Deacon Fred St. Jean is retiring after 35 years of ordained ministry with St. Andrew Parish in Elk River. He and his wife, Carolle, have been members of the parish for 46 years and are planning to move to Green Valley, Arizona.
“As I look back over my 35 years as a permanent deacon, I am humbled and honored to have served the faith community of St. Andrew,” Deacon St. Jean recalled. “The support and encouragement of the parishioners has strengthened my faith. Baptisms, officiating at weddings, Communion services, visiting the sick, being on the board of our local food shelf and working with our Hispanic community has helped to see in the faces of my brothers and sisters Christ himself.
“Growing from a rural parish into the largest parish of the diocese has been challenging and at the same time exciting,” he said.
Ordained by Bishop George Speltz at St. Mary’s Cathedral on June 17, 1983, Deacon St. Jean was an advertising director, certified chef and dietary manager before being hired as a pastoral associate for St. Andrew’s in 2000. He and Carolle have been married for 53 years and have four children — Kevin (Julie), Darren (Becky), Melissa and Jarret — and two granddaughters — Lillyana and Olivia.
All are invited to attend the farewell reception for Deacon St. Jean on Sunday, Oct. 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the gym at St. Andrew Church and School, 566 4th St. N.W., Elk River. Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m.