VOCATIONS: Ryan and Amy Kay: A vocation written in God’s providence

By Heather Excell

Looking back on their journey, Huon Valley parishioners Ryan and Amy Kay can see how God was preparing them for their vocation long before they ever met. For Amy, that preparation began with a desire for marriage and family life from a young age.

“When I was in grade 8, I felt called to begin praying for my future husband,” she said.

During high school, amid pressures and distractions, Amy made a commitment to discern God’s will more deeply.

The pair met while performing with different bands at Brookfield Vineyard, where Ryan offered Amy a seat.

“We started chatting, and the rest is history,” he recalled. Amy remembers how their conversation “felt easy and natural”.

As they began dating, their shared desire to place God at the centre of their relationship led to many conversations about faith. Ryan had also been deepening his faith through discernment with the Missionaries of God’s Love and formation experiences such as World Youth Day.

Raised Pentecostal, Amy desired to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church. Her questions encouraged Ryan to examine his own faith more deeply.

“A significant moment occurred when I attended Mass with Ryan and Eucharistic Adoration was taking place beforehand,” Amy said. “Kneeling before Jesus, I prayed, ‘God, if I am to marry Ryan, please help me to understand his faith.’ I was overwhelmed by the peace God gave me in that moment.”

The experience sparked a deep love for the Catholic Church, and after attending retreats together, Amy was confirmed in 2013.

Ryan, too, experienced a profound peace during Eucharistic Adoration after entrusting his future family to Christ. He later proposed to Amy before the Blessed Sacrament.

Now approaching 11 years of marriage, the couple say married life has brought both joys and challenges that have strengthened their trust in God.

“Marriage has been a gift because it means we face life’s joys and challenges together,” Amy said.

With the recent birth of their fifth child, Ryan and Amy said parenthood has deepened their understanding of marriage.

“The gravity and importance of our vocation became much clearer to me when our children arrived,” Ryan said. “That immense joy also brings new responsibilities, sacrifices and challenges.”

Amid the demands of study, work and raising young children, the couple learned to surrender what they could not control and trust in God’s providence. In doing so, they came to see marriage not simply as a relationship, but as a call to holiness.

“We now see more clearly that our vocation includes helping one another grow in holiness and providing our children with a living example of faithful love,” they said. “Our faith reminds us that marriage is a path through which God calls us to love, serve and forgive, and to help one another become the people He created us to be.”

For young people discerning marriage, both Ryan and Amy encouraged patience, prayer and trust in God’s providence.

“Look for someone who encourages you to draw closer to God and who is willing to place Him at the centre of the relationship,” Amy said.

“Place yourself in healthy environments where you can meet people who share your faith and values, build genuine friendships and be attentive to God’s gentle movements throughout your life,” Ryan said.

“Every now and again, take a leap: meet someone new, offer them a seat and begin a conversation. You never know what God may do with that simple act.”