Meet Jennifer Hettrick, the newest member of the initial stage at Mater Ecclesiae College.
Jennifer grew up in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, the second youngest of six kids. For her family “faith was always important, basically part of who we were.” One of her earliest memories is walking up to the front pew of the cathedral and kneeling down beside her dad for a family holy hour, which included adoration and the rosary every Thursday.
The importance of faith in her family fostered vocational openness. For awhile, her older sister considered becoming a nun, and some of her brothers were interested in the priesthood. A sister from a local convent gave Jennifer piano lessons and another taught her French.
“It made total sense that Jesus could be my prince charming. I saw a vocation as falling in love with Christ.”
At age 11, Jennifer met the Regnum Christi consecrated women through Challenge, a Catholic girls’ club.
“I was struck by their joy and resonated with their love for Christ.”
It wasn’t until 10th grade that Jennifer seriously began to consider discerning a vocational call. The thought resurfaced when her younger brother, Curtis, started talking about going to a Legionary of Christ minor seminary.
“I realized that I really want to do something great for the Christ and the Church. I had to see whether the Precandidacy was that next step God had in store for me. It was time to give God the first chance.”
That summer 2011, Jennifer flew to Rhode Island. From moment she arrived, walked to the front pew of the chapel, and knelt down, Jennifer felt that she was “meant to be there,” and renewed her decision to follow Christ wherever He led her.
During a Mass early on in the school year, she felt “a call to belong to Him” through a verse in the song “How Beautiful.” She continued growing in her relationship with Christ, wanting to keep discovering where He was leading her.
The next year, the Immaculate Conception Academy Program moved to Oxford, Michigan.
“It was another opportunity for me to ask myself, ‘Should I continue on this path of discernment?’ Then I realized: even though external things change, Christ doesn’t change. I had the conviction that I can follow Him, even in the midst of change, and things would be ok.”
Everything was new in Michigan. Yet, Jennifer continued to find peace and joy in being where Christ was asking her to be. At the end of her senior year, she was faced with the prospect of candidacy, 6-week summer discernment for the initial stage of formation with the Regnum Christi consecrated women.
“For me, it was very clear that I wouldn’t go to candidacy, just because it’s ‘the next step.’ It would have to be because I felt Christ wanted it for me.”
And she did feel Him asking her for that step. She said yes, but at first she wanted to experience the apostolic dimension of Regnum Christi consecrated life. She wanted time to live the vocation outside of the formation center.
So God took care of the details. The Candidacy Program 2013 moved from the Rhode Island formation center to the Dallas apostolate center.
“I was literally jumping up and down when I heard the news! It was another confirmation that this was where He wanted me.”
“Within a week of candidacy, I realized, ‘He won’t ask me for what I can’t handle. He wants me to trust His timing and that He’s the One leading me.’”
Jennifer is continuing her journey of discernment with the Regnum Christi consecrated women at Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, Rhode Island. She is presently the only member of the first year of the initial stage.
“I love adventures, and I’m living this adventure with Him. I’m thankful to be here and part of this moment in the Movement. We’re in a time of renewal, but even in a time of change, Christ is still calling.”
