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About Our Clergy

Welcome!

Our Parish Priests

PASTOR FR. MICHAEL MARTIN, OFM CONV.


Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv., was born December 2, 1961, to Beverly Beatty & +Donald Martin in Baltimore, MD. He has three sisters:  Jeanne (Larry Johnson), Judy (Glenn Ercole) & Mary Ellen (Christian Proctor), all married with children (3 nieces and one nephew). Fr. Michael entered the Conventual Franciscan Friars Novitiate, Ellicott City Maryland, August 1979. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1989. Fr. Michael holds a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Hyacinth College-Seminary,  a S.T.B. from Pontifical Theological Faculty of St. Bonaventure – The Seraphicum, Rome, Italy, and a M.Ed. from Catholic Education Administration of Boston College. 


His Ministerial Assignments have included:


  • Religious Studies Teacher, Basketball and Baseball Coach, St. Francis High School, Athol Springs, NY 1984-85.
  • Transitional Deacon at St. Adalbert Church, Elmhurst, New York, 1988-89
  • Admissions Director, Religious Studies teacher, moderator and coach, St. Francis High School, Athol Springs , NY, 1989-1994
  • Director of Admissions, Religious Studies Teacher, moderator and basketball coach, Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore, MD 1994-1996.
  • Principal, Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore, MD 1996-2001.
  • President, Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore, MD 2001-2010.
  • Director, Duke Catholic Center, 2010-2022.

You can contact Fr. Mike via email at mmartin@stphilipbenizi.org.

FR. PAUL PANTIRU, OFM CONV.


Fr. Paul Pantiru was born on July 5, 1980 in a small city on the Danube river of Romania.  He is the oldest of three siblings.  At the age of 14, during his high school years, he joined the minor seminary.  He entered the Franciscan Order where he continued his religious formation which included philosophical and theological studies.  Fr. Paul graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Theology from the Franciscan Institute in Romania, which is affiliated with the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure, commonly known as The Seraphicum in Rome, Italy. 


After his time at the university, Fr. Paul received the mandate to serve as a missionary in Ghana, West Africa, where he was stationed for about eleven years.  In general, he worked in parish ministry as Associate Pastor, and in educating children through our Franciscan schools ministry; he was involved in social activities and also in providing healthcare facilities (operated by the Friars) for people in need. 


Upon his return to Romania, Fr. Paul was assigned as a community member in Bucharest, the country’s capital and largest city. While there, he continued to acclimate himself to a new Franciscan community that included various apostolates: care of the homeless; spiritual and pastoral help to parishes throughout the city; the ministry of reconciliation; and spiritual assistance to young people, such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. 


Finally, Fr. Paul expressed his desire to serve the Church in the United States.  At the end of the summer in 2019, he came to the U.S., all the way from Romania.  His first assignment brought him to St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus, GA. Later, he arrived at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church in Jonesboro, GA in August 2022 to begin his new assignment as Parochial Vicar.


Fr. Paul has a few hobbies and loves sports and music, although he claims that he’s not a good singer.  He enjoys reading, watching good movies and funny videos.  He enjoys interacting with any human being, and he hopes to put a smile on people’s faces.  Fr. Paul pictures himself as an active person, ready to be of service to anyone who gets to know him.  He hopes that this is what the people of St. Philip Benizi Parish will soon find out!  He is looking forward to “enjoying” this new life experience with the community of Franciscan Friars and Y’all!”


You can contact Fr. Paul via email at ppantiru@stphilipbenizi.org.

FR. CALIXTO SALVATIERRA, OFM CONV.


Father Calixto was born on October 14, 1974, in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, to his mother +Maria Elena Moreno, and father + Donald Salvatierra, along with three sisters and two brothers.


He entered postulancy in 1994 in the city of Santa Cruz, professed vows on December 8, 1997, and was ordained to the priesthood on October 7, 2004, in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia.


Apart from the academic base in philosophy and theology, he completed a civil and ecclesiastical Master of Arts in Missiology from the Bolivian Catholic University.


He held different positions in the initial priestly religious formation, including university teaching while he supported, as far as possible, the required parish pastoral area.


He arrived in Georgia on March 30, 2017, wherein he was assigned as parochial vicar to Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Winston-Salem, a small city in North Carolina. After a year and a half, he was transferred to Atlanta to Holy Cross Parish where he carried out ministry for 4 years, and from September 15, 2022 to present is part of the Saint Philip Benizi parish community, serving as parochial vicar.


His hobbies are reading, music, soccer, and walking, and appreciating nature, among others.


You can contact Fr. Calixto via email at csalvatierra@stphilipbenizi.org.

FATHER SANTO CRICCHIO, OFM. CONV. (in residence)

Our Deacons

Vatican II initiated the restoration of the role of the Permanent Deacon in the Church. The Deacon is ordained by the Bishop to serve within the Bishops' diocese. 


The assigned deacons to St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church are: Reverend Mr. Etienne Rodriguez, Reverend Mr. Gregory Pecore, Reverend Mr. Matias Casal, Reverend Mr. Tom Nemchik, Reverend Mr. Jim Windon, and Reverend Mr. Henry Ohaya. They assist the priests during Mass with specific functions that include the Penitential Rite, the Prayers of the Faithful, Proclamation of the Gospel and Preaching. 


The Deacons generally preach on the third Sunday of each month. They also celebrate Communion Services during the week when necessary, prepare couples and witness marriages, prepare families for infant baptisms, and baptize these infants. 


In our parish, the Deacons can be called upon to lead Penance Services, Benediction, Stations of the Cross and other non-Eucharistic liturgies. Generally, the Deacons assist in the parish ministries where the Pastor has identified a need. The Deacons at St. Philip Benizi Church minister to people in hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, to shut-in parishioners, and wherever the need arises.

DEACON MATIAS CASAL

DEACON TOM NEMCHIK


Born April 7, 1957, Deacon Tom was raised in Uledi PA, a coal mining patch town. All four of his grandparents passed through Ellis Island and attended St Mary’s Church, a Slovak immigrant parish. For his parents, English was a second language. Deacon Tom worked in the family business as a young man, and he earned Eagle Scout in 1974.  He graduated from California University of PA in 1979 with a BS (Ed) and was commissioned as a 2Lt in the US Army. Tom served in US Army for 22 years (7 Active + 15 Reserve). He met his best friend (Susie) in May 1987 at an SPB Bible study. Susie and he were married at SPB on April 1, 1989. Blessed with four children (John, Katie, Melissa and Andrew), Deacon Tom says his most challenging and rewarding vocation is to be a good husband and (grand)father. He and Susie have extra blessings from two granddaughters, Hattie and Penny. Deacon Tom's past volunteer roles include BSA Troop 182, SPB Katrina Relief 2005- 2006, and Christ Renews His Parish (CHRP). He is a member of Catholic Schools Advisory Councils (2000-2014) SJECS, OLM, and AoA., and has served as Chair from 2012-2014.  Deacon Tom was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate January 2019. He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus, and his Parish Ministries include:  Legion of Mary, Ultreya, Pro Life sidewalk prayer ministry, Eucharistic Adoration Guardian, Ministry of Care, RCIA Instructor, 9:00 AM Choir, Citizenship Instructor in ESL. His Archdiocesan Ministries include: Retreat spiritual director for PATH (Post Abortion Treatment and Healing.  

DEACON HENRY OHAYA


Deacon Henry Obilo Ohaya was born on the 7th of February, 1969 to + Chief Hyacinth and Lolo Paulina Ohaya, in Amaigbo, Nigeria. He has two brothers and five sisters. He is married to Ihuoma, his wife of 17 years. They have three children; Amarachi, Akunna and Arinze. Deacon Henry is a practicing pharmacist with the Kroger Company in Atlanta, Georgia. He was ordained a permanent deacon on February 6th, 2021 and resides with his family in Fayetteville, Georgia. Deacon Henry has been a member of SPB parish since 2005 and has served in various parish ministries and councils, notably as an Acolyte, Lector, Sacristan, Extra-ordinary Eucharistic Minister, Baptismal Preparation Instructor, member of  Angels of Mercy, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Pastoral Council, Stewardship Council, African Council and the Nigerian Community. He was the first president of the Nigerian Catholic Community at SPB (2009-2011). Deacon Henry’s hobbies and interest include coaching youth soccer, watching competitive sports, traveling and experiencing different cultures, reading inspirational books and watching inspirational movies, listening to music, journaling, writing, speaking and teaching. His favorite quote is from Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; “Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service”.  The most influential person in his life is his dad, +Chief Hyacinth Ohaya.

DEACON ETIENNE RODRIGUEZ

DEACON JIM WINDON


Deacon Jim Windon was born in 1963 in Virginia, but he was raised in South Georgia. He is a Marine Corps Veteran and met his wife, Beth (also a Marine), while they were both stationed in California. They were married in 1991, after which Jim went through RCIA at St. Philip Benizi. He entered into the Catholic faith in 1996 with Fr. John Koziol officiating. Jim and Beth have three sons, two daughters, and three granddaughters. Deacon Jim was ordained on February 1, 2020, and loves being a servant to God and to his SPB family. He has served in the following ministries at SPB: RCIA, Religious Education Catechist, Lector, EM Coordinator, Family Program, and Confirmation Program.
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