Greetings to all at St. Stanislaus Parish! Thank you for your wonderful welcome celebration last Sunday!
I look forward to my ministry here at your parish. I am excited to meet you and serve with your pastor, Fr. John Clay, the parish staff, and all the volunteers!
I believe my mission is to welcome all home to our Catholic Church. Just like in my favorite Gospel story of the Prodigal Son and the generous father, we are all prodigal sons and daughters in need of the loving embrace of the father. The Church is our home and our God is that kind and merciful loving father there to meet us just as we are and welcome us home.
I was raised in Minneapolis. I am one of the nine children of Ford and Rita Thompson. I spent my grade school studies at St. Margaret Mary School in Golden Valley, and St. Thomas the Apostle grade school in Minneapolis. Later my family moved to Prior Lake. I graduated from Prior Lake High School.
I did my undergraduate studies at St. Louis University, my graduate studies at Washington Theological Union in D.C., and St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York in Franciscan Studies. In 2002 I incardinated into my home Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis from the Conventual Franciscans to be near my family. I still love my Franciscan roots and spirituality.
For the last few years I filled in at pastoral assignments at St. John Neumann Parish in Eagan, Immaculate Conception Parish in Lonsdale, and St. Margaret Mary Parish in Golden Valley. Before that, for thirteen years, I was the pastor at St. Michael Catholic Church in Farmington, Minnesota. I also served as pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in St. Louis Park for eight years, associate pastor at St. Bonaventure Church in Bloomington, Minnesota, associate pastor at St. Joseph University Parish in Terre Haute, Indiana, serving that parish community and the students attending Indiana State University. I also served at St. Anthony Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.
May the Lord continue to bless you!
Fr. Dennis