Pastor, St. Michael Catholic Church

A lifetime Roman Catholic, Fr. Lee came to St. Michael's on July 1, 1997. He is the spiritual leader of St. Michael Parish (and ultimately responsible for everything at St. Michael's).

Education Background: B.A. in Sociology, Minor in Philosophy from Maryknoll College, Glen Ellyn, IL; M.Div. - Maryknoll Seminary, Maryknoll NY; M.S. Pastoral Counseling - Loyola College, Baltimore, MD.

Work Background: Tanzania 1972-1982; Maryknoll Seminary - Assistant Formation Director 1982-1986; St. Francis of Assisi, Burien 1986-1990; Assumption, Bellingham 1990-1997; St. Michael 1997-present.

Interests, Family, Hobbies, Plans: The Spiritual Life; biking; hiking; reading. Family: youngest of 5; grew up in Chicago where most of family still lives.

What does your faith mean to you? Everything! Without it, nothing makes sense. God is the very ground of our being, the source of all, the beginning and the end and all that is in between. I seek to have faith animate all that I do. It enables me to get through the difficult times and gives me hope to carry on. "It is the realization of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1) Faith in Jesus Christ and his Good News gives me eyes to see and ears to hear on a mystical plane so that I can experience the deeper reality of God's presence. It is joy beyond description and darkness so bright.

Why have you chosen to work at St. Michael's (and what makes you stay)? Archbishop Murphy asked me to come to St. Michael Parish. I stay because of how wonderfully God is working in our midst. Though I face hardship and misunderstanding sometimes, it in no way compares to the joys that I have come to experience here. I see how the Holy Spirit is so mightily at work that it astounds me sometimes. I truly believe that God has so much in store for us! All we need to do is surrender and allow God's Will to be accomplished in us and through us.