CV / Resume

  • Dean, Trenton Convocation of the Diocese of New Jersey, 2024 - Present

    Member of the Standing Commission on Clerical Compensation, Diocese of New Jersey, 2024 - Present

    Priest-in-Charge, Holy Apostles’, Yardville, NJ, 2024 – Present.
    Priest-in-Charge, Grace-St. Paul’s, Mercerville, NJ, 2021 – Present.
    ▲ Reinvigorates liturgy by encouraging and inviting greater lay participation as acolytes (from 0 to 5), and increasing number of lectors & Eucharistic ministers.
    ▲ Cherishes the rich traditions of the Episcopal Church with dignity and intentionality.
    ▲ Provides compassionate pastoral care of homebound, ill, or struggling.
    ▲ Teaches Bible/book studies, facilitates forums, delivers Scripturally grounded sermons.
    ▲ Fosters renewed hope through faithful stewardship of finances, buildings, & grounds.
    ▲ Rebuilds fellowship restoring traditional dinners, coffee hour, adding seasonal events.
    ▲ Engages the community: develop relationship w/ Bromley Neighborhood Civic Center.
    ▲ Improves communication rebuilding website, restoring phones, mailing homebound.
    ▲ Increases facility care with a major roof capital campaign, & biannual clean-ups.
    ▲ Listens for cherished ministries and traditions, while learning the parish’s history.
    ▲ Restores relationships with the parish and between congregants with humility.

    Long-term Supply Priest, St. Luke’s, Ewing, NJ & St. Michael’s, Trenton, NJ, 2023 – 2024.
    ▲ Celebrates Sunday Eucharist, assists with liturgy, provides pastoral care.
    ▲ Teaches and facilitates inter-parish collaborative Bible & book studies.

    Seminarian & Youth Minister, St. Luke’s, Ewing, NJ & Grace-St. Paul’s, Mercerville, NJ, 2019-2020.
    ▲ Assisted with liturgy, preached, and was youth minister.
    ▲ Built collaborative youth ministry between parishes.

    Chaplain Intern, Capital Health, Trenton, NJ & Carrier Clinic, Hillsborough, NJ, 2018-2019.
    ▲ Provided ecumenical and interfaith spiritual care with compassion and active listening.
    ▲ Journeyed alongside those in recovery and navigating mental disorders.

  • Priest, May 8, 2021, Grace-Saint Paul’s, Mercerville, NJ
    Deacon, October 17, 2020, Trinity Cathedral, Trenton, NJ

  • Master of Divinity, Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, PA, 2020.
    ▲ Collaborated on Worship Design Team (2 yrs), earned Liturgical Design Award.
    ▲ Invited and participated in MDIV Assessment Committee, and as seminary ambassador.
    ▲ Represented seminary for National Council of Churches Christian Unity Gathering (2018).

    Anglican Studies Certificate, LTS & Stevenson School for Ministry, Lancaster, PA, 2021.

    Secondary Education Teaching Certificate, Rutgers University CESP, Bridgewater, NJ, 2006.

    Bachelor of Science, Computer Engineering, The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, 2003.
    ▲ Senior Engineering Award Recipient
    ▲ Physics and Computer Science Honor Societies

  • Teacher of Physics, Dunellen High School, Dunellen, NJ, 2010-2012.
    Teacher of Mathematics, Bridgewater High School, Bridgewater, NJ, 2005-2010.
    Volunteer ESL Teacher, Cross-Cultural Solutions, Salvador, Brazil, Aug. 2008.
    Volunteer Teacher, Brooklyn Jesuit Prep, Crown Heights, NY, 2003-2004.
    Diving Coach, South Plainfield Community Pool, South Plainfield, NJ, 8 years.
    Swimming Coach, Somerset Valley YMCA, NJ, 3 years.
    Youth Group Leader, Sacred Heart Church, South Plainfield, NJ, 2 years.

  • Member of:
    The Society of Mary

    Awards:
    Dr. Paul Reid Pontius Memorial Award in Worship, LTS 2020

All things begin with an Invitation

  • Photo of Sacred Heart Church, my childhood Church.

    Liturgia Missae

    The very context of attending Mass every Sunday as a Roman Catholic was my first invitation to consider where God was in my life and to where God was calling me. As early as five years old, I can recall cherishing the liturgy in a powerful way, such that I pondered a calling to the priesthood.

  • A new Altar Server

    Acolytus

    In second grade, our Pastor, Fr. Mike McGuire invited me to become an altar server alongside my older brothers, drawing me deeper into liturgy. He persistently invited me into the role despite the fact that most were not invited until fourth grade. We served on Sundays, and other special Masses, like funerals.

  • Statue of St. Ignatius at the Univ. of Scranton

    Catholica Educatio

    Cherishing my Catholic school education, CCD, religious studies at a Catholic high school, provided me the foundation to discern. At college, a Jesuit institution, courses in philosophy and theology as well as interactions and conversations with the Jesuits and sisters led to reconsider my vocation.

    Spontaneous interactions with Jesuits like Fr. Pantle, who gifted me a decorative framed prayer of St. Francis (the patron saint of animals) in our second meeting, touched me deeply as I was then praying for my dog’s health.

  • Youth Ministry event at a Corn Maze.

    Ministerium Eucharisticum et Adolescentem

    As a young adult, remaining a part of my childhood parish, one of my CCD teachers, Mr. DeVito, recommended me to be a Eucharistic minister and a Reader. Both ministries were very meaningful to me. Soon thereafter, I was asked to assist with the youth group, which brought great joy to me for two years.

    After coming to the Episcopal Church, I volunteered in Trinity Princeton’s Renovation Team helping to redevelop the youth and children’s Sunday School curriculum.

    Later as a seminarian intern, I worked as a youth minister between multiple parishes forging a unique collaborative ministry. Invitations were extended to neighboring parishes to join all of our events.

  • Diaconal Ordination, Trinity Cathedral, NJ.

    Ordinatio

    Not until I met my wife, a lifelong Episcopalian, did I understand the response of God decades earlier, when she invited me to consider ordained ministry after we decided the Episcopal Church was where we should raise our family. Thus began my formal process towards the priesthood.

What People Are Saying

  • RUTH

    “You’ve brought dignity back to the liturgy.”

  • JILL

    “Hope has been restored to our Church and the Vestry because of Fr. Michael’s leadership.”

  • WENDY

    “Fr. Michael is always so welcoming.”

  • KELSEY

    “We are grateful for your warm spirit and presence.”

“For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labour we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate.”

— St. Paul, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

Laboring Together

  • Fr. Michael & Brian repainting the doorway.

    Painting Courtyard Doorway

    Scraping and repainting the courtyard door and frame.

  • Fr. Michael spray painting the Hall.

    Painting the Hall

    Being a good steward of the buildings given to us by generations of the faithful requires elbow grease to peel tape, patch holes, tape and cover all unpainted surfaces, and then spray the entire hall.

  • Fr. Michael fabricated custom pew torch brackets.

    Pew Torch Brackets

    The original bracketing did not brace the pew torches with confidence. Fr. Michael fabricated custom brackets.

  • Sanctuary with pew torches

    Pew Torches Installed

    Custom pew torch brackets allowed for direct mount on the pews for maximum stability and for their permanent use.

  • New Shrubs

    Landscaping - Shrubs

    Fr. Michael sourced and planted flowering shrubs - azaleas, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas - that fit the flower beds properly.

  • 2021 Raised Garden Box Rebuild

    Rebuilding Garden Beds

    With deteriorating wood sides, Fr. Michael rebuilt the raised garden bed boxes.

  • Sign Cleaning

    Pressure-Washing

    Fr. Michael pressure washed the name on the facade, some sidewalks, and retaining walls.

  • Mulching (Fr. Michael on left side)

    Landscaping - Mulching, Weeding, and more

    Leading Spring clean-up with weeding and mulching of the flower beds.

  • Temp Ramp Install

    Temp Ramp Install

    With challenging points of access to our buildings, a temporary courtyard ramp was constructed for the church hall.

  • Temp Ramp completed

    Temp Ramp Completed

    More accessibility means a greater welcome!

Resources

  • Baptismal Certificate

    Inspired by a Baptismal certificate from the 1940s, and unhappy with modern available styles, Fr. Michael created a customized certificate for Grace-Saint Paul’s Church.