My Dear Couple,

Welcome and thank you for visiting my website. Here is my story: I am a married Catholic priest. Don't be shocked because there are between 20,000 and 25,000 of us around the country. Most of us are happily married, well-educated men who love serving God's people.

I was ordained in 1963. My brother, who was an Air Force officer in Alaska, called to invite me to come and baptize his new-born daughter. While visiting in Fairbanks for my niece's Baptism I was deeply impressed by the love of my brother, his wife, and their beautiful new child. I believe God planted a mustard seed in my heart and it began to grow. Why couldn't I have the joy of marriage and a family and still be a good priest ?

After 10 years of active priesthood, I took, a one year "leave of absence.”  I went down to Key Largo in the Florida Keys to see where my parents had retired. I was invited to a party where I met a beautiful young woman who (believe it or not) was also on a "leave" from her religious community.

Yes, she was a nun. We both requested and received, from Rome, dispensations from our vows of celibacy and were married in 1974 in upstate New York. In the next four years and ten months we were abundantly blessed with four sons.

The Catholic Church has always taught that once a man is validly ordained a priest, he is a priest forever. There are many, many lay people, who for one reason or another do not feel comfortable or welcome in the Institutional Church.  Perhaps they have had multiple marriages.  Some are angry, some hurt, some gay, some ashamed. They still want spirituality at special events in their lives. Some want to please their parents or grandparents by having a priest perform their marriage. Whatever the reason, I am never judgmental, but happy to bring them God's blessing.
“ 'Come as you are' says the Lord, and I will love you.”