Give Your Life Totally to God
For FamiliesIs Jesus calling you to leave all behind and follow Him? The Catholic Corps could be for you - it's a Catholic lay missionary vocation. If you feel drawn to dedicate your life totally to God through prayer and mission, we invite you to take a closer look at the Catholic Corps vocation.
The Catholic Corps are men and women who have consecrated their entire lives to God—through private vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience—and to the AFC’s mission of supporting families in the Faith. It is a life of purpose, joy, sacrifice, and love for God and families. Maybe God is calling you to join us in this Catholic lay missionary vocation.
What Our Life Is Like
Catholic Corps1
Prayer & Sacramental Life2
Mission for Families3
Community EnvironmentWe live together in homes, like families do. Committed to the continual growth in holiness of each member, we support, encourage, and care for one another in a life of shared prayer, mission, formation, recreation, meals, gatherings, and retreats.
Seeking Holiness
through the AFC’s Charism & SpiritualityOur Unique Charism
A • F • CApostolate:
As a spiritual family, we work together...
for Family:
...to support families in the Catholic Faith...
Consecration:
...so that, with the help of the Holy Family, each person can fully live their baptismal consecration and achieve the holiness God desires.
This charism shapes our entire ministry and is expressed through our spirituality.
Our Balanced Spirituality
ConsecrationHoliness leads to happiness, the true happiness for which we were created: union with God. As AFC Catholic Corps Members, we seek to grow in holiness by living a spirituality of Family Consecration.
Family Consecration is a deliberate choice to live our baptismal promises by entrusting our families to the Holy Family. In this way, we strive to follow Jesus Christ more fully with the help and protection of Mary and St. Joseph.
The Seven Keys for God-Centered Family Living guide us on this journey to eternal happiness with God in Heaven: prayer life, sacramental life, learning the Faith, living the virtues, serving others, sharing the Faith, sanctifying daily duties.
As part of the AFC spiritual family, we are spiritually united with Disciple Members around the world, who are living this balanced spirituality in the middle of daily family life. This is the beauty of our Catholic family missionary vocation.
Meet the Catholic Corps
Men's & Women's CommunitiesThe Catholic Corps community is our spiritual family where we experience the warmth of a home and a family spirit. It is characterized by joy, mutual trust, respect and a sense of belonging.
We support, encourage, and care for one another in a life of shared prayer, mission, formation, recreation, meals, gatherings, and retreats. Perhaps God is calling you to walk with us in this Catholic lay missionary vocation.
Catholic Corps Women
Jomel Brondial
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Life Commitment: 2001
Feast Day: Jan. 7, Feast of the Epiphany
I felt attracted to the AFC’s Catholic Corps vocation because of its prayer life which is Eucharistic and Marian, and its mission of evangelizing families in the truths of the Catholic Faith. I compose songs, sing, and play the keyboard/piano, and I've released a CD entitled, "Songs for the Holy Family for Families". I write poetry, and I've published a book entitled, "Expressions of the Soul: Poetry of Love for Jesus". I enjoy cooking & baking, and reading spiritual books.
Tricia Hauber
Hometown: Kennewick, WA
Life Commitment: 1994
Feast Day: Dec. 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
One of my favorite memories while serving in the Catholic Corps is raising an orphan lamb during my missionary tenure in Mexico.
Lucy Lu Mai
Hometown: Yangon, Myanmar
Life Commitment: 2014
Feast Day: Feb. 11, Our Lady of Lourdes
I eat fiery hot peppers as candy.
Renee Scheu
Hometown: Ballwin, MO
Life Commitment: 2013
Feast Day: Sept. 8, Feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary
I grew up in the AFC. I was only 10 years old when I came here! I was in the Service Corps in the year 2000. I found my vocation to the Catholic Corps while serving in the Service Corps.
Mary Sue
Hometown: Muncie, IN
Life Commitment: 2000
Feast Day: Dec. 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
What drew me to the Catholic Corps vocation was the prayer life, living in community with people who shared my faith and doing worthwhile work for the Lord that helps heal and strengthen families. I enjoy reading, watching nature and playing games. A fun fact is that I can walk on stilts.
Carolyn Stegmann
Hometown: House Springs, MO
Life Commitment: 1993
Feast Day: March 25, Feast of the Annunciation
I enjoy growing vegetables and herbs and watching YouTube videos on howto. I like to learn how to draw and I find it relaxing to color. I find inspiration in reading about the lives of the saints and watching movies about events in the Bible.
Anna Thompson
Hometown: Sullivan, IN
Life Commitment: 2009
Feast Day: Nov. 9, Presentation of Mary
My favorite part about being in the Catholic Corps is being in communion with others in prayer, recreation and mission all for the spiritual building up of family life and the salvation of souls.
Catherine Wall
Hometown: Molalla, OR
Life Commitment: 2000
Feast Day: Sept. 8, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
I like pigs, organic vegetables, and running.
Elsie Yator
Hometown: Agusan del Sur, Philippines
Life Commitment: 2006
I enjoy performing impromptu monologues without props, which go from very serious to very funny to oceans of tears in minutes. I enjoy taking care of vegetable and flower gardens. I find it relaxing and therapeutic. I like to sing and play ukulele, keyboard and piano.
Catholic Corps Men
Greg Becker
Hometown: Lynbrook, NY
Life Commitment: 2002
Feast Day: Sept. 14, Triumph of the Cross
At 5'-4" I'm the tallest member of my 9 person family.
Tim Boudreaux
Hometown: Thibodaux, LA
Life Commitment: 1994
Feast Day: June 29, Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul
In the many years of serving in the AFC my best memories are those of meeting individuals and families, and experiencing with them a grace of unity and friendship. I also enjoy travel, painting and drawing and am at wonder at how Consecration transforms the creative visual language. In my youth I also enjoyed raising all kinds of birds along with beef cattle and horses.
Greg Caspers
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Life Commitment: 1993
Feast Day: March 25, Solemnity of the Annunciation
I had no prior training in printing or mechanics but spent many years in the AFC print shop as well as repairing various AFC equipment.
Tim Croes
Hometown: New Richmond, WI
Life Commitment: 1993
Feast Day: March 25, Solemnity of the Annunciation
My favorite memory in the AFC is the whole “Marian Year Campaign” to get our nation re-consecrated by our Bishops to the Immaculate Conception, our National Patroness. Let us continue to call upon these graces which are needed more than ever today, calling us all to deeper repentance and conversion so we can be light and leaven to bring about the civilization of love and life!
Rory Freiermuth
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Life Commitment: 2000
Feast Day: Dec. 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
I can identify over 50 species of freshwater fish--but more importantly, I am a fisher of men.
Anthony Giammarino
Hometown: Deer Park, NY
Life Commitment: 2004
Feast Day: June 13, Corpus Christi Sunday & St. Anthony of Padua
I like to bowl. My highest 3 game series was a 604.; When I was with the Capuchin Franciscans, my bedroom was the former study of Bl. Solanus Casey.
Roch Gillmore
Hometown: Warner Robins, GA
Life Commitment: 2021
Feast Day: March 19, Solemnity of St. Joseph
I love spending time with Christ in Eucharistic Adoration, having fun with my brothers in community. I also enjoy woodworking.
Jack Heemskerk
Hometown: Whittier, CA
Life Commitment: 2000
Feast Day: Jan. 1, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Being a Catholic Corps gives me the opportunity to grow more and more everyday into the reality of a beloved son of the Father which is mind-blowing awesome!
"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." John 15:16
Discernment Process
Catholic Corps VocationContact us.
Click the button below and fill out the form. One of our community coordinators will get in touch with you by email or phone. During our conversation, we’ll ask you to tell us about yourself and your discernment so far. We’ll also answer any questions you might have.
Come for a weekend visit.
A key part of discernment is meeting the community members and experiencing daily life with them. After we get to know you a little over the phone, we can arrange a weekend for you to visit.
Come for a “Look See” visit.
You can come back for a six-week “Look See” visit if you are still interested in our way of life after your weekend visit. This longer visit allows you to really get to know the community and participate in our prayer and ministry.
Invitation to further discernment.
If you still feel drawn to the Catholic Corps vocation after your six-week visit, we will invite you to further discernment with our community. Entrance to the community happens annually on the first Saturday of October. During this time, you’ll be invited to discern and make a series of commitments along the path to lifelong consecration as a Catholic Corps Member of the Apostolate for Family Consecration®. • Six-month commitment • One-year commitment, renewed annually over a period of 6–8 years • Lifelong consecration through private vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience to God
Is God Calling You
to This Life OF SERVICE?FAQs
Catholic CorpsCatholic Corps Members live and work at Catholic Familyland®—a place set apart for families—in Bloomingdale, OH.
We live in family-style homes with 5–10 people and share meals, fun activities, chores, and prayer together, just like families do.