Where in the world is Mr. Nettesheim?

By Kisha Birmingham

Coming into the 2008 school year, Messmer High School students were astonished when they looked around the building. Seeing new faces, old faces, and faces that had disappeared made the first day of school nerve-wracking yet exiting.

Mr. Joe Nettesheim, a former Messmer teacher, was one of those faces that were not there on the first day of school. While employed here, Nettesheim taught Theology for freshmen and Death and Dying. Since July he has been the Director of Lifelong Faith Formation at St Margaret Mary Parish, located at 3970 N. 92nd Street. The lifelong learning orientation sessions are on Sundays and Thursdays.

“I came into this business with enthusiasm and excitement!” Nettesheim states. The goal of these sessions are to help Christians understand and strengthen their beliefs that all Christians have more to learn about God, regardless of the age or race. Part of ever human’s calling on this earth is to deepen our relationships with God.

When asked why he left, he said that he felt that the time was right because this was an opportunity of a lifetime that he just could not pass up. This is part of his longtime dreams, even though he admired being a teacher. This career he was very familiar with and he would have the opportunity to help people more spiritually along the way.

“I really do miss my students. I loved teaching. I still am a teacher, just to a wider community.”

St Margaret Mary Parish is a place where adults, young adults, children, single, married, and even divorces families come together. A major goal for them is to pray and learn the theology behind the events we celebrate each year.

Anyone who has a general conversation with Mr. Nettesheim will get an understanding that he is happy with the choice he made.

“Even though I am gone, it is still good to know that I am missed and that I had a positive impact on my former student’s lives.”