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I am Joe Lovejoy and I have been a member at St. Charles for about 4 years now. I am a product of a Notre-Dame-football-Catholic family and several levels of Jesuit education!
I was raised in a loving 6-person family, parochial schools and military environment. I have always been surrounded by communities of on-fire leaders at school, at home and on the field. I am blessed with role models from many generations and in all of the places I have lived in my life. The presence of strong male role models in my coaches, teachers and family throughout the years has been very close to the center of my faith. From Germany as a baby to Virginia, Kansas, Alabama, Washington and California as a child to Wisconsin, Japan, Africa, Australia and back to California as an adult, I have passed through many a Catholic community. When I would wander away or move or become lukewarm, there would always be at least one of my role models checking in—“Joe, how’s your faith life through this latest adventure?” This question has been asked of me since my earliest days of sports, college days at Marquette University, through my career as a naval officer and now as a maritime professional like a steady beating drum.
As my own naval duties brought me back to San Diego I found myself desiring to stay put and set up shop for a while. I did some “church shopping” around town and after some time came upon St. Charles. Coming here was like returning to the home(s) that raised me. My first mass was a school-mass, just like the school-masses I remembered from my own elementary days. I couldn’t believe that the uniforms here were the exact same as mine (well, I could… Catholic schools aren’t known for matching fashion trends!) From the acapella voices of the students, the verve of our Pastor, Fr. John, and the inspired forces that I would soon find within the walls of this parish (men’s ministry, retreats, special guests and individual parishioners), St. Charles very quickly became my top choice church—and, bonus, the closest to my floating home (yes, I live on my boat)!
My family is scattered around the globe in various forms of community and military service but my fiancé, Jezarine, and I are here to stay! We are currently in marriage prep and plan to get married here this summer!
God bless you all and never give up the faith!
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