A Legacy of Service: Mr. Moretti Reflects on 14 Years at St. Madeleine Sophie
For 14 years, Mr. Terry Moretti has been one of the familiar faces behind the scenes at St. Madeleine Sophie School and Parish. His work has often been practical and sometimes unnoticed—caring for the buildings and grounds, helping solve the inevitable problems that arise on a busy school campus, and making sure the parish and school were ready each day.
But for Mr. Moretti, his years at St. Madeleine Sophie were about much more than maintaining a building. They were about the people, the place and, ultimately, the opportunity to serve.
His connection to the school began in 2011 when he started helping the school’s facilities supervisor for a few hours every other day. As he learned the responsibilities of caring for the campus, he eventually stepped into the role himself.
Fourteen years later, it is clear that the people of SMS became just as important to him as the work itself.
Asked why St. Madeleine Sophie will always be special to him, Mr. Moretti points to the daily moments that might otherwise go unnoticed: students walking to Mass, heading to recess, returning from the lunchroom or making their way to PE.
“All of the wonderful children and their very nice teachers made me feel welcome,” he said. “Everyone is very polite and caring!”
And, as anyone who has spent time in a school knows, 14 years also provides plenty of stories. One of Mr. Moretti’s favorites involves a particularly unexpected visitor—a squirrel that found its way into a classroom.
For Mr. Moretti, though, some of his most meaningful memories are tied to the place itself. St. Madeleine Sophie sits on a beautiful campus overlooking the Mountains, surrounded by trees and shared by generations of students, families and parishioners.
“Both the school and the church are in a beautiful place that God created,” he said. “Every day that I worked there reminded me that we are in a beautiful place with the beautiful buildings, the views of the Olympic Mountains, the tall fir trees everywhere and all the happy families reminded me that God is good.”
That sense of gratitude is also reflected in what Mr. Moretti hopes for the community after his retirement. More than any particular project or accomplishment, he hopes the parish and school remain places where people experience welcome, safety, and faith.
He hopes “that all visitors have a wonderful, safe and spiritual experience at the parish and school grounds and that continues for many years to come.”
After 14 years of faithful service, Mr. Moretti leaves behind more than well-maintained buildings and grounds. He leaves behind memories, relationships, and a reminder that caring for a community often happens through the small, faithful acts that make everything else possible.
As he says goodbye to his daily routine at St. Madeleine Sophie, he leaves the community with a simple message of gratitude:
“Thank you everyone for helping me have a great 14 years of working at our wonderful parish!”
The St. Madeleine Sophie community is grateful for those 14 years—and for the care Mr. Moretti gave so generously along the way. We wish him a joyful and well-deserved retirement.
