Jackie
Francois is a singer/songwriter/guitarist, speaker,
and youth minister from Placentia, CA (the less
well known part of “The OC”). For 22 years Jackie
attended St. Joseph Catholic Church of Placentia,
where the LIFE TEEN program started during her
freshman year of high school. Through LIFE TEEN
retreats, Steubenville Conferences, and WYD 2000 in
Rome, Jackie experienced Jesus in a deeper
way.
Coming from
a musical “Von Trapp”-like family, she has been
singing since she was born, and even was taught
music theory by her oldest sister at a young age.
Loving music, Jackie learned how to play the violin
in 5th grade and performed in
many musicals (her first being “Sound of Music” at
age 5 with her two older sisters). During senior
year of high school Jackie taught herself how to
play guitar, which led to the beginning of her
songwriting.
In June
2003 when Tom Booth got a hold of a two-track CD
Jackie made in her friend’s backyard shack, things
started happening. Booth became a mentor both
spiritually and musically, and invited Jackie to
sing at events such as LIFE TEEN Inspiration 2004
at Magic Mountain, the LIFE TEEN
20th Anniversary in 2005,
and Steubenville San Diego in 2007.
Aside from
ministry, Jackie enjoys playing/watching/coaching
volleyball, hiking, white water rafting, bowling,
acting, going to the beach, watching romantic
comedies, reading spiritual books, and eating
delicious food with friends.
However, it
wasn’t until after senior year of high school
during her experience as a Young Apostle at
Steubenville West in 2002 that she fell in love
with the Eucharist and the Catholic Church, started
going to daily mass, and began studying
apologetics. In college she served as the CSUF
Newman Catholic Club President for 3 years, a LIFE
TEEN CORE member, and a LIFE TEEN band member. In
July 2006 she moved to Ventura, CA to be the Youth
Minister at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic
Church.
In March
2006, Jackie recorded a 12 track demo at Tom
Booth’s recording studio in Arizona. In August
2006, OCP/SpiritandSong.com announced that Jackie’s
song “My Soul Rejoices” was going to be published
in the new songbook “Never Too Young." In July 2007
Jackie moved back to Placentia, CA to begin full
time music ministry, serving the wider Catholic
Church. Jackie is currently a host for
SpiritandSong.com's webcast, "The Commons," and for
SpiritandSong.com's Perfect Playlist Podcasts. Her
debut album, Your
Kingdom is Glorious, was released with
SpiritandSong.com/OCP on November 5, 2008. You can
also find her occasionally as a newsbox personality
on lifeteen.com
Singing with Tom
Booth at LIFE TEEN Inspiration Los Angeles in
2004
Leading worship at
Steubenville SD July 2007 with Matt Maher and Jenny
Pixler