogma, history or Catholic practice," she says. Most helpful were the formation sessions dealing with spirituality, collaboration and interfaith ecumenism. During her studies of catechesis and sacramental preparation, Vickie, who initially doubted her preparation for teaching, realized her career exercises in goal-setting, promotion and demonstration actually enhanced her instruction. Upon her graduation, Vickie was awarded the Emily Van Dyke Award for Excellence in Catechesis for her research and development of best practices to help immigrant families feel more welcomed during preparation for baptism.

Vickie believes her volunteer work at Corpus Christi is an outward sign of her commitment to evangelize within her community, and she continues to work with young adults-a mission for which Father Archambault believes "she has a unique gift in understanding the young adult’s journey." Father commends Vickie for her fidelity and expertise as a member of the Stewardship Commission, where she "brings a faith perspective and willingness to work that frees the community to do the work of God." Vickie acknowledges "it is tough to get women to serve" in this capacity, but she finds thinking about monitoring buildings and raising funds is a way to think about matching talents with the needs of the parish, and so she constantly is looking for ways by which others might recognize what they have to offer. Vickie also serves on the Evangelical Commission that includes faith formation, RCIA, and the Generations of Faith and Companions on the Journey outreaches. In addition, she serves on the Young Adults subcommittee of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Commission, and she is an officer of the Board for Black Catholic Ministry.

As daily practice, Vickie "quietly evangelizes"; she believes every day is a cause for rejoicing and expresses that faith through her courteous and cheerful concern for all. Recalling St. James’ counsel that "faith without works is dead," Vickie’s evangelization efforts bear witness to her faith, a faith alive and at work.