Jennifer Durney

“Working in ministry, it feels so easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day slog of office work or liturgy planning that it makes the work almost feel mundane when in actuality it is so important! Especially in what felt like a heightened time of scandal and division in the Church, it was great to be able to be with and learn from women who have a similar call and mission in life but use their own unique gifts and situation to carry out the Lord’s work in so many different and beautiful ways.”

Please share a little about yourself – feel free to include a fun fact!

I’m a cradle Catholic born in south central Pennsylvania who just keeps moving north and has ended up in Erie, a yearly contender for snowiest city in the US. I met my wonderful husband at Gannon University, where I worked 5 years as a Resident Campus Minister, and we’ve been married for a little over 5 years with 2 beautiful children who don’t yet know that they are getting another sibling this summer!

Describe your professional work. How were you led to this? What are you passionate about?

I studied biology in college in hopes of becoming a teacher and fell in love with college students and the area of Higher Education. I specifically remember a conversation with a college mentor asking me if I would ever consider being a chaplain or working in ministry and laughing out loud over dinner before giving a very firm “No”. About 6 months later, I accepted a job as a Resident Campus Minister at Gannon University because I believed that would be my “in” to the world of higher education but God had other plans and I have been working in ministry ever since. Right now, I split my time between positions at a parish, my diocesan and a college campus ministry program. Each job keeps me busy but also allows me to experience the different ways that God works in our world and in the different communities. And I will graduate (finally) in November with my Master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry after completing my thesis over a longer period of time than expected (#babiesandreams). In my professional and personal life, I have a deep passion for family life and, more specifically, supporting new mothers and families during pregnancy and postpartum life.

“Each job keeps me busy but also allows me to experience the different ways that God works in our world and in the different communities.”

What are the personal strengths that you’ve been given and how do you utilize them?

I have struggled a lot with acknowledging and celebrating my gifts over the past few years because of a strong tendency to compare myself to others. The best way I have come to the truth of my giftedness is to consider what goes into building a house. My gifts would be the dirty, labor-heavy, behind-the-scenes type work: dry-walling, structural building, hammering nails that no one will ever acknowledge. I’m great at adapting to what needs to be done at the moment and working hard to complete tasks and especially administrative type work. I struggle with wanting to excel in work that is outwardly beautiful and constantly acknowledged and praised (the interior design or painting, if you will) but, by God’s grace, I am coming to see how important and needed my gifts are. Motherhood has definitely been the best mirror to reveal my gifts and flaws and call me to love both as they are how the Lord created me to be.

“I am coming to see how important and needed my gifts are. Motherhood has definitely been the best mirror to reveal my gifts and flaws and call me to love both as they are how the Lord created me to be.”

What women inspire you, and why?

St. Gianna is my constant intercessor so much so that my youngest daughter is named after her. Her work and life and faith are fascinating to me and I love getting to know her more and more. Also, our Blessed Mother is never far from my thoughts, especially in times of trouble. And I am also blessed to come from a wonderful family of strong, hard-working women who have shaped and formed me as well as constantly being inspired by my two beautiful daughters.

Are there friends and mentors that you depend upon? How do they support you?

I must admit, this is an area that feels lacking in my life, more so since becoming a mom simply because of the constraints on my time and attention. There are a few people that I can turn to for support and help when needed, but I am working on being more intentional in these relationships. My mom is truly one of my biggest supporters and I talk with her daily. I look forward, though, to finding community as I move through different seasons in my life.

What is the best advice/encouragement you’ve received about vocational discernment?

God is not playing hide and seek with your vocation or trying to trick you. The Lord wants your happiness and holiness, so there are no wrong choices. He may not proclaim from a cloud the specific plan for your life in every small detail, but He will be with you on the path and revealing Himself along the way. Don’t worry about “missing” your vocation.

“God is not playing hide and seek with your vocation or trying to trick you.”

Prayer is essential for everyone, but especially for women who are active in the life and mission of the Church. Do you have any favorite devotions or prayers?

I have really found myself being more pulled to the Rosary lately. Usually during late-night feedings or when I was “trapped” under a sleeping baby, I would have the Hail Mary on repeat in my head but I am trying now to carve out a time for an actual full Rosary where I can focus on the mysteries more so than the repetition. On the days where I make it work, I can definitely tell a change in my whole day. A daily rosary, though, is definitely a discipline that I am striving for!

Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

“A single act of love makes the soul return to life.”– St. Maximilian Kolbe

What were your key takeaways from the 2019 GIVEN Forum?

I was really appreciative of seeing the Church in a more universal way. Working in ministry, it feels so easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day slog of office work or liturgy planning that it makes the work almost feel mundane when in actuality it is so important! Especially in what felt like a heightened time of scandal and division in the Church, it was great to be able to be with and learn from women who have a similar call and mission in life but use their own unique gifts and situation to carry out the Lord’s work in so many different and beautiful ways.

“It was great to be able to be with and learn from women who have a similar call and mission in life but use their own unique gifts and situation to carry out the Lord’s work in so many different and beautiful ways.”

What was your GIVEN action plan? Describe its mission, audience, and impact.

My action plan is a continuation of my Master’s thesis entitled “A Model of Utilizing Baptismal Preparation as a Focused Ministry for Mothers with a Priority of Supporting Women with Postpartum Depression”. The vision is to take what I have learned and written on and turn it into resources on holistic Baptismal Preparation and Postpartum Depression that parishes and dioceses can use to support women and families in these stages of life. The thesis was just completed and defended (I passed!) so I am now looking forward to turning the writing into something practical and useful for the larger Church community.

“The vision is to take what I have learned and written on and turn it into resources on holistic Baptismal Preparation and Postpartum Depression that parishes and dioceses can use to support women and families in these stages of life.”