Prayer Intentions - Trinity Missions

Jerry McHugh

Jerry McHugh is a lifelong Philadelphian who lives in the neighborhood where he was born and raised, where his family has lived for generations. He commuted to Philadelphia’s Jesuit University, St. Joseph’s, where he majored in theology. From there he entered Penn Law school, and upon graduation pursued a 30-year career as a trial lawyer in civil cases. In 2014, President Barrack Obama commissioned him as a federal judge, a position in which he continues to serve. In his study of theology, he pursued restorative justice, and shortly after graduation from law school began a long affiliation with the Missionary Servants. He worked with Brother Joseph Dudek , S.T. to found Hospitality House of Philadelphia, a residential reentry Center for those returning to the community from prison. Since then, he has worked to support the various apostolates of the Missionary Servants in many ways . In characteristic Philly-fashion, he married his high school sweetheart, and together they are blessed with four children and eight grandchildren.

Fr. Guy Wilson, S.T., General Counselor and Pastor

Guy was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1951. He is named after his father and is the oldest of nine. At the age of 12 his family moved to Orange, CA where they became members of the ST Mission, La Purisima. At that time the STs served migrant worker communities. He has 28 nephews and nieces and 25 great nephews and nieces.

He attended Loyola University in LA. When he began his formation with the Missionary Servants he attended Loyola, Chicago then received his MA in Ecclesiology at the Washington

Theological Union. He and Kevin O’Rourke are classmates. He professed vows in 1974 and was ordained in 1978

He has served in missions in Los Angeles, Compton, Coachella, CA; Tallahassee, FL. Lawtell, LA, Hoy Trinity, AL, Bainbridge, GA, Michoacan MX, San Jose Costa Rica.

His experience with Missionary Servant priests in Brothers since his childhood has impacted his life to serve the poor and immigrant communities.

Fr. Arokiaraj Varnabas, S.T.

Born and brought up in Deviyanandal, Tamil Nadu, South India. Fr. Aro is the youngest of four, one older sister and two older brothers. They all reside in Tamil Nadu.

Fr. Aro studied in public schools from primary to high school. He graduated from Arulanandar College, a Jesuit school of Arts and Science in Madurai, Tamil Nadu and majored in Philosophy. Also, attended Seton Hall University, New Jersey, USA and earned a master’s degree in divinity and M.A. in Theology.

Fr. Aro has spent his formative years in ministry in Holy Trinity, Alabama and Stirling, New Jersey. He has also worked as a Missionary in Tanzania and Kenya in East Africa and the Philippines. Now, he goes to the Philippines for a Medical Mission with a group of medical teams from New Jersey every year. He worked as a chaplain at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey, USA.

Fr. Aro has been a member of the Missionary Servants since profession of vows in 2011 and was ordained a priest on April 16, 2016 at the Shrine of St. Joseph, Stirling, New Jersey. He has served as an associate vocation director in the community for four years. Now, he is serving the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, a Native American community in Tucson, Arizona, USA. He is happy to be a part of the Mission Partners Team.

Roberto Velasquez

Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Roberto is the eldest brother among 8 children. He and his wife are blessed with 1 elder daughter followed by 4 sons.

Roberto emigrated to the United States at the age of 20 to the United States in hopes of finding his way through the world. There, he stayed with relatives in South Central, Los Angeles, which helped him with the beginning of his life in the United States. He began working in construction which lasted 3 years, and then practicing carpentry for another 2 years after.

Eventually, he found himself working at a taco stand in Los Angeles. Although Roberto does not have an extensive educational history, his hard work and determination was an exceptional substitute as he was able to save enough money to buy the taco stand he was working for.
He is part of a retreat program guided to serve individuals of all calibers as part of Our Lady of Victory Church in Compton, CA. He has taken up numerous roles in this retreat program from designated cook all the way up to Director.

Some of Roberto’s favorite activities include long-distance cycling, watching movies, and spending time with his family.

He found himself indebted to God for all the opportunities he was given, as well as for the energy required to fulfill them.

The Mission Partners have provided him with the blessed chance to learn from his newfound friendships and community.

Patrick Thornton

First and foremost, I am a family man. My wife, Loretta, and our four grandchildren are pictured with me.

I was born and raised in New Jersey but spent much of my life outside of the Garden State. I lived in several states and resided overseas three times, seeing the world and getting a first-hand understanding of the differences in living conditions and opportunities.

Loretta was the first to discover the Missionary Servants at the Shrine of St. Joseph in Long Hill Township New Jersey. Its welcoming, compassionate environment drew her in, and I followed some time later. I was unaware at first that the Shrine was one of close to 40 “missions” in the Americas. That changed, however when Brother John and then Father Mike served as mission custodian at the Shrine.

While the religious-lay partnership can be traced back to the time of Father Judge, Father Mike committed himself to renewing and expanding the partnership. I was fortunate to partner with him and other laity to help build a foundation which has become a strong, vibrant group of men and women who serve in many capacities. I served four years as Chairperson of the Mission Partner Executive Committee. I remain on the Executive Committee and am proud of how my successor has continued to build purpose and expand membership.

My service to the Missionary Servants has branched out to other areas. I serve as chairperson of the Order’s investment committee, again working with a team of committed lay and religious. I also am active at the Shrine, working on a religious-lay committee to build a 21^st century chapel to house a mosaic depicting the life of St. Joseph. The Shrine also has an investment advisory committee and strategic direction group, of which I have the pleasure to serve.

Br. John Skrodinsky

My name is Br. John Skrodinsky, ST. I am the only child of John Skrodinsky, Sr and Shirley Hildebrand, both from Johnstown, PA. I grew up in Lancaster County Pennsylvania and was active in sports and in my parish community.

I went to the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in 1989 to begin studying Elementary Education. I graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science in that field, but instead going on to be a teacher and coach – I focused my attention to listening to a call that I felt God had for me to be a Religious, a missionary. That is when I met the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity by way of Fr. Dennis Berry, who was serving as Vocation Director at that time. I applied after being impressed by the men, their down to earth nature, their love for God and for serving God’s people, especially the poor. By God’s grace, I was accepted into the Congregation.

I took my first vows as a Missionary Servant in 1997. My first assignment was to Hospitality House in Philadelphia, PA, with Br. Joseph Dudek, serving as a drug and alcohol counselor and as a case manager for the clients of the halfway house at this mission.

In 2001, I began evening sessions at Temple University Law School and graduated in December of 2006. I passed the NJ Bar Exam in May of 2007 and began work in my second assignment, Director of the Migrant Ministry in the Diocese of Paterson.

Marie Santana

Marie Santana was born in Havana, Cuba and came to the United States at the age of eleven. Marie has spent most of her life between New Jersey and Florida. After a 30 year marriage, her husband Bob died of cancer. Marie has two sons and five grandchildren, who live in New Jersey and Florida. She has been part of the Shrine of St Joseph in Stirling, NJ since 1982. Marie took early retirement after 30 years of corporate experience working with AT&T International as Human Resources Vice President. She spent time living in St. Louis Mo, Washington, DC and Mexico City on corporate assignments.

She earned her Masters in Human Resources and Organization Development from American University in Washington, DC. Marie Santana graduated with a certificate in Spiritual Direction from the ‘An Croi Wisdom Institute’ -Dublin, Ireland. Following that she made the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life (19th Annotation) a nine month program, at Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, NJ. Marie has created, composed and gives the Spiritual Exercises in an 8-Week Program format, which until now is offered only at Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, NJ in English. In 2018 she took the Ignatian Immersion Course (an intensive program on Ignatian spirituality, the life of St. Ignatius, and the Spiritual Exercises) at the International School of Ignatian Spirituality -Cova Manresa in Spain.

Currently Marie conducts retreats in English and Spanish at Loyola Jesuit Center as follows: Spiritual Exercises 8-Week Format; Spiritual Exercises in Spanish; Discernment/Decision Making Day of Prayer; Co-Director -Loyola Weekend Retreats, and gives Spiritual Direction in both English and Spanish. She in currently on the board of Trinity Mission Partners, Vocation of Business Leaders, and Ignatian Spirituality and Formation for Regional Spanish and English offerings.

Fr. Arturo Quezada, S.T.

Born in Temascalapa, México and raised in Mexico City. Fr. Arturo is the youngest child of five, three brothers and one sister.

Fr. Arturo attended a public school and a private College. He graduated from Law School, in Mexcio City and worked for an insurance company for 4 years. After that he joined the Missionary Servants in 2004, 25 years since he met the congregation at his home parish.

That year, Fr. Arturo began to study Philosophy in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. Fr. Arturo did all his studies in Mexico City and finished his studies in Theology in the Intercontinental University in 2013. Fr. Arturo professed his perpetual vows in 2012, was ordained to the diaconate in the same year and he was ordained a priest in 2013.
Fr. Arturo has been serving as a Missionary Servant in some of their missions in USA and México. In 2012-2013 he served in Hispanic Ministry in our mission in Tallahassee, Florida and at the same time from 2012-2015 he served as coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in our mission in Bainbridge, Georgia. In 2015 Fr. Arturo was elected as The International Spiritual Guide of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate, the lay branch of the Missionary Cenacle Family and as well was assigned to coordinate the Valley Missionary Program in Coachella, California until 2018; that year Fr. Arturo was assigned to coordinate the new non-parochial mission in Mexico City.
Fr. Arturo’s interests include travel, reading, playing the guitar, walking in the forest, enjoying a good talk with a good cup of coffee. Fr. Arturo has been part of the Mission Partners project since the beginning, first as participant, then as member of the group.
Fr. Arturo considers significantly important the collaborative work with the laity at any level. Mission Partners is a new effort that is perfectly in tune with the spirituality and vision of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity.

Fr. Rafael Pisso Rivera, S.T., Vicar General

Born and raised in Neiva, Huila, Colombia, South America, Fr. Rafael is the 6^th oldest in a family of 10 children, all of them men – Mom was the queen of the house!

Fr. Rafael attended a public school and a Claretian College. After that, in 1996, he entered the Army – where heserved as a soldier for two years. Following the Army, he began to study Literature at a local public university wherehe studied for two years and left the university to join the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity Seminary inMedellin, Colombia.

In 2000, Fr. Rafael entered the seminary and began to study Philosophy in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. Fr. Rafael lefthis country to enter the Novitiate program in Hidalgo, México in 2003. After the novitiate, he moved to Mexico City tobegin to study Theology in the Intercontinental University. Fr. Rafael finished his degree in Theology in 2007 andprofessed his perpetual vows. In 2008, Fr. Rafael was ordained to the diaconate and in the same year he was ordained a priest.

Fr. Rafael has been serving as a Missionary Servant in some of their missions in USA, México, and Colombia.In 2011, Fr. Rafael was elected to the general council as councilor. Fr. Rafael lived and served as general councilorfrom 2011-2015 in Washington, DC. Right after that, Fr. Rafael left the United States to serve as Director of the post-novitiate in Medellín, Colombia. In 2016, he began to study Canon Law at the Catholic University of America andtransfer to the Universidad Pontificia of Salamanca in Spain where he finished his studies in 2019. In 2019, he was elected to the general council again, but this time he was elected as the general Vicar of the congregation. Fr. Rafaelplans to move back to Washington DC soon where he will continue serving as general Vicar.

Fr. Rafael’s Interests include travel, walking in the forest, he enjoys the beauty of the sea, he loves reading andswimming in rivers.

Fr. Rafael has been part of the Mission Partners project since the beginning, first as participant, then as member of thegroup. Fr. Rafael really believes that Mission Partners are an important part of the Missionary Servant’s roots asCongregation. Fr. Rafael believes in the power of the laity as a powerful weapon to transform the world and to helpto avoid the injustice in society. Fr. Rafael really thinks that together we can collaborate to preserve people’s faith.“Mission Partners are a real inspiration to my faith as well as the movement of the Spirit of hope in action”, Fr. Rafaelmentions.

Paul & Kathie Perz

Paul was born in Chicago, the third of six children. He attended Catholic grade school and became familiar with the Missionary Servants when Fr. Louie Murphy S.T. visited his school. Fascinated by the idea of being a missionary in the United States, Paul entered Father Judge Seminary in Monroe, Virginia in 1962 as a high school freshman. Paul spent 11 years with the Missionary Servants; three of those years in temporary vows.

When Paul left the community in 1973, he returned to Chicago where he started working for the archdiocese while maintaining contact with the Missionary Servants through Father Rudy Breunig S.T. who was in charge of the Chicago House of Studies.

Kathie was born and raised in Seattle, the oldest of three children. She attended Catholic grade and high school. She graduated from Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington. After graduation she worked in the University’s Admissions Office and later in their Advancement Office,

A mutual friend introduced Paul and Kathie. After a yearlong Chicago to Seattle courtship, they married in Saint Martin’s Abbey Church and moved to Chicago so Paul could complete his MSW from the University of Illinois. During the first three years of their marriage Kathie also worked for the archdiocese however, in 1979 they returned to the Northwest with their eldest daughter, Stephanie. Their boys Ryan and David, were born in Lacey.

Paul became the Director of the Southwest region of Catholic Community Services for the Archdiocese of Seattle. He later worked for the state of Washington directing anti-poverty/gang/drug programs. In addition to serving on advisory committees for the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services Paul served on several state and local advisory committees. Since his retirement, Paul continues to volunteer on several state, county and local committees as well as coordinating their parish’s homeless shelter.

When we returned to the Pacific Northwest Kathie resumed working at Saint Martin’s University as the Director of Development. With the assistance of several alums, Kathie helped established the annual Saint Martin’s Golf Tournament and the Saint Martin’s Athletic Foundation to raise scholarships for student athletes.

Paul and Kathie were founding members of the Lacey-Mińsk Mazowiecki, Poland Sister City Association. Kathie developed and for 10 years ran a student exchange program for high school students from both cities. Due primarily to her efforts, both Kathie and Paul were made honorary citizens of Mińsk-Mazowiecki.

Thanks to the recruiting efforts of John Butler, Paul and Kathie have made the Missionary Servants their primary volunteer priority, along with Saint Martin’s University!

Kevin O’Rourke

Kevin O’Rourke is the owner of a consulting firm specializing in assisting local governments and non profits called Kevin O’Rourke Local Government Solutions [KOLGS] He currently serves as a senior consultant with PARS. Below are a list of his bio points:

He has served in local government for 38 years , more than 30 years as a city manager
He currently is a senior consultant with PARS [Public Agency Retirement Services] working with local governments in California
Interim city manager for the city of Santa Ana
Interim city manager for the City of Woodland, thru 4/20/12
Interim General Services director for the County of Solano, October 2010 until March 2011
Interim city manager for the city of Stockton, October 2009 until July 2010
City Manager of the City of Fairfield, March1997 until December 2007
City Manager of the City of Buena Park, November 1985 until March1997
City of Stanton from 1977-1985, as City Manager from 1981-1985
Chair and League representative for Cal Communities, CSCDA
Past Member of Board of Directors, League of California Cities
Past President of the League of California Cities City Managers Department
Past International City County Management Association (ICMA) Vice President, West Coast Region, ICMA Executive Board
Past Chair, Governmental Affairs Policy Committee (GAPC), ICMA
Past Board Member, California City Management Foundation (CCMF)
Board Member, California Local Government Management Collaborative (Cal-ICMA)
Past Chair, International Committee, City Managers Department
Founder, Australia Liaison Committee, now the International Committee of the City Managers Department
Past President and Member, Solano County Area Managers Group
Past President, Orange County Area Managers Group
Past Board Member, Solano Emergency Medical Services Cooperative (SEMSC)
Past Board Member, Solano Economic Development Corporation (Solano EDC)
Board Member, California Conservation Corp Foundation (CCCF)
Past City Managers Department Representative to the California Police Chief Association (CPCA)
Undergraduate education at LaSalle University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Masters Program in Public Administration California State University, Long Beach
Masters Program in Theology, Washington Theological Coalition, Washington, D.C.

Fr. Jesús Ramírez, ST, General Counselor

He was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. The eldest of ten brothers, six men and four women. He studied elementary school in his city. He entered with the Missionary Servants in 1984 to study high school. In 1987-88 he did the novitiate in Silver Spring, MD and returned to Mexico for studies in Philosophy and Theology. He professed perpetual vows on 11 September 1993 and ordained a priest in 1994.
During theology studies pastoral work was in the slums of Iztapalapa, Mexico. As a priest he was on the mission of Ascension in South Central Los Angeles, CA. In Buenavista Tomatlán, Michoacán, Mexico and in Iztapalapa, Mexico City. In addition to serving the community as Master of Novices from 1999 to 2005.
He was elected to the General Council in 2015 and again in 2019. He is currently part of the Winter Wheat Missionary Cenacle in Sterling, NJ, a project for addiction recovery.

Tom Masterani

Tom Masterani was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, attending St. James elementary school in Sewickley and then high school at Father Judge Mission Seminary. After four years at the minor seminary in Monroe, VA (a year behind Father Mike), he spent one additional year in the ST formation program residing at the College house in Philadelphia and attending La Salle College (University) where he graduated in 1975 with a BA degree in English and Religion. Following graduation, he taught Religion in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for three years, first at Hallahan Girls High School in Center City and then at Father Judge High School in Northeast Philadelphia.

Tom moved to California in October of 1978 and has been a resident of Burbank since that time. After working as a construction estimator for seven years, he started his work as a real estate professional and has been an active real estate agent in Southern California for nearly forty years. He has worked in virtually every specialty within the field and teaches and consults as well as mentors new agents. He holds the professional designation of Certified International Property Specialist.

Tom has been married to his wife, Diane, for 18 years and they have a total of five (5) children and seven (7) grandchildren between them – and Max, a little Shih Tzu and the neighborhood ambassador. He is the oldest of three children, with two younger sisters still residing in Pennsylvania, one in the Southwestern part of the state and the other in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

He has been very involved in his community, serving over the years on the Boards of Directors of the Burbank Association of Realtors and the Northwest Glendale Lions Club, as Chairman of the Community Service Foundation, and as a former member of his church’s Finance Committee as well as a City of Burbank Blue Ribbon Committee. He has also been active for a number of years in local sports programs, coaching in both the youth and adult leagues. Softball was his avocation until just a few years ago, having had the opportunity to compete in softball tournaments throughout the United States.

Dieudonne Nsom Kindong, S.T.

Fr. Nsom was born and raised in former British Southern Cameroons, West Africa. He is the first of seven siblings one of whom died young.
He attended Presbyterian, Catholic, and public grade school and a private high school in Bamenda. He went to the University of Buea where he obtained a B.Sc. in Business Management before moving to the USA for priestly formation. Prior to obtaining his M.A. in Theology, Fr. Nsom pursued philosophical and theological studies in Riverside, CA; Washington, DC; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University, NJ.
Fr. Nsom has been a professed member of the congregation since July of 2012. He was ordained in April 2016. He has been missioned to the rural parts of north-western Colombia in South America and to a Native American mission in Tucson, Arizona. He is presently serving as the Secretary General for the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity while pursuing an M.A. degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution in George Mason University, VA.
Fr. Nsom is very new to the Mission Partners family and looks forward to gaining from their much-cherished experience and wisdom.

Stephen Flott

Stephen was born in Washington, DC, the second of thirteen children of Allan and Evelyn Flott. He grew up in Bowie and Chevy Chase before entering St. Joseph’s Preparatory Seminary in Holy Trinity, AL in 1957. He left the seminary in 1961 and, after a year in the DC area, was accepted as a seminarian by the Archdiocese of Washington. A clerical mistake – someone overlooked his five years in minor seminary – resulted in being sent to study at Resurrection College in Kitchener, Ontario. A year later, he left the seminary and enrolled at St. Jerome’s College at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, completing an undergraduate degree in history and economics in 1967 and a graduate degree in history in 1968.

After two years teaching junior high school in Toronto, he entered Osgoode Hall Law School, completing his law degree in 1973. Upon graduation he joined Weir & Foulds as a law clerk and was hired by the firm when he was admitted to the Ontario bar in March 1975. In May 1978, he was hired as CEO of the Ontario Trucking Association, serving in that capacity until May 1983 when he joined the Joint Program in Transportation at the University of Toronto as a Senior Fellow and started his own consulting firm. In September 1983, he met Fran O’Brien at a family wedding which chance meeting led to a date during a business trip to Washington in November. The rest as they say is history.

Fran and Stephen have three children: MaryJeanne, Allan, and Robert. Since moving to Arlington in May 1988, both have been active in St. Agnes Parish, singing in the choir, serving as Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, cantors, coaches for the children’s basketball teams, and on the Pastoral Council.

Stephen’s mother became a dedicated supporter of Trinity Missions when he was in the seminary and through the years she met and befriended several members of the order, most especially Brother Hilary, ST with whom she remained close to the end of her life. Stephen remained connected to the order through Brother Hilary and, after attending the reunion at Holy Trinity in 2018, agreed to try and help raise awareness of Trinity Missions among the community in Northern Virginia.

Through Mission Partners, Stephen wants to build the awareness of the poor church served by Trinity Missions among the rich church in more affluent areas of the country as a way of generating financial support for the work of the missions and the Order.

Fr. Ramon Flores, S.T.

Born and raised in Ixtlan, Michoacán, Mexico. At the age of 12, he immigrated with the family to California, USA. He is the second of four siblings.

Fr. Ramon finished High School in 2009 and had a part-time job in his home parish as ministry coordinator in Sacred Heart Church in Compton, CA.

In 2010, Fr. Ramon joined the Missionary Servants and entered the seminary in Santo Domingo, Costa Rica, where he studied philosophy at the Theological University of Central America. In 2013, he professed his first vows in Hidalgo, Mexico, and continued his theological formation at the Intercontinental University in Mexico City.

In 2014, Fr. Ramon moved to the Post-Novitiate in New Jersey, USA, and continued his theological studies at Seton Hall University. In 2015, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology. After his graduation, he went to Coachella, California, for his mission year. There he served the migrant community and worked with the youth ministry and other parochial ministries.

After his mission year in Coachella, Fr. Ramon started the Master of Divinity program in the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. During his graduate studies, he worked in an urban parish in Pilsen, Chicago. There he worked with the youth and religious education.

In June 2019, Fr. Ramon graduated with an M.Div. and a graduate certificate in Spirituality from CTU and was ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop David O’Connell in Compton, California. After his diaconal ordination, he was assigned to the missions in Puerto Rico to work in the development of youth ministry. In January 2020, Fr. Ramon was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Gerald Barnes in Coachella, California. He was assigned to Holy Trinity, Alabama, where he is currently serving in St. Joseph Church, St. Patrick Church, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission.

Fr. Ramon profoundly believes in the formation and active participation of the laity in the Church. He was exposed to the charism of the Missionary Servants since his teenage years. The Christian’s understanding of God as a Trinity is the foundation of his spirituality and ministry.

His interests include traveling, reading, exercising, hiking, and watching tv series.

Alma Esquivel

Born and raised in Puruaran, Michoacan, Mexico. Alma is the second and only girl of four children.
In 1995, Alma left Mexico and went to live in Toronto Canada. She lived in Canada for 2 years. In 1997, Alma went to live to the Unites States in Bedminster, New Jersey. From 2000 to 2010, she worked in the gift shop for the Shrine of St. Joseph.
Alma graduated with an Associates college degree from Union county college in 2005. In 2007, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Administration from Caldwell college.
In 2010, Alma moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, and worked in the Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Palm Beach. In 2012, She started her career at Chase Bank. In 2015, Alma moved to Columbus, Ohio and has continued her work at Chase Bank. In 2019, Alma got her second bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Alma enjoys beginning her day at 5’clock in the morning with a good work out in the gym. She loves to watch lifetime movies in her spare time.
Alma has been involved with the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity since 1997 when she met Fr. Dennis Berry, ST. Fr. Dennis invited her to be a part as Co-founder of the migrant ministry for the Diocese of Paterson in NJ. In 2019, Alma was invited by Fr. Michael Barth, ST. to be a part of Mission Partners.
Alma profoundly believes in Fr. Judge’s words that “every catholic should be an apostle”. Therefore, just like in 1997 where Alma helped to organize the beginning of the migrant ministry, she looks forward to bringing her apostolic zeal to mission partners. Alma believes that the migrant population in the United States is the future not only for the catholic church, but for the whole country.
Alma is ambitious two things for her participation in mission partners: first, to help the missionary servants with the preservation of the faith. Second, to create a foundation that would help the migrant young generation among the missionary servants’ missions in the United States to achieve a college degree.

Bob Denten

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Bob is the 3rd oldest in a family of 8 children.

Bob attended Catholic grade school as well as a Jesuit College Prep, before graduating from Purdue, majoring in Business/Finance. He received his MBA at Santa Clara several years later.

Bob joined GE right out of college, with most years at the Healthcare business, before joining GE Appliances and several GE Capital businesses, primarily in Finance and Commercial Operations roles.

After transferring to San Francisco with GE, Bob met Kate. Married for 32 years, they have two children, Brian & Kelly, a Golden Retriever named Rosie, and currently live in Vero Beach, FL and Harbor Springs, MI.

Interests include boating, hiking, cycling, genealogy research, travel, and Cubs Baseball.

Over the years, Bob has volunteered in several areas, including being a Minister of Care at his Parish in the Chicago area for several years as well as Junior Achievement instructor / coach at local schools.

Father Mike and Bob both have brothers named Tom, who, as friends from Notre Dame, provided many opportunities for the Barth’s and Denten’s to meet over the years.

Through Mission Partners, Bob looks forward to the opportunity to help wherever there is a need, including applying career Finance / analytical skills in Development and other areas, as well as working in “on-site” projects in direct support of Missions.

Hugh Dempsey

Hugh Dempsey, KMOb, D.Ed., was raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania in Wyoming, PA. A town of 4000 where his Dad was Mayor and little went unnoticed. His parents’ close ties to the local parish and the Scranton Diocese provided a strong presence of religious men and women in his life.
Hugh and his wife Ruey moved to Western Pennsylvania where they were active in Pittsburgh’s philanthropic and cultural communities. His work to successfully help found and fund the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, led to his invitation in to Washington, DC in 2005 to replicate the effort.
Hugh has spent the greatest part of his professional life in the not-for- profit sector, creating grant funded programs in the areas of the public health, research sciences, theological research and evangelization and the arts.
A member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since 1992, Hugh has been actively involved with the Order’s world-wide humanitarian efforts on behalf of the poor and the sick. A confrere, John Butler introduced Hugh to Trinity Missions and Father Michael Barth. Hugh is drawn to the work that has been led by the Servants and has gone on steadily and quietly for 100 years.

George Degnon

George was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, the oldest of four children to Rosemary and George Degnon, who spent many of their Sunday afternoons in the 1940s visiting the St Joseph Shrine in Sterling, NJ. George ventured off to Holy Trinity for his high school days pursuing his dream of a lifetime to help others. After a few years he returned home, was graduated from St Peter’s College (now University) with a major in classical languages. After a tour with the US Army Airborne as a jump master, he went on to teach Latin in a public high school and loved the classroom experience.

Years later he was recruited by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help advance their programs at the national level. While at the Academy, George attended evening Law School in Chicago. In 1970 he was appointed the founding Director of the Academy’s Washington Office and worked to enact many programs to make the world a safer place for children, including legislation for safety caps and the elimination of lead from paint and the establishment of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Leading another nationwide initiative to change state insurance laws so that family health insurance for newborns would be changed from starting after 14 days of life to starting at birth was another highlight.

In 1979 George started his own firm in Washington, Degnon Associates, lobbying for children and representing a wide spectrum of health and medical organizations. Over the years his business transitioned into a leadership development organization working with volunteer medical groups helping them with strategic planning, organization management, and creating goal- oriented activities. He retired from the work force at age 75 in 2015 bound and determined to not slow down, and he has pursued his volunteer work as a hospice home visitation volunteer, a member of the St Vincent de Paul Society and Trinity Missions with whom he had remained connected over the decades since his childhood days at Holy Trinity.

George and his wife Marge have been married since 1964 and have four children. Son George had a career over 30 years as a US Air Force F-16 fighter pilot and just recently retired as a Major General, daughter Meg spent many years as an inner city elementary school teacher in Washington DC, daughter Chris is a family physician in Lewes, DE, and daughter Laura serves as President and CEO of the family business taking over where dad left off. Marge and George have 12 grandchildren.

George is a hobby woodworker, an avid boater, enjoys making home visits with folks having difficulties by applying the care and attention with the respect he learned as a youngster is so important for the downtrodden. He is chair of the Mission Partners Projects Committee, helping Missionary Servant parishes wherever a request for help might emanate.

Br. Raul Mejia Contreras, S.T., General Counselor

Raúl was born on March 3, 1981, in the city of Ocaña, Norte de Santander, Colombia. He is the second of four siblings, an older brother and two younger sisters.

In his elementary school time, he was part of the Missionary Childhood group. Raúl completed his high school studies at the José Eusebio Caro National School, where he graduated in 1999, the same year that he began his vocational discernment with the Missionary Servants in the accompaniment of Father Carlos Gordon, S.T., who was the vocation promoter for South America at that time. After a period dedicated to commerce in his hometown in October 2000, he was invited by Father Carlos to the vocational coexistence in the pre-novitiate of La Estrella, Antioquia, Colombia, there he was chosen to begin his formation in 2001, where he studied philosophy at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana de Medellín.

From 2003 to 2004 Raúl went to Huitzila, Hidalgo, Mexico, where he did his novitiate time, and professed his first temporary vows. In July 2004 he was transferred to the post-novitiate to begin his theology studies, which he interrupted because in 2006 he was assigned to carry out his mission year in Loiza Valley and La Central, in Loiza, Puerto Rico. During this time his work was focused on the social work of the mission, an experience that helped him discern to follow his life with the S.T. within the vocation of religious brother. In August 2007 in Mexico Raúl professed his perpetual vows as an S.T., and in October 2009 he received his theologian degree from the Intercontinental University of Mexico City. In that same month of October 2009, Raúl appeared in Stirling, New Jersey for his mission assignment in the Ministry with Migrants of the Diocese of Paterson.

In June 2012 Raúl returned to Colombia to begin his studies in Social Work and assist with the post-novitiate formation program in La Estrella, Antioquia. Raúl graduated as a Social Worker in May 2017, and in September of that same year he was assigned to support social work in the mission of Guamal, Colombia. In June 2019 Raúl attended the general chapter, where he was elected as part of the current General Council of S.T. Raúl continues in the mission of Guamal, Magdalena, where he enjoys putting his gifts toward the social development of the communities.

Raúl considers the Mission Partners project to be a great blessing, where committed religious and laity join forces for the missionary and social work of the congregation in the different missions in the countries where the congregation is present.

Carlos Berrios

Born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Carlos attended Cristo Rey Academy in Ponce. After his graduation from High School, he attended St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, majoring in Business Administration. He received a Masters in National Security Affairs with a concentration in Latin America from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterrey, CA.

Carlos joined the U.S. Army immediately after graduation from College and served for 29 years as an Infantry Officer and as “Soldier Diplomat” where he served in diplomatic posts in Venezuela, Colombia and Peru.

Carlos met his wife Alexia Candamo during one of his visits to Puerto Rico early in his military career. Married for 28 years, they have two children, Antonio and Nicolas. Antonio served honorably in the US Marine Corps and lives in Fairfax, VA and Nicolas is a recent college graduate and is back home looking for job opportunities.

Interests include, hiking, reading, exercising, teaching, sports, service.

Over the years Carlos has volunteered as Boy Scouts Leader, Catechism Teacher, Men’s Group Leader, OLGC Parish Hispanic Community Leader.

John T. Butler, Vice President for Mission Advancement

Born in Washington D.C., John is the middle of eight children, six brothers and two sisters.

John attended Catholic grade school and high school at St. Anthony’s, which was run by the Benedictine Sisters. He attended St. Michael College in Winooski Park, Vermont, an Edmundite institution, where he majored in Political Science. He went on to receive a Master of Education degree from Howard University and certification in Group Work and Group Psychotherapy from the Psychiatric Institute of Washington Center for Group Studies. John also completed course work towards a Master in Theology Studies degree at the Washington Theological Union.

John’s career has spanned secondary and higher education administration, fund development, management consulting, spiritual renewal and adult initiation, and individual and group psychotherapy. Formerly, John served as the Secretary for Development for the Archdiocese of Washington, Vice President for Advancement at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, President of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington D.C., and President & CEO of HRLC, Inc. Additionally, John consulted nationally on Evangelization and implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and as Retreat Director, Cantor and Director for Adult Initiation at his parish, St Augustine in Washington, D.C.

John is a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since 2001 and serves on several boards including The Order of Malta, The Nonprofit Alliance, Catholic Business Network of the District of Columbia, and the Kennedy Center Community Advisory Board.

John is married to Robin since 1993, has a daughter and two grand children and lives in Mitchellville, Maryland.

Interest includes golfing, biking, travel, and he plays acoustic guitar.

Tom Barth

Born in Berwick Pennsylvania with some early years in Stamford, CT but raised primarily in the Buffalo area. Tom is the second youngest in a family of five children, including Fr. Mike Barth. Tom stresses that he is the younger brother!

Tom attended Catholic grade school and high school at St. Josephs Collegiate, a Christian Brothers institution. He attended the University of Notre Dame majoring in Anthropology and Pre-Med, earned an M.A from the School of Social Service Administration at the U. of Chicago, and a PhD in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Tech.

Tom is a “pracademic,” serving for ten years in the federal government at Health & Human Services and EPA before becoming an academic where he has directed Masters of Public Administration programs at the University of Memphis, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and currently at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Tom is married to Sue since 1979, with two sons, Connor and Casey, and lives in Wilmington, NC.

Interests include reading, cinema, volunteering and following all Buffalo, North Carolina and Notre Dame sports teams. Go Bills, Tar Heels and Irish!

Over the years Tom has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including the United Way and Family Promise of the Cape Fear Area and Disability IN: North Carolina.

Tom has grown up around the ST’s since Fr. Mike is his brother, and he welcomes the opportunity to bring his knowledge of and experience with nonprofit management and public administration to Mission Partners.

JoAnn White, Chair, Mission Partners

Born in Cleveland, Ohio to Irish immigrants, JoAnn is the oldest of seven children.

JoAnn attended Catholic grade school, high school and college. She received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Dayton. She went on to receive a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University.

She has spent most of her professional life working for either the government or the nonprofit sector. In 1990, she began a consulting firm that specializes in development, strategic alliances and nonprofit management. She served as the President of Lakewood, Ohio City Council and the National President of Women in Municipal Government.

Her earliest memories are of being a volunteer in service to the Church and the community. After taking a few years off from volunteering, JoAnn was delighted that Fr. Mike asked her to join the Mission Partners. She believes that the Missionary Servants are fulfilling Christ’s desire to “love your neighbor as yourself” with their extraordinary work with the most vulnerable in our world. As lay men and women and STs work together, we have a responsibility to give back so that others can have a better life.

JoAnn and her husband, Michael, have 4 children and 4 grandchildren. They own a winery in Newcomerstown, Ohio.

Her interests include travel (to Ireland at least once a year), walking the Camino and exploring the world.

John Butler, CFRE, Vice President for Development & Mission Advancement

In 2017, Trinity Missions appointed John T. Butler as VP of Development & Mission Advancement. John comes to Trinity Missions with extensive leadership and fundraising experience. Prior to joining Trinity Missions, John served as the Secretary for Development for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., where he led the philanthropic and fundraising efforts to advance the evangelization, pastoral and charitable works of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. John has also served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Mount St. Mary’s University, Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the University of the District of Columbia, President/CEO of Archbishop Carroll High School, and President & CEO of HRLC, Inc. a management consulting firm providing change management and organizational development services for both the private and public sectors.

In addition to his membership and former Board service with the Association of Fundraising Professionals for Washington, DC; John is actively involved as a member of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Community Advisory Council; the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta; Catholic Business Network of the District of Columbia; Leadership Maryland; and Leadership Greater Washington where he served as co-facilitator for LGW’s Signature Program. John holds a B.A in Political Science from St. Michael’s College; a M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from Howard University and has completed Master of Theological Studies coursework at the Theological Union. He is also credentialed as a Certified Fundraising Executive from CFRE International and as a Group Psychotherapist from the Psychiatric Institute of Washington Center for Group Studies.

Rev. Michael Barth, ST, President

Father Mike Barth, S.T., was born in Berwick, PA but grew up mostly in Buffalo, New York. His journey to priesthood began when he was just a boy. “As long as I can remember,” he reflects, “I wanted to serve God and be a missionary. I can remember being in elementary school and hearing a talk about vocations. That talk inspired me to write several missionary congregations who advertised in The Catholic Messenger. Much to my parents’ surprise, all sent priests to my home to speak with me. It was one of our Missionary Servants, Father John McSpiritt, who really caught my attention. Thanks to his inspired words, I entered our seminary in 1966 and was ordained a Missionary Servant priest in 1979. In between those years, I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Master’s degree in Theology.”

In May 2019, Fr. Mike was elected for a second four-year term as the General Custodian (Superior General) of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity. This leadership role is to ensure that the Congregation stays true to the vision and spirit of Father Judge. In 2014, he was appointed director of the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling, New Jersey. Previously, he pastored missions in Cleveland, Ohio, and Camden, Mississippi. Besides serving on many nonprofit boards, Fr. Mike served as Vicar General of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity from 2003-2011.

Rev. Michael Barth, Presidente

El Padre Mike Barth, S.T., nació en Berwick, Pensilvania, pero creció principalmente en Buffalo, Nueva York. Su camino al sacerdocio comenzó cuando era solo un niño. “Siempre que puedo recordar”, reflexiona, “quería servir a Dios y ser un misionero. Recuerdo haber estado en la escuela primaria y escuchar una charla sobre vocaciones. Esa charla me inspiró a escribir varias congregaciones misioneras que se anunciaban en The Catholic Messenger. Para sorpresa de mis padres, todos enviaron sacerdotes a mi casa para hablar conmigo. Fue uno de nuestros Siervos Misioneros, el Padre John McSpiritt, quien realmente me llamó la atención. Gracias a sus palabras inspiradoras, ingresé a nuestro seminario en 1966 y fui ordenado sacerdote misionero en 1979. Entre esos años, obtuve una licenciatura en Trabajo Social y una Maestría en Teología “.

En mayo de 2019, el P. Mike fue elegido para un segundo mandato de cuatro años como Custodio General (Superior General) de los Siervos Misioneros de la Santísima Trinidad. Este rol de liderazgo consiste en asegurar que la Congregación se mantenga fiel a la visión y el espíritu del Padre Judge. En 2014, fue nombrado director del Santuario de San José en Stirling, Nueva Jersey. Anteriormente, pastoreaba misiones en Cleveland, Ohio, y Camden, Mississippi. Además de servir en muchas organizaciones sin fines de lucro, el P. Mike se desempeñó como Vicario General de los Siervos Misioneros de la Santísima Trinidad desde 2003-2011.

John Butler, Vicepresidente para el Desarrollo y Avance de Misión

En 2017, Trinity Missions designó a John T. Butler como Vicepresidente de Desarrollo y Avance para la Misión. John llegó a Trinity Missions con una amplia experiencia en liderazgo y recaudación de fondos. Antes de unirse a Trinity Missions, John se desempeñó como Secretario de Desarrollo de la Arquidiócesis de Washington, D.C., donde dirigió los esfuerzos filantrópicos y de recaudación de fondos para avanzar en la evangelización, pastoral y obras de caridad de la Arquidiócesis Católica de Washington. John también se desempeñó como Vicepresidente de Avance Institucional en la Universidad Mount St. Mary’s, Vicepresidente Asociado de Avance Institucional en la Universidad del Distrito de Columbia, Presidente / CEO de Archbishop Carroll High School, y Presidente y CEO de HRLC, Inc. Una empresa de consultoría de gestión que ofrece servicios de gestión del cambio y desarrollo organizacional para los sectores público y privado.

Además de su membresía y antiguo servicio de la Junta con la Asociación de Profesionales de Recaudación de Fondos para Washington, DC; John participa activamente como miembro del Centro Asesor Comunitario del Centro John F. Kennedy para las Artes Escénicas; la Soberana Orden Hospitalaria Militar de Malta; Red Católica de Negocios del Distrito de Columbia; Liderazgo Maryland; y Leadership Greater Washington, donde se desempeñó como cofacilitador del Programa Signature de LGW. John tiene una licenciatura en Ciencias Políticas de St. Michael’s College; un M.Ed. en Orientación y Asesoramiento de la Universidad de Howard y ha completado cursos de Maestría en Estudios Teológicos en la Unión Teológica. También está acreditado como Ejecutivo Certificado de Recaudación de Fondos de CFRE International y como Psicoterapeuta de Grupo por el Centro de Estudios de Grupo del Instituto Psiquiátrico de Washington.

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