Andrew and Laura Miller with their children, from left, Grace, Luke and Eleanor.
My family and I have lived in Haddonfield for five years, following a short time in Rochester, Minnesota. We live just down the road from Christ the King, which makes walking to Mass easy—albeit not always timely! What I didn’t expect were the spiritual graces of living so close to the church. From our backyard, I can see the church tower rising above the trees – its cross ever-present, a daily reminder that we live in the shadow of the cross.
As a cradle Catholic with plenty of spiritual starts and stops, I used to compartmentalize my faith—fitting it into life’s schedule rather than letting it shape everything. But becoming a husband and father changed that. I began to see my faith not as a part of life but as its foundation. If we relegate our faith to Sunday only or just a prayer before bedtime, then we are failing to heed Christ’s words to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds. My wife, Laura, and I try to live that truth openly, for our children’s sake as much as our own.
It was Andrew who brought Peter to Jesus, but for me, it was my friend Peter D’Antonio who invited me to become more involved at CTK by joining the Pastoral Council. What I thought would be a simple extracurricular has become a meaningful expression of faith and love for the parish. I’ve found the council to be dynamic, faith-filled, and energized—from conversations on liturgy and music to efforts in social justice.
Two highlights have been organizing a 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration, with each hour prayerfully filled by parishioners and helping to bring the Cabrini film to CTK. Cabrini reminds us that Catholic social teaching is not a matter of politics—it’s about placing Christ at the center. Mother Cabrini’s life speaks powerfully to our mission: seeing Christ in the poor, the immigrant, and the forgotten and responding with love.
I look forward to continuing my role on the pastoral council over the next two years of my term and serving the parish to the best of my ability. Following the recent installation of Bishop Williams, and with a special emphasis on evangelization, I envision our Catholic community growing in the parish and throughout our diocese.
Andrew Miller was nominated to Pastoral Council in 2024, and his wife Laura is co-leader of Little Disciples.