FR. MIKE INGRAM, PASTOR

Our Pastor, Fr. Mike Ingram, is a native of Augusta,      Georgia.  He graduated from St. Mary on-the-Hill Elementary School and Aquinas Catholic High School.  He earned a B.S. Degree in Public Administration from Georgia Southern College in 1976. After a six year stint of local government administration in Bulloch, Jenkins, and Richmond Counties in Georgia, he filled in as a History/Economics teacher and coach at his alma mater, Aquinas, for eighteen months.  His next fourteen years were spent as the General Manager of Johannsen Sporting Goods in Augusta, which were very enjoyable and successful.  He was accepted by Bishop J. Kevin Boland to the Diocese of Savannah Seminarian Program in 1998 and was sent to Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Boston, MA for his education and formation.  Bishop Boland ordained Fr. Mike Ingram a priest for the Diocese of Savannah on June 29, 2002 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah.  Fr. Ingram’s assignments have been:

• Parochial Vicar, St. Anne Catholic Church, Columbus, GA  (2002-2005)
• Pastor, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Macon, GA  (2005-2011)
• Pastor, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, Grovetown, GA  (2011-Present)
• Assistant Vocations Director, Diocese of Savannah  (2005-2008)
• Vicar Forane, Macon Deanery  (2006-2011)
• Vocations Director, Diocese of Savannah  (2008-2011)
• Priest Personnel Committee, Diocese of Savannah  (2014-Present)

FR. MICHAEL ROVERSE, PAROCHIAL VICAR

 I was the first born of six kids to a Signal Corps dad with Italian blood from northern New Jersey and an educator Mom with Irish roots from western Massachusetts. As was usual, my childhood as an Army brat was marked by the numerous transitions that comes with military service. I arrived in Augusta GA as a high school student at Westside HS and began my first steps towards priesthood. I finished my college seminary at the Benedictine Abbey in southern Indiana at St. Meinrad’s and I was blessed to be sent to study theology at the American College at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. I was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Raymond Lessard in 1984. Since then I have served at St. Joseph’s in Macon and St. James in Savannah as assistants to the pastor. After getting my M.Ed. at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, I taught at Pacelli High School at St. Anne’s in Columbus, GA. I was sent to St. Teresa of Avila by Bishop Kevin Boland in the summer of 2000 and have served happily in many roles here at the same parish where I worshipped when I first came to Augusta so many decades ago.

FR. GONZALO MEZA, PAROCHIAL VICAR

Fr. Gonzalo Meza grew up in Mexico, was raised in a traditional Catholic family, attended Catholic grade school, and attended Sunday Mass with his family. He enrolled at one of the world’s top universities, the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico – UNAM. There he majored in Political Science and Public Administration, with a minor in Economics. He still had no idea that one day he would be called to be a priest. It wasn’t until he began working in the consular section for the U. S. Embassy in Mexico that the seeds of his discernment began. It was through his work at the Embassy that Father Meza began to see the people behind each and every story. While Father Meza could not help the immigrants legally or politically, he began to think that maybe he could help them on a spiritual realm by offering them hope. This was the beginning of his discernment journey. A journey that would continue, interestingly, in France.

Father Meza went to France to teach, and while there he lived in a house with some priests. He attended morning Mass and evening prayer with the priests, and eventually became involved in church ministries. He really felt the call to the priesthood and arrangements were made for him to attend seminary in France. But it wasn’t meant to be. Prior to beginning his studies, Fr. Meza flew back to Mexico for the canonization of Juan Diego Cuauhtlataotzin in 2002. In the end decided not to attend seminary in France and returned to his job at the U.S. Embassy. Once again, he was reminded of the plight of the immigrants, which was the heart of his discernment. This led Fr. Meza to the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, where he was ordained in 2009.

Father Meza’s formation involved studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy, where his work as a translator for various press agencies meant traveling with the Vatican Press. It was in Rome that Fr. Meza met our very own Fr. Pablo Migone, which is why he is here with us today. In addition to serving as our parochial vicar, Fr. Meza will continue to work with immigration issues within our diocese.
 

REV. MR. RAY ADRIANO

Deacon Ray Adriano is married to his wife, Joyce, for 36 years. They have 5 Children, 5 Grandsons, 8 granddaughters, and 1 Great-granddaughter. He was born and raised in the Philippines. He attended St. Thomas University and the University of the East in Manila, Philippines, University of North Florida in Jacksonville and St. Leo University, Tampa, Florida. Ray served 17 years on active and inactive reserve duties with the U.S. Navy, Florida and Georgia National Guard units and stationed in various ships, aircraft squadrons and shore facilities.
While here at Fort Gordon, he served as a Satellite Communications Electronics Training Instructor, as a Training Specialist and Instructional Developer, as a Branch Supervisor, and as Chief of the Strategic and Tactical Systems Satellite Communications School in the US Army. Along with conducting and facilitating the US Army Civilian Professional Leadership Development Course (LEAD) for both Civilian and Military Low and Mid-level Supervisors and Managers.
In 2010 he retired from the US Army – Federal Civilian Service with a combined Department of Defense total time of over 40 years. During his down time his hobbies include occasional sketching, drawing and building small airplane and ship models.
 

REV. MR. DANIEL CRAIG

Deacon Daniel Craig was baptized at the Sacred Heart Church (which was closed in 1971) in downtown Augusta and graduated from the Sacred Heart School (1969) and Aquinas High School (1973).  He and Crystal were childhood neighbors and married in 1975.  They have 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren, all practicing Catholics.  Deacon Danny earned a BBA in accounting and management from Augusta College (1976); a Juris Doctorate from Mercer Law School (1979); and an MA in Theology from St. Leo University (2017).  His parish service includes 9 years on Parish Council and various Parish Building Committees since 1982.  He also taught religious formation classes for 18 years.  His legal career included 14 years in private practice and 15 years as District Attorney. He has served as a Superior Court Judge since 2008.

Danny and Crystal consider their parish family as a blessing beyond measure.
 

REV. MR.KERRY DIVER

Deacon Kerry Diver is a lifelong resident of Augusta, born at St. Joseph Hospital in 1953.  He graduated from the Academy of Richmond County in 1971,  Augusta College in 1975, and MCG in 1980.
 
Deacon Diver married Verna Black in 1977 at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity. He says it is a true blessing from God that forever changed his life. They have one son, Steven, who is a deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.  
 
He was ordained a Permanent Deacon after five years of formation through St. Leo University.  Deacon Kerry says that aside from his marriage and birth of his son, his ordination was the most meaningful event of his life. 

It is truly a blessing to serve the people of St. Teresa of Avila.
 

REV. MR. BILL JOHNSON

REV. MR. BOB KEPSHIRE

Deacon Bob Kepshire and his family are originally from Northwest Indiana, just outside of Chicago, and have lived in Evans since 1998.  He and his wife Cathy have two grown children; Erik who is married with three children and lives in Newnan, GA and Amanda who lives in Jacksonville, FL.  Deacon Bob was ordained for the Catholic Diocese of Savannah on May 31, 2008 by Bishop J. Kevin Boland.  He is responsible for coordinating and teaching Baptism Preparation Classes at St. Teresa's. 
Deacon Bob is a Benedictine Oblate of St. Meinrad Archabbey, a 3^rd degree member of the Knights of Columbus and is a contributor to the book, Answering the Call…How God Transformed the Lives of Nineteen Catholic Deacons. 

He is currently the Administrator & Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospital McDuffie in Thompson.  He has over 36 years of experience in in a variety of healthcare roles: firefighter/paramedic, ER nurse, trauma clinical nurse specialist, flight nurse, nurse manager, nursing director, nursing executive and hospital administrator.  Deacon Bob has earned the following degrees from Purdue University: Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, Associate in Applied Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing.  He also earned a certificate in Healthcare Ethics Leadership from the Emory University Center for Ethics/Healthcare Ethics Consortium of Georgia and is nationally certified in executive nursing practice.  Deacon Bob also earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (Theology) from St. Leo University as part of the requirements for diaconal ordination.  Deacon Bob has a special interest in monastic spirituality, liturgy, and Catholic bioethics.  In his spare time he enjoys reading, cooking, fishing, hiking in the mountains, and cheering on his favorite sport teams: the Georgia Southern Eagles, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Blackhawks. 

REV. MR. JOSEPH SOPARAS

Deacon Joe Soparas has been a member of Saint Teresa of Avila Parish since 1976.  He and his wife Mary have two grown children; Becky who is married with two children and Christie who is also married with two children.  Deacon Joe is a Physician Assistant and is Licensed and Certified for the Charlie Norwood Veterans Administration Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.  He holds a
Masters of Art Degree in Pastoral Studies from Saint Leo University, Florida and graduated in December 2007.  Deacon Joe was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Diocese of Savannah in May, 2008 and was assigned to Saint Teresa of Avila Parish.  Deacon Joe says that since his ordination he has done his best to provide parishioners with the tenets of the Diaconate Ministry which is service in three areas: the Word, Liturgy and Charity and that it has been a pleasure to assist the priests and parishioners of our parish.