Fr. Leo Walsh Pastor

Listen to Fr. Leo’s Sunday homilies on Fr. Leo’s Benevolent Blog!

Much to his surprise and delight, Fr. Leo Walsh was born in Anchorage, Alaska in 1964, the last of eight children born to Leo and Beverly Walsh.

Baptized in Holy Family Cathedral, the future Fr. Walsh and his family were asked to be one of the founding families of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Spenard, Alaska.  It was there that he learned to celebrate his Catholic Faith, first in public elementary school gymnasiums, later in a rented Methodist Church and finally in a modest parish center that was built by his father and many other volunteers.

In 1987, Fr. Walsh received a Degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame with a concentration in Organizational Behavior and Labor Relations.  After working in the private sector a few years, Fr. Walsh entered seminary studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.  He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Anchorage in 1994 and returned to Rome for a year to finish a Licentiate in Ecumenical Theology at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Urbe, also known as the “Angelicum.”  In 2008, Fr. Walsh was granted a Doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Angelicum with a concentration in Ecumenical Theology.  In 2019 he returned from  Rome after obtaining a License in Canon Law.

After assignments as Associate Pastor at two inner city parishes, Fr. Walsh was named Pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Eagle River, Alaska, in 1999.  In addition, Fr. Walsh has served the Archdiocese as Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy, Vocations Director, Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer, as well as on the College of Consultors and as a trustee on the Priest Retirement Trust.

In May, 2009, Fr. Walsh was appointed Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., where he served as the Interreligious Specialist.

On June 1, 2011, Fr. Walsh returned to Anchorage as Pastor of St. Benedict Parish, where he served for five years.

Fr. Walsh returned from Rome in 2019 and is now the Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Anchorage, as well as the Adjutant Judicial Vicar for the Archdiocese of Anchorage.

Fr. Walsh has served on innumerable boards and task forces including the boards of the Anchorage Opera, Catholic Social Services and the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Officers.  In 2002 he was invested as a Knight in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem and was promoted to the rank of Knight Commander in 2007.

He is also a licensed Rugby Referee and a Nationally Certified Beer Judge.  Fr. Walsh is a licensed private pilot with multiple ratings and is a proud member of the National Association of Priest Pilots.  Blessed with the “Gift of Gab,” Fr. Walsh loves to give talks on a variety of topics, and does so in dioceses and parishes throughout the United States and Canada.

When he is not in the parish or traveling around the country, he enjoys flying his float-equipped bush plane to many secret fishing holes or to his remote cabin in the beautiful Alaskan wilderness.

Fr. Dan Hebert Parochial Vicar

I, Father Dan Hebert, was born to Joseph and Reva Hebert in Kankakee, Illinois on February 20, 1950. I am the oldest of 5 children. My parents were both in the medical field, Dad was a Pharmacist and my mother was a nurse. Both of my parents are deceased.

I graduated from Bishop McNamara High School in 1968 and entered the Brothers of Charity in 1969 and made profession of vows on February 20, 1971. On January 22, 1972 I was assigned to the Archdiocese of Anchorage and served under the first Archbishop, Joseph T. Ryan. As, Brother Joseph, I was missioned to set up religious education programs for the newly formed archdiocese.

In August of 1973 I began my studies for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Anchorage at Holy Trinity Seminary. My studies were at the University of Dallas where I received a BA degree in Philosophy and a Masters of Divinity in Theology. I was ordained a Priest for the Archdiocese of Anchorage by Archbishop Francis T. Hurley on May 5, 1979.
Following ordination I was assigned to many parishes in the Archdiocese as a Parochial Vicar and as Pastor and for four years (1985-1990) I was assigned to the Archdiocesan Youth Ministry Office.

My most rewarding part of ministry is working directly with people. I have a very out-going personality and I am drawn to help people. With the mixture of prayer and my sensitive nature I have a passion in doing spiritual direction. The sacramental aspect of the priesthood is what gives me life, namely, saying Mass, preaching, and performing baptisms/weddings/funerals. I can say without a doubt that being a Priest is what God has called me to be…”I love being a priest”.

At the present moment (2017) I am the Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick’s Parish in Anchorage, Alaska doing parish ministry and spiritual direction. Also, I am Pastor of St. Christopher’s by the Sea Parish in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

Dcn. Mick Fornelli Deacon

I am currently married to my wonderful wife Michelle and I have two sons. I was born in So. California where I went to grade school and high school where I was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Marianist Brothers. I enjoyed many years of playing baseball, when I was not at the beach surfing, including 2 years with the Minnesota Twins farm system. I am a graduate of the University of Washington-Michael Foster School of Business. Worked as a stuntman for two years at Disneyland and with an independent stuntman group performing through So. California.

My work experience began as I was employed at a finance company as Branch Manager. I left that industry to take a position in the banking industry where I served for 15 years in areas of Dealer Finance Credit, Commercial Credit, International Money Desk, and finally as Vice-President & Branch Manager. I left the banking world and accepted a position moving to the equipment rental industry where I served 12 years in roles starting as Regional Credit Manager and progressing to the role of Chief Operating Officer with the responsibility to handle mergers and acquisitions as well as employee integration. The time spent in this role allowed me to gain international business experience in developing and opening branch locations in Mexico and Canada.

During this time, I moved from California to Florida to Oregon to Alaska where I went to work for the Municipality of Anchorage in the Treasury Division. After three years with the Municipality, I was nominated for and was blessed to receive the Employee of the Year Award from the Municipality.

I entered formation for and was subsequently ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in 2009. Upon ordination, I was appointed Director of Deacon Ministry and Formation by Archbishop Roger Schwietz and assigned to St. Patrick’s parish where I currently serve in my parochial assignment.

In addition to these two assignments, I co-ordinate the Catholic Engaged Encounter Weekends and serve as Chaplain at St. Elias Hospital and the Bro. Francis Homeless Shelter. Most recently Archbishop Etienne has sustained my current assignments and appointed me Chairman of the Archdiocese Liturgy Committee.

John Barrientes Pastoral Associate

John was born and raised in San Antonio, TX by his mother, Amelia, along with two older siblings, Santos and Victoria. As a teenager, John refused to attend the high school youth ministry at his parish, but finally relented after months and months of constant pleas from his mother, aunt, and youth minister. Though peeling away from his television caused such pain and anguish, John found tremendous peace and joy meeting people who would become like family to him. God revealed His love through the men, women, and teens of the youth ministry who embraced John as a brother in Christ.

After several years at the University of Wisconsin, God called John to discern priesthood and religious life with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. With the Oblates, John earned an undergraduate degree at D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY. He then entered the Oblate novitiate for a year of retreat to strengthen his relationship with Christ and further discern religious life. John professed first vows with the Oblates and began to study theology at Oblate School of Theology. After four years in Oblate formation, John felt called to serve the Lord as a lay person and left the community.

He was hired here at St. Patrick in July of 2014 as coordinator of youth and young adult ministry. In 2015 he met his lovely wife, Tracey, at daily Mass at the parish (daily Mass will change your life). John and Tracey celebrated the Sacrament of Matrimony on January 6, 2018! Immediately after their wedding, they traveled to Rome for their honeymoon to meet Pope Francis, who named their firstborn boy and girl! John and Tracey enjoy praying, hiking, reading, biking, climbing, and challenging each other to holiness.

Paige Christensen Dir. Youth Ministry

Paige was born in Irvine, California where she lived for twelve years until her family moved to Austin, Texas. Paige was baptized at St. Killian Catholic Church when she was one month old, she received the seal of The Holy Spirit through Confirmation when she was four-years-old, and received First Reconciliation & Communion at age eight. Paige is number six of seven kids, she has two incredible siblings-in-law, and seven adorable nieces and nephews. Paige would be nowhere without her unceasingly supportive father and mother, Hal and Lindsay Christensen. Paige along with her siblings were homeschooled and catechized by their mom and dad, but when they moved to Texas all of the kids were placed in public school for the very first time.

Paige did not grow up going to youth group, however after hearing about a Steubenville Youth Conference that her church was attending, she decided to take a leap and join the group. After spending four days in St. Louis, Missouri, Paige had a radical conversion of heart and decided she wanted to start living her life for The Lord. As she went into her senior year of high school she stopped underage drinking and began to attend her youth group more frequently.

Paige spent the summer of 2013 working at The Pines Catholic Camp in East, Texas and was exposed to the most authentic friendships she had ever had. It was there that she felt the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist for the very first time. After that summer, Paige sought out a Catholic community at the University Catholic Center at The University of Texas in Austin (Hook ‘Em Horns). Paige joined a Catholic sorority (Mu Epsilon Theta), FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), and was heavily involved in a retreat organization called Awakening. Through these organizations and receiving the Sacraments daily, Paige’s relationship with Christ and The Blessed Mother began to grow immensely.

After working at The Pines for a second summer, Paige heard about a small camp in Wasilla, Alaska called St. Therese’s Catholic Camp. The idea of spending a summer free from 110 degree weather sounded incredible. After an immense amount of discernment, Paige applied and was accepted to be a counselor at St. Therese’s. After spending the summer of 2015 in Alaska, Paige fell in love with the simplicity, beauty, and the people of the state. Also Kaladi Brothers, she fell in love with that too. After finishing school, Paige drove her car from Austin, Texas to Wasilla, Alaska in the summer of 2016. She worked that summer at St. Therese’s as their Communications Coordinator.

Come Fall 2016, Paige moved to Anchorage to work as a nanny and began volunteering with the high school youth group at St. Patrick’s Parish. After volunteering for almost a year, Paige was offered an internship at St. Patrick’s and started running the middle school program and the media for the parish. After interning for five months, on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Paige was offered a full time job to be the Director of Youth Ministry at St. Patrick’s. Paige is living out her dream job and is falling deeper in love with The Lord each day.

John Gagnon Business Manager

I have had the joy of working here at St. Patrick’s Parish since 1979. That was shortly after I moved to Alaska and just before Cyndi (Zartman) and I were married in 1980. We celebrated our wedding in the Deacons Hall back when it was our parish’s worship space. We were blessed with three wonderful daughters, two of whom live here in Anchorage and are members of St. Patrick’s. Cyndi and I are further blessed with two beautiful granddaughters who are also members of our faith community.

My work involves office management, bookkeeping, and maintenance here at the parish. I have had the honor and joy of working with many wonderful, Spirit filled people on the parish staff over many years. I have seen great growth here at St. Patrick’s, and I hope and pray that God will continue to bless our parish community.

Sally Nicholson Secretary

Sally A. Nicholson was born on July 29, 1947 in Spokane, Washington 
were she lived until she moved to Juneau, Alaska in 1976. She spends most of the vacations in Spokane, where most of her family resides. She is the second oldest of 8 children, has 3 children and 11 grandchildren. Sally currently lives in her 2 bedrooms home with her 13-year-old dog, McKenzie, but often has household guests.

Sally started working for the Department of Corrections Central Office in Juneau, Alaska in 1976, transferred to Anchorage in 1982 and worked 15 years coordinating the Community Work Service Program, and working with Probationers and Parolees to reintegrate them into the community. For the past 13 years Sally has worked as the Parish Secretary at St. Patrick’s which her duties include working with Deacon’s Outreach Program. Sally is motivated and receives energy when she sees positive change in herself and others. Sally believes all relationships lead us closer to God regardless if positive or negative, or involve conflict and misunderstandings.

Sally attended Spokane Community College, University of Alaska Juneau and the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Sally has ministered, provided leadership, gained strength, growth and support from the following ministries:

• Cursillo (Short Course in Christ) (4 Years)
• Teens Encounter Christ (TEC)
• A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Community, Theology & Service)
 Retreatant, Team, & Spiritual Companion

20 years as a member of Christian Life Community which is a lay organization. Each local community is a part of the world community. CLC is rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Members come from all walks of life, but share a common desire to respond more fully to God‘s call in their lives.

Catechist, Approximately 15 years, Primarily taught, co-taught or substituted grades K thru 6th. Locations:

• St. Paul’s, Juneau, AK.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe, Anchorage
• St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Rima Ostrom Office Assistant

Shortly after our move to Alaska in 2004, my husband John and I found a home here at St. Patrick’s. One day after Mass, one of the parishioners came up to me and asked me a simple question, “How would you like to help out with coffee and donuts after Mass?” Who knew that saying yes to helping with coffee and donuts would lead me to a life full of new friends, family, and a closer relationship with God.

I began volunteering with the Hospitality Committee, and through my husband John, became involved with various Knights of Columbus functions at the parish, and then eventually I found myself volunteering in the parish office. In 2012 I was officially hired on as an Office Assistant. My various duties include parish registration, donation recording, and hall events scheduling.

Working at St. Patrick’s has blessed me in so many ways. Who knew? God!

Samantha YeeParish Missionary

Samantha Yee was born in San Francisco, California, in a hospital room overlooking the Bay. Her dad jokingly called it a “womb with a view.” Sam’s mom was not impressed. When she was (unknowingly) pregnant with Sam, she went down a 35-foot water slide deep in the Hawaiian jungle. Sam inherited the best of both of them: his sense of humor, her sense of adventure, his simplicity and humility, her intelligence and confidence, and the love they have for God and each other.

Raised Catholic in the heart of Silicon Valley, Sam grew up around people who were determined to change the world. She was no different and spent many years honing her skills and collecting accolades for her resumé. By the time she was 13, her written work had been published in several local and national newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, and poetry anthologies. In her academic and professional success, Sam lost her faith. Though her first words were (literally) “to the Lord,” she grew to hate the Catholic Church and stopped attending Mass.

Sam started college at UC Berkeley when she was 16, and for the first time in her life she struggled to get good grades in school. Her identity was, understandably, shaken. She had been told her whole life that she was smart and she had come to use that one thing to define herself. During the fall semester of her freshman year, she was diagnosed with clinical depression and it took her years to recover from it. Sam reverted back to the faith at 19 at a Steubenville conference and ultimately realized her true identity came from being a daughter of God, not from doing.
You can watch a mini-documentary by Catholic Woman about Sam here.

Since “coming home,” Sam has served as a youth minister, taught at a Catholic school, traveled around the country giving talks, used her writing and media skills for the Church, and entered the Dominican third order. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, Sam worked as a counselor at St. Therese’s Catholic Camp. There, she felt especially called to minister to the people of Alaska.

Sam began working as a parish missionary in August 2019 on the Queenship of Mary. On most days you can find her analyzing rom-coms, drinking several cups of Kaladi’s Red Goat, and spending time with the love of her life, Jesus, in the Eucharist.

To support Samantha in her mission work, click here.

Cristian MendozaParish Missionary

Cristian was born and raised in the great state of Texas. He grew up in San Antonio with two siblings, Adam and Marissa, and their mother, Betty. Cristian was able to attend private school all the way until college, however, he and his family never practiced the faith too intensely. Because of that, he had never thought about joining the youth group at his parish but fortunately ended involved in the A.C.T.S. ministry at his parish as well as high school.

Cristian never lived out his faith even though he had always been around it. To him, it was just another academic subject to get a good grade on. Then, he attended a freshmen A.C.T.S. retreat at St. Luke’s Parish and School and experienced Jesus’ love and acceptance of Cristian in Eucharistic Adoration. It was then that Cristian wanted to take his faith more seriously. He would continue with A.C.T.S. at his high school and be involved in other Catholic ministries there.

In the fall of 2015, Cristian moved to Austin and attended The University of Texas at Austin. It was at the University Catholic Center there that he experienced the deep love of Christ. He would find a virtuous group of guys to befriend which pushed each other to get to know Jesus more intimately. In 2017, Cristian heard about a camp in Alaska called St. Therese’s camp. He had formed a devotion to St. Therese and would pursue the opportunity in the summer of 2018. What he experienced was literally life changing. Cristian fell in love with the state and the culture as well as his now-fiancé, Paige Christensen.

Within a month of coming back to UT to finish his degree, Fr. Scott would call Cristian and offer a Parish Missionary position to him starting in January 2019. Through prayer and conversations with his spiritual director, he was instructed that this would be the best way for Cristian to fall deeper in love with Jesus (and Paige!). Ever since, Cristian has been happy with his move and is looking forward to his marriage in September!

To support Cristian in his mission work, click here.