By: Tate Wehrle (11)

After spending time teaching theology in an inner-city school in Minneapolis, the new junior/senior theology teacher and campus ministry assistant director Chad Volmert felt called to return home to Jefferson City and continue his work in Catholic education at Helias Catholic High School.

For Volmert, becoming a teacher was more than simply choosing a career. His love for theology and talking about God led him to believe that teaching was where God was calling him.

“I love talking about God and I love theology. So the biggest thing for me was, I just wanted to walk with Christ and serve Him. Just through prayer, just through studying theology. I thought I was called to go and teach about Him and walk alongside some of the students,” Volmert said.

Before coming to Helias, Volmert taught theology at an inner-city school in Minneapolis. The school was made up of approximately 75% Hispanic students, 20% African American students and 5% other students. Many of his students were reading at about a fourth-grade level, creating challenges in the classroom, but he found the experience extremely rewarding.

“It was a rougher school, and I loved it. I loved being there with the students. They all had about a fourth-grade reading level, so I was teaching theology in high school that was pretty rough. And I absolutely loved it. But again, the only problem here was I missed my family. I felt God calling me home. So I didn't run away from my school. I loved that school, but I felt God called me,” Volmert said.

Returning to Jefferson City brought Volmert closer to his family and back to a community he already knew. He attended Jefferson City High School and has enjoyed returning to his hometown. With his wedding coming up in September, Jefferson City also feels like the right place to begin the next chapter of his life.

“I love Jefferson City. I missed my family. I'm getting married in September, and it's just a really great place to have a family. When I'm here, I feel like I'm with my own family,” Volmert said.

As he begins his first year at Helias, Volmert is especially excited about becoming part of the school's religion and campus ministry team. He said working alongside the teachers and campus ministers has already been one of the highlights of his experience.

“I'm most excited about being around my friends, my family, and I'm really excited about being around the Catholic teachers and campus ministers. I'm just so excited to be part of our team. They're just such a blessing to have in my life,” Volmert said.

His first impressions of Helias have also been positive. From the students to the faculty and administration, Volmert said the school has already made him feel welcome.

“I love it. It's awesome. It's great. Students seem like they enjoy it. The staff is really nice to work with, the administration is great, and so my first impressions are peace,” Volmert said.

Although he attended Jefferson City High School, Volmert now finds himself on the other side of the classroom as a teacher. His decision to work in Catholic education comes down to one thing: following where he believes God is leading him.

“I go where the Lord takes me, and He brought me here. So that's why Catholic education over just regular education,” Volmert said.

As a theology teacher, Volmert hopes students take something deeper away from his classes than simply learning about the Catholic faith. His biggest goal is for students to recognize God's love for them and understand what it means to live a life centered around Christ.

“I hope they know how much God loves them. I hope they realize that living life with Christ is what we're made for. Other than Christ, there is nothing else that can fill us. He is the way, the truth and the life,” Volmert explained.

He also hopes students leave Helias with a better understanding of what it means to have a personal faith while still being part of the larger Catholic community.

“I hope they understand that their faith is personal, and they share a personal relationship with God, but it's also the whole Body of Christ. So we should surround ourselves with others who also want a relationship with God,” Volmert added.

Outside of the classroom, Volmert is looking forward to getting involved with campus ministry, particularly the Kairos retreats. After hearing about the impact the retreats have had on Helias students, he is excited to experience them and help students grow in their faith.

“I'm most looking forward to the Kairos retreat. I think those are going to be a lot of fun, and I've heard that those are really impactful,” Volmert exclaimed.

His favorite Catholic tradition and celebration is the Mass, which he sees as the center of Catholic life. He also appreciates the Church's tradition of apostolic succession and the connection it provides to the earliest days of Christianity.

“My favorite Catholic tradition celebration's got to be the Mass. It's the source and summit of our faith. But then also the tradition of apostolic succession, being able to trace our faith all the way back to Christ itself, is just such a blessing,” Volmert stated.

As Volmert begins his first year at Helias, he hopes to use his faith and love of theology to help students grow closer to God. For him, coming to Helias Catholic is another step in following where he believes God is calling him.