Dear Parishioners,

My name is Michael Sternhagen, and I am very excited to announce that I will be joining the team at St. Nicholas & St. William Parish as the new Director of Liturgy. As a former seminarian, I had the blessing of spending several years studying philosophy and theology in Rome. After years of discerning a vocation to the priesthood, I left the Seminary and returned to the United States where I spent the last two years serving as the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Palo Alto.

In conversations with Fr. Matt, he shared with me that in his vision, the Liturgy should be at the center of all parish ministry. I was delighted to hear this, as it is unfortunately not the case in many parishes. The Liturgy is indeed the heart and center of all parish life, and it is from the Liturgy – that is, from our worship and our relationship with God – that all other ministries and aspects of parish life flow.

For this reason, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the community of St. Nicholas & St. William Parish in this beautiful and important ministry. I am looking forward to collaborating with Fr. Matt and the fantastic team of staff and volunteers at this parish, and I look forward to getting to know each one of you.

God bless you,
Michael Sternhagen