This article was published in the winter 2025 issue of The Vincentian, the quarterly newsletter of the Congregation of the Mission Western Province.
Bill and Mary Frances Jaster of Denver, Colorado, had been working in youth and young adult ministry for more than 20 years in the early 1990s when they began discussing the lack of opportunity for young adults to put their faith into action for the poor while living in community within a spiritually formative environment.
Long associated with the Vincentians, they fleshed out the framework for Colorado Vincentian Volunteers with Fr. Tom Esselman, C.M., who presented it to the Midwest Province for initial funding. The program launched in the fall of 1994 with the Midwest Province as its principal sponsor and the Jasters as its first executive directors.
“Along with Vie Thorgren and Mary Frances and Bill, I helped to develop the apostolic, common life, and Vincentian formation pieces, and they took it from there,” Fr. Tom said. “Were it not for them, the program would not have survived.”
Thirty years later, the program’s very existence is tied to the Jasters’ commitment to it, from its conception through the years in which they directed it.
“Throughout the years, we witnessed profound transformation in the lives of many young people as they embraced the Vincentian charism, a charism that honors St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise de Marillac as they saw Christ in each person they encountered,” said Mary Frances. “These young people recognize Christ present in those who are poor and in those with whom they lived in community.”