ST. ALEXIUS - OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS - ST. PAUL’S
OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS PARISHIONER SPOTLIGHT
CLAIRE RIELAND: REFLECTING ON THE FAM W
hen Claire and Shawn Rieland first met while working at the same grocery store as teenagers back in 1998, among the many things the two found they had in common was their Catholic faith — Claire’s family belonged to Our Lady of the Angels while Shawn’s family belonged to St. Paul’s. Today — 18 years of marriage and three children later — that shared faith continues to remain at the center of the Rielands’ life together. Drawing on the early examples of the faith in which they were both raised, Claire and Shawn remain active participants in parish life. Claire is a member of the Christian Mothers and serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and Shawn began helping with church cleaning just before the pandemic hit. Both are always willing to
pitch in and lend a hand with the Chow Mein Dinner and other parish-wide events and activities. “I think it goes back to my parents passing it on to me, and what a big part of my life it was,” says Claire of her involvement in the parish. “My dad, Mark Welle, is a sacristan and my mom, Lola Welle, is a lector and the leader of Christian Mothers. They were good examples, so it was important for me to pass that on to my daughters. I feel you lead by example, and the more involved you are in Mass, the more interested you are in it, and that helps you grow in faith.” These days, the tradition of an active faith life continues in the next generation as the Rielands’ daughters — Brooke, 15; Lucia, 12; and Maren, 5 — begin to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Brooke
Claire and Shawn Rieland with their daughters, Lucia (12), Maren (5) and Brooke (15)
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