Parish Clergy Personal Bio Posts
Rev. Israel Gonsalves, O.C.D.
Father Israel joins STM as
parochial vicar.
Father Israel is our newest parochial vicar. He has traveled across vast oceans and continents to be with us. He is originally from Goa, India.
Father Israel enjoys praying with small Christian communities, working on social projects, visiting the sick in nursing homes and helping orphans.
Rev. John Green
Father John Green is our newest priest at St. Thomas More, and the parish is very blessed to have him. Father John was born in Colorado, but when Father was very young, his mother moved the family to Phoenix after his parents separated. His mother left the church, so Father was on his own spiritually.
Pastor - Rev. Andrew Kemberling
"I am an art teacher by training, and I believe that systems work by implementing the values that you hold."
Father Andrew Kemberling was born in Tucson, Ariz., and is one of 10 children. "I'm kind of used to big crowds and noisy groups," he said with a laugh. He attended the University of Arizona, where he earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts and a master's degree in art education.
Rev. Raymond Santhanez, O.C.D.
Fr. Raymond is our newest parochial vicar.
Deacon Alan Rastrelli, M.D.
Listening to the "Still, Small Voice"
By Randal C. Phillips
What do San Antonio, anesthesiology, and the dignity of human suffering have in common? These are a few of the many important things to know about Deacon Alan Rastrelli. Read on to find out more about his faith journey and calling to the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Dr. Alan Rastrelli was recently ordained to the Diaconate Ministry for the Archdiocese of Denver. A long-time member of our community, he was asked by Archbishop Chaput to serve his first assignment at Saint Thomas More Parish.
Deacon Robert Cropp
Desire to serve, particularly to serve the church, was the motivating factor in Bob Cropp's decision to enroll in the Archdiocesan Diaconate Program. "I also feel I have a calling to preach," says Bob. "It seems that everything that has happened in my life has come together and prepared me to be a Deacon, even the years when I was away from the Church. Those years gave me the perspective of looking at the Church from the outside. That will help in evangelization, since, essentially, I went through and continue in the process of conversion.
Deacon Gary Rogge
To date, my favorite quote is from the Ordination Rite for the Permanent Deacon. It states: "Believe what you read, Teach what you believe, And Practice what you teach."
Deacon Steve Stemper
"I absolutely love being a Deacon."
After living in Nebraska, Kansas, and Cleveland, Ohio, Deacon Steve Stemper moved to Denver during his junior year in high school. After graduating from Colorado State University in 1980, he became a CPA. Steve married Cathy, a Michigan native, in 1983. Cathy went through RCIA and joined the Church in 1991. In May 1991, Steve and Cathy went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje (in what is now Bosnia). This was part of a major conversion he was experiencing then with one result being Steve feeling called to be a deacon. But first he says, "I needed to mature a lot in my faith and my relationship with Jesus Christ."
Deacon John Neal
Coming Home:
Deacon John Neal
Assigned to STM
By Claudia Cangilla McAdam
The deacon most recently-assigned to St. Thomas More didn't have far to travel. After five years at the Church of the Risen Christ, Deacon John Neal is pleased to serve now at STM where he and his wife Donnie have been parishioners for more than 15 years.
"I'm looking forward to being ‘back home,'" he said, "and discovering what ministries I need to plug into. That's what I'm anticipating. I'll let the good Lord lead me where He wants me to be."
Deacon Timothy Kenny
Tim was ordained in the year 2000 and served in his first assignment at Our Lady of Loreto Parish in Foxfield. Tim’s main assignment while at the parish was to work with the prisoners and develop a prison ministry for the parish at Arapahoe County Jail. “I have found my first three tears of diaconate life to be very full. I have been honored to help those in need and who seek to know Christ in their everyday lives, from the prisoners, to those who suffer in our own parish community.
