Age: 53
Residence: Davenport
Family: Married 29 years to wife, Jody; three children: Colin, 23; Erin, 20; and Sarah, 19. Jody is a cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation nurse; Colin is a computer software development engineer in Chicago; Erin is a ballerina in Pittsburgh; Sarah is a ballerina in Peoria, Ill. Chris’ wife and children converted to the Catholic faith eight years ago and support his decision to seek ordination to the Catholic priesthood.
Erin’s ballet company Bible study has been praying for the Holy Father to approve Chris for ordination in the Catholic Church. When Chris informed Erin of the good news, “her comment was, ‘Oh good, I get to tell my Bible study the happy news. They’ll be pleased,” she told her father.
Chris’ background: Grew up in Fullerton, Calif. (His parents and his wife’s parents were from the Midwest.)
Childhood memory: During church services (high church, Lutheran denomination) Chris and his older brother, Craig, “would go up in the balcony to better see what the pastor was doing at the altar,” Chris said. On the way home from church in the back seat of their parents’ car, the brothers would discuss the minster’s sermon.
Craig, who also became an Anglican priest, died four years ago while serving as rector of an Anglican parish in Columbia, S.C. “He understood why I had to become Catholic and he would be even more happy knowing I have this opportunity to serve once again in ordained capacity,” Chris said.
Education: Chris received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management from California Polytechnic State University, a master’s degree in International Agricultural Extension from the University of Arizona; and a Master of Divinity degree in 1998 from Nashotah House Seminary. He received certification in Catholic studies from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Seton Hall University.
Ordination to Episcopal Church: 1998 for the Diocese of San Joaquin, Calif.
Pastorates: Pastor at parishes in Wisconsin and Illinois; associate at parish in California.
Joined the Catholic Church: December 2005, St. Pius X Catholic Church, Rock Island, Ill.
