Denise Spivey, assistant principal at St. Anne and St. Jude Catholic School in Sumter, SC, recently earned her MA (Theology) with a concentration in Ecclesial Service. Born in Louisville, KY, she attended Catholic schools, joined the U.S. Air Force, and earned a B.S. at North Carolina Wesleyan College. After 26 years of honorable service, Denise retired from the military and began to pursue her passion: the study of theology.
When asked what led her to theology, she says, “Well, the short answer is God.” Born Catholic, the only public schools she attended were kindergarten and college. “During my freshman year in college I learned about the Apocryphal books in the Bible. I had never heard of them. I guess the seed, the desire to know more, was planted then. Decades later, my husband and I talked for several years about pursuing our Masters Degrees. The seed came alive and I naturally chose theology,” she says.
About a year into her studies, Denise–then a middle school religion teacher–accepted the full-time position of assistant principal. Understanding theology has given her a fuller ability to pass on the knowledge, understanding, and mercy that the Church teaches. “Many non-Catholics come to our school seeking something better for their children,” she explains. “Through the grace of God and the teachings I have learned, I feel better equipped to help these and all of our families, especially the children, come to know the love of God in their lives.” This, in turn, gives them confidence, which helps improve the children’s grades and empowers them to show the love of God to others, she says.
Denise continues to teach middle school religion. “My students are really benefiting from the expertise of CDU’s professors!” she says. “We get into some great discussions, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, the knowledge I have acquired plays a very important part of our conversations. Sometimes I get to ‘blow their minds.’”
“I am also more inclined to take these teachings out into the public,” she says. “The Holy Spirit prompts each of us to get out of our comfort zones and show the love of Christ to the world. I have known this for a long time, but the lessons I have learned with CDU help me to proclaim it much more effectively.”
Of her time at CDU, Denise says that what surprised her most was how much she enjoyed the lessons. “I loved learning new concepts or understanding ideas in a different light. I really appreciated the video chats that Dr. Peter Brown offered. It gave me an opportunity to flesh out ideas more fully,” she says.
Denise and her husband Dan have three children. In her free time, Denise enjoys spending time with her family, especially her granddaughter. She also enjoys cooking.
“God led me to CDU, and I am very happy that I followed His prompting,” Denise says. “My life has changed in ways I never imagined.”
Her thesis, “Pope Francis’ Key to a Life of Witness to Obedience is Mercy,” was published in the Easter edition of Digital Continent.
