Parish Staff

Fr. Steve Garza

Pastor

Fr. Steve Garza comes to Sacred Heart Parish after being the pastor at St Peter Parish in The Dalles as he begins his fourth year as a Roman Catholic priest. A cradle Catholic, he grew up Catholic in South Texas, and by middle school, he seriously considered being a priest. But his parents divorced, and his life took a different path. He moved to California with his mom and his siblings and by college he quit going to church. His call to the priesthood was renewed after his wife of 21 years, The Dalles, OR native Maria (Nelson) Garza, died of gastric cancer in 2010. A call he’d felt in his childhood asserted itself again: he was drawn to the priesthood. He entered Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Massachusetts and 5 years later returned to Oregon. Before being ordained in the Diocese of Baker, he completed a 35-year career in the U.S. Forest Service, primarily in California and Oregon.

Our goal is God, and we find Him by learning from Christ to love as He does. Christ is the Way. Those who seek Him will meet Him at His Cross.

“LORD, you will decree peace for us,
for you have accomplished all we have done.” (Isaiah 26: 12)

Mrs. Sharla Bishop

pastoral associate

sharla@sacredheartkf.org

Mr. Paul Chutikorn, O.P., M.A., Ed.D. cand.

Director of Faith

Formation

paul@sacredheartkf.org

Mr. Chutikorn is a husband and proud father of seven beautiful children. He converted to Catholicism on Easter Vigil in 2009 and hasn’t looked back since. He began studying theology informally in 2010 and entered into formal full-time study in 2014. He joined the Sacred Heart staff as Director of Faith Formation in 2017, and now serves as an Instituted Acolyte.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree both in Catholic Theology and Philosophy, a Master’s degree in Thomistic Theology from Holy Apostles College & Seminary (studied under Fr. Brian Mullady, O.P.), and is currently working on his Master of Sacred Scripture (M.S.S.) at the same institution as well as a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership (Ed.D) at the University of St. Thomas - Houston. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Holy Apostles College & Seminary and is a tertiary member of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). His writings on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas have been published in Ignatius Press’ academic journal Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Catholic World Report, and Thomistica – he has also been featured on the popular radio podcast Classical Theism. He frequently travels to participate in or present for academic and diocesan conferences around the United States, and is a recommended Catholic speaker by both the Diocese of Baker and the Archdiocese of Portland.

When not working at the parish or teaching at the college and seminary, he assists his wife, Amanda, in running their wedding photography business. He also loves adventure and international travel, playing guitar, exercising, watching football, eating Thai food, and meditating on life’s most difficult questions.

To view some of Paul's research projects, please click the link below.
https://stthom.academia.edu/PaulChutikorn

Mr. Aaron Croxford