About Our Parish Staff
Rev. Thomas W. Krenik, Pastor
Sue Ernster, FSPA, Parish Administrator
Kathleen Conrad, Director of Pastoral Care
Jan Fuchs, Director of Faith Formation
Kristen Fuchs, Young Adult Ministry Coordinator
Murphy, Parish Therapy Dog
Travis Salisbury, Director of Liturgy
Robert Schnell, Deacon
Betsy Sullivan, Director of Music
Rev. Thomas W. Krenik, Pastor
Sue Ernster, FSPA, Parish Administrator
Kathleen Conrad, Director of Pastoral Care
Jan Fuchs, Director of Faith Formation
Kristen Fuchs, Young Adult Ministry Coordinator
Murphy, Parish Therapy Dog
Travis Salisbury, Director of Liturgy
Robert Schnell, Deacon
Betsy Sullivan, Director of Music
…Rev. Thomas W. Krenik, Pastor
Fr. Krenik became the seventh pastor of St. Richard's Church on July 6, 1999. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1977. For twelve years he served as an associate pastor in four different parishes (including St. Thomas Aquinas in St. Paul Park, where Fr. Greg Esty is now pastor). Before coming to St. Richard he served for ten years at The Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul in the ministry of spiritual formation and spiritual direction.
Fr. Krenik holds the following degrees: Master of Arts in Theology (St. Paul Seminary, 1977); Masters in Applied Spirituality (University of San Francisco, 1992); Doctor of Ministry (University of St. Thomas, 1996). He is also a graduate of the month-long intensive program titled Christian Institute for the Study of Human Sexuality (1995). Because of his extensive education in theology, spirituality, and sexuality, Fr. Krenik is very comfortable talking with people who seek spiritual guidance and who are trying to sort out sexual issues.
In his leisure time he enjoys daily walks, reading, classical music, travel, and entertaining friends at his townhouse. He regularly journeys up to his cabin in the woods north of Mora, Minnesota, where he feeds the birds, chops firewood, canoes, and savors the change of seasons.
…Sue Ernster, FSPA, Parish Administrator
Sue Ernster began her ministry at St. Richard's in August, 2006 and is excited to be here. Prior to coming to St. Richard's Sue spent two years teaching Theology and working in Campus Ministry at Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria, MN and before that two years as Director of Faith Formation at The Church of St. Therese in Deephaven, MN.
Ministry for Sue is a way of life of giving back to God in utilizing the talents and God given gifts she has to assist in bringing forth the reign of God and caring for all of creation.
Sue entered her religious community, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, in 1994, and took final vows in 2001. The community was founded in 1849 with the motherhouse in La Crosse, WI. The FSPA have been praying for the needs of the world, church community non-stop since August 1, 1878.
Sue is originally from Dubuque, IA and grew up in a family of 2 brothers (1 younger and 1 older) and an older sister. She received her BA in Accounting from Loras College in Dubuque, IA in 1985 and her Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN in 2002.
Sue's greatest experience has been the gift of traveling to Italy to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi's footsteps (founders of the Franciscan movement). This emphasized that all is gift from God and we cannot hold anything back from praising God since God held nothing back from us in the gift of Jesus.
In her leisure time, Sue enjoys reading, going to movies, almost any variety, working on counted cross-stitch, watching Green Bay Packer games, socializing, and eating out especially at Macaroni Grill.
…Kathleen Conrad, Director of Pastoral Care
Kathleen has been at St. Richard's since May, 1991. For three years before coming here, she was the Pastoral Minister at St. Leo's in Highland Park. She has also worked as a Legal Assistant, doing personal injury and antitrust research and discovery.
Originally from Winona, Minnesota, she received her BA in English from The College of St. Catherine (1977), and her M.A. in Pastoral Studies from St. Mary's College (1990).
Kathleen's work at St. Richard's includes: funeral ministry; spirituality of the aging; the Pastoral Care Commission, Evangelization Commission, and Communication Resources Committee; Seniors Of St. Richard's (S.O.S.); ministry to the homebound, hospitalized, and those in nursing homes, care centers and senior residences; and outreach.
She is a trained BeFriender Coordinator, a hospice volunteer, was involved in the Archdiocesan Bereavement Support Project, and has participated in many RCIA workshops. She has also served on the Archdiocesan RCIA Steering Committee and participates in Archdiocesan RCIA Network meetings. Additionally, she takes continuing education courses in bereavement and grief support, and speaks at area grief support groups. Kathleen has long been a member of APM (Association of Pastoral Ministers), has been on the APM Executive Board for several years, and is the Chair for 2009-2010. She also Chaired the Task Force on Ministry to Vulnerable Adults, which created a PowerPoint presentation on the subject.
Kathleen has three grown children: Christopher, Katharine and Nathaniel. She and her husband, John Eustice, live in Eagan with their Golden Retriever, Murphy (who visits school children, the homebound, and those in nursing homes and senior residences). Time with her family and friends, reading, taking walks, being a WILD fan, working on her house and yard, and winter escapes to warm places are some of her favorite activities. Note: she always has a bowl full of M&M's on the table in her office!
…Jan Fuchs, Director of Faith Formation
Jan Fuchs has been a member at St. Richard's parish since 1971 and a part of Faith Formation Ministry since 1989.
She was born and raised in Madelia, Minnesota, with nine other siblings. She received her BS in speech pathology and elementary education from Mankato State University. She taught for a brief period in St. Joseph's School in Mankato, taught two years in the Chicago area, and then returned to the Minneapolis area to teach at Poplar Bridge School in Bloomington. While taking several years off for family, she volunteered at St. Richard's as a high school catechist in the 70's which later evolved into elementary catechesis, family programs and tutoring in the school and serving on the school board. She was even the interim school principal for a short time in 1989.
Jan has had training in working with children at Notre Dame and Washington, D.C., and an international workshop held in Minneapolis. She has participated in RCIA workshops (as adapted for children) as part of Beginnings and Beyond and Echoing God's Word and has been involved with the archdiocesan network of Children's Sacramentality and Spiritual Life. She is a trained coordinator for Rainbows and brought that program to St. Richard's for children who suffer loss through death or divorce. She began Children's Liturgy of the Word here and continues to train prayer leaders in churches across the archdiocese and beyond. She received the award for Excellence in Catechesis from the Archdiocese in 1999.
Her greatest experience and capability in her ministry, however, comes from raising six birth and adopted children: Chad, Mark, Dan, Kerri, Annie and Kristen, from St. Richard's terrific Faith Formation team, and from the wonderful people of all ages here who continue to inspire and encourage her creativity in catechesis and her relationship with God.
…Kristen Fuchs, Young Adult Ministry Coordinator
Kristen Fuchs is a lifetime member of St. Richard's parish. She began her school years here, along with 5 siblings, before the Blessed Trinity collaboration. As a child, she has always given a helping hand to school programs, Bucket Brigade and also with Faith Formation projects. Since second grade she has been active in children's choir and was also an altar server. During high school Kristen is one of the founding members of YACC and was also a member of the ensemble group. In the late 90s she was officially made a member of the Faith Formation Team and has loved every minute. In her early college years, at The College of St. Catherine, she took a break from the ensemble and has recently returned. In mid November of 2004 she was honored with the additional position of Coordinator of Young Adult Ministry. Her excitement for this new ministry is overflowing!! St. Richards is truly her home away from home. She feels that we couldn't be blessed with a better community than ours.
…Murphy, Parish Therapy Dog
Murphy (a golden retriever) was born January 8, 2004 and joined the Pastoral Care Commission that March. He's taken obedience classes and a 'tricks' class in preparation for taking the Canine Good Citizen test and plans to someday take the Therapy Dog Certification test. He visits regularly at the Edina Care Center and Mt. Olivet Care Center, but will go anywhere he's invited! He also makes personal visits to parishioners in their homes.
One of his favorite places to visit is Blessed Trinity School, especially the pre-schoolers (because they hide treats for him to find!).
If you'd like Murphy to visit you, a friend, or a family member, please call Kathleen (he takes her along on visits) in the Parish Office at 612-869-2426.
…Travis Salisbury, Director of Liturgy
Travis Salisbury began his ministry with St. Richard's Catholic Community in December 2009 after six years in ministry at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. Raised in northern Minnesota, Travis moved to Minneapolis 12 years ago and has worked in administration for the Minnesota Orchestra, the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, and Plymouth Congregational Church of Minneapolis. At the Basilica of Saint Mary he served as the head sacristan and most recently as coordinator of liturgical celebrations.
An exceptionally deep love of liturgy and the worship of God in the celebration of the Eucharist characterizes Travis's ministry in the Church. At the Basilica of Saint Mary he greatly loved working with the community to deepen devotion in ministry and increase participation in the life of the church through prayer and study.
Travis grew up in Bemidji and is the oldest of four children. He is the companion to two adorable cats (Dory and Bomber) that definitely keep him on his toes. He enjoys reading and studying, time with friends, spending time outside in God's creation, exploring new restaurants, watching movies, and visiting houses of worship, specifically Catholic churches.
…Robert Schnell, Deacon
Deacon Bob Schnell was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Harry Flynn of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on September 25, 2004. St. Richard's is Bob's first assignment and his responsibilities include preaching and acting as Deacon of the Mass for all the masses approximately one weekend a month, presiding at weddings, doing baptisms and getting involved in other activities in the St. Richard's community.
Bob is married and has five children and two grandchildren, all of whom live in the Twin Cities. He is also a lawyer in the Minneapolis office of Faegre & Benson, where Bob has practiced in the area of business litigation for the last 30 years. Bob's home parish is St. Patrick's in Edina where he and his wife, Julie Schnell, have been members since the 1980's.
When time permits Bob enjoys getting away with his family to their cabin outside of Shell Lake, Wisconsin, to go for walks, chop wood, swim, fish, read and just relax.
Bob is originally from the Twin Cities, and graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1970. He obtained his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1974. In addition to his assignment at St. Richard's, Bob also works with the Minnesota Catholic Conference on public policy issues, is a member of the Finance Council of the Archdiocese, and is on the board of Our Lady of Good Counsel Free Cancer Home.
…Betsy Sullivan, Director of Music
Betsy joined the staff as the choir director in the summer of 2002. She grew up in Richfield, where she attended Assumption grade school (one of the 'parent' schools of Blessed Trinity,) and Holy Angels. She went on to receive a B.A. in Liturgical Music and Piano Performance form the College of St. Benedict, and an M.A. in Liturgical Music (with an emphasis on vocal/choral music) from St. John's University.
Prior to coming to St. Richard's, Betsy served as the Director of Music at Mary, Mother of the Church (Burnsville) for 13 years and before that, as the Liturgist and Music Director at Corpus Christi parish (Roseville) for 6 years. During her time at Corpus Christi, Betsy married one of her volunteers, guitarist Mike Barrett. They now have two teenage sons, Jack and Charlie, who are also musical and who sometimes get roped into playing their brass instruments for special masses at St. Richard's.
Besides serving as the part-time music director at our parish, Betsy also teaches singing to future priests at the St. Paul Seminary, and sings professionally with the Minnesota Chorale.
