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March 2008 Issue
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Ed Carey: Balancing the books of faith,
family and career
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As
head of the Finance and Administration Office, Ed Carey
manages all of the financial aspects for the Diocese
of Grand Rapids with, in his words, "very talented co-workers."
Ed supervises budgets and investments, diocesan building
and planning and The Catholic Foundation of West Michigan,
among other duties. As vice chancellor, he serves as
a liaison in diocesan legal matters and other projects,
as the bishop sees fit. |
"Frankly," said Ed, "much of my first year has
focused on the financing and construction of the Cathedral Square
project, which includes the centralization of our diocesan offices
in downtown Grand Rapids." While Ed's role as chief finance
officer is to advance the diocese's mission through finding
the best ways to steward diocesan resources, finding ways in
which he can achieve balance in his life while devoting his
time and talents to his church, to his family and to his faith
are what is ultimately important. The question is, "How to integrate
it all in one day?" Ed asks, good-naturedly.
He finds creative solutions, such as utilizing
his commute time between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids to listen
to spiritual books on tape or pray the rosary. While he makes
himself available for workrelated calls, he spends most of
the drive in reflection and prayer. "We have to find ways
to fit prayer in," said Ed. He and his wife Colleen, a pediatrician,
have four children. He actively searches for opportunities
to practice, share, and teach daughter Delaney, 7, about the
Catholic faith. This might include stopping at the perpetual
adoration chapel together, attending an "extra" weekly Mass
before a Saturday swim lesson, or reading from a book about
the lives of the saints in the mornings before school. He
did the same for sons, Kevin, 23, and twins Michael and Shane,
20, when they were younger. Maintaining traditions and starting
new ones is how Ed provides his children with a positive role
model, just as his father did for him.
At a young age, Ed expressed an interest in
the priesthood, but it was not until 1976, when he graduated
with a degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame,
that he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross. "These were
two of the greatest years of my life," Ed said of his time
with Holy Cross. He did his novitiate for one year in Bennington,
Vermont. However, prior to making the first profession of
vows, Ed announced to family and friends that he was leaving
the seminary. "Everyone expected the worst," Ed recalled,
but his reason for leaving was not a negative one. Having
attended academically rigorous programs since high school,
Ed simply wanted some time for himself before he completed
his master's of theology. That was May 1978 and Ed had every
intention of returning, but "God had other plans for me,"
he said, smiling. Instead, by June 1980, he had graduated
from Ohio State University with a master's of accounting and
become a certified public accountant, working in Columbus.
In 1981, he was hired by the Diocese of Kalamazoo as fiscal
manager, and it was in Kalamazoo where an important part of
God's plan was revealed - Ed met his future wife. Ed and Colleen
married in 1982 and moved back to Columbus in 1984. Ed worked
as a CPA and Colleen studied medicine at Ohio State, completing
her residency at Columbus Children's Hospital.
The Careys came back to Kalamazoo in 1996,
Colleen practicing pediatric medicine and Ed returning to
the Diocese of Kalamazoo as chief financial officer. He later
became chancellor. What else does God have in store for Ed?
"It is obvious that God plans for most of us to live out our
faith life as lay people. So, I just try to keep myself open
to His grace and try to cooperate," he said. Just last summer,
Ed and Colleen celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
Kevin attends Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Michael
and Shane attend Western Michigan University. The family belongs
to St. Augustine Cathedral, where Ed has served as a member
of the school board and the parish finance council. Ed is
currently involved with the RCIA program and has fun talking
about faith with the catechumens. He feels he gets as much
from them, during the interaction and exchange, as they do
from him. This gives Ed a new way to see his faith and helps
it grow more every single day. "If you stick with [faith],"
says Ed, "it gets richer and richer and richer."
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