Brenner and Kristen have been married for ten years and live in Ridgefield, CT, with their four children: Mariella, 9; Brenner, 7; Juliette, 4; Seraphina, newborn. Brenner grew up in South Louisiana, where he attended Legionary retreats from a young age and then went on to study high school at the Legionary boarding school Immaculate Conception Apostolic School in Center Harbor, NH. He discerned a vocation for several years with the Legionaries. Kristen grew up in Ridgefield, CT, and met the Legion while attending College at Loyola of Baltimore. In 2011 after returning home from a service year with the archdiocese of Chicago, she met Brenner, who was studying for his MBA at Fordham University in Manhattan.
From a young age, Brenner was attracted to the apostolic nature of the movement and wanted to be active in helping other people to know and love Christ. Kristen was attracted to the integral nature of the movement. She loved that the faith was not something that was regulated to Sundays but lived every day of your life.
Brenner works as a Certified Financial Planner helping families plan for retirement and life goals. He has found a niche in helping families integrate their faith into the financial planning process and investments.
Brenner and Kristen have been active in Youth Ministry for the last ten years. Building two separate high school and middle school programs at two parishes. They have also been active in the Regnum Christi NY Tri-State marriage preparation program, Three to Get Married. Before they had children, they helped as a host couple, and now they have been dedicating their time to the Faith & Finance talk.
With their children in elementary school, Kristen and Brenner started a Jr. Conquest and Jr. Challenge Club in their home parish. Brenner says, “Fostering a love for Christ, the Church, and Our Mother Mary while learning about virtues is something so needed for youth today. This is the goal of Conquest and Challenge, to strengthen our core loves and then to go out and share it with others, all of this while having fun! Running the club has not been easy, but it has been gratifying.”
The couple likes to stay very active outside of their family, work, and apostolate. Kristen recently ran the Boston Marathon and shared her experience of running her first marathon pregnant. Kristen is also still very active with Fit4Mom, a community of moms that offers fitness classes for every workout level and stage of motherhood.
