Comes to Gesu Parish as our new Pastoral Minister, has a very long history within the Cleveland area.  Denis was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and attended 12 years of Catholic school before receiving his B.A. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from LaRoche College there.  Later, he earned a Masters degree in Spirituality from Duquesne University and a Masters in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.  For 18 years, Denis had practiced social work here in Cleveland, primarily with the homeless and clients in hospice.  In addition to his work, Denis served as board member for agencies such as: AIDS Housing Council, the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland, and CARE Alliance.  He met many Gesu parishioners through his three times as a worker on the parish trip to Honduras.
  
In 2004, after considering a vocation to religious life, Denis entered the Society of Jesus in Detroit, and professed vows as a Jesuit Brother in 2006.  While continuing his studies as a Jesuit, Br. Denis completed a certificate in Spiritual Direction at Loyola University Chicago.  He has also given time and talent to providing retreats for the homeless through the Ignatian Spirituality project, a work of the Chicago Province Jesuits.  He also worked as a catechist in the SPRED Program – a religious education service to adults who are developmentally disabled.   Br. Denis will arrive at our parish in the beginning of June and brings a wealth of talent and experience to parish ministry.