Biography

Monsignor J. Stephen Alker, MBE KCHS

Father Steve hails from Wigan in the northwest of England. He was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Liverpool on his 25^th birthday, 1^st July 1978. He did two curacies in Leigh and at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool. He then joined the British Army in August 1983 as chaplain and worked in various places in Germany, Cyprus, Australia, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England as well as the Balkans, Kenya, Iraq and Afghanistan. He ran a number of Army parishes as well as latterly having done administrative appointments ending up as Vicar General and Principal Chaplain. He retired from the British Army in the summer of 2009 and subsequently travelled the world, including having attended a three month sabbatical at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He was appointed as Pastor on 31st January 2010.

Former Pastors and Pastoral Ministers of St. Leonhard's.

Father John Marsh, C.Ss.R., served as pastor from September 2008 until October 2009. He is now pastor at an American military base near Ripon, England.

Father Mark Mossa, SJ, of the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus, celebrated Mass at St. Leonhard's during the summer of 2008 while learning German in Frankfurt in preparation studies at Boston College. He is currently teaching at Fordham University in New York.

Father Jack Kelly, SJ, left Frankfurt in June 2008 after nine years as pastor of St. Leonhard's, including the last two also as pastor of St. Mary's Church in Liederbach am Taunus. He is now working at Jesuit educational institutions in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Sister Johnna Yurasek, C.D.P., a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence, served as Pastoral Minister from the parish's beginning in 1995 until July 2003. She died in late 2003 after a long struggle with cancer.

Father Joseph Schad, SJ, pastor from 1997 to 1999, now serves as Chaplain at Mercy Hospital, Portland, Maine, USA.

Father Patrick McAteer, SJ, pastor from 1996 to 1997, currently performs pastoral and spiritual ministry at St. Ignatius Church, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Father Richard Galligan, SJ, pastor from 1995 to 1996, has resigned from his priestly Ministry.

Father Martin Löwenstein, SJ, founded the parish in 1995. He is currently working at St. Ansgar parish in Hamburg.

Last updated : 13h August 2010.
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