New, familiar faces join Chancery staff

Four people have accepted new jobs at the Chancery.

Mark Frei has accepted the position of director of Pastoral Services for the Diocese of Helena, and will begin in late August, after he helps his father with harvest. He grew up in rural Idaho, and spent several years in seminary discerning a vocation to the priesthood. He has been working in Denver, Colo., as a teacher and counselor, and as director of liturgy for a parish.
He graduated summa cum laude from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, and summa cum laude from Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, Italy.
Frei succeeds Deacon Tony Duvernay, who is now pastoral administrator of St. Mary Parish in Helena.

Glenda Seipp, who has served as administrative assistant to Sister Rita McGinnis, SCL, for a year and a half, will become manager of stewardship and annual giving on May 1.
She accepted the position after Glenna Obie announced that she will leave her diocesan job to start a consulting business.
Seipp and her husband, Mike, are from Canada and lived in California and Missouri before moving to Montana. They have a son and two daughters, and belong to Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish in East Helena.

Doug Tooke, who has been managing a multi-parish youth group in the Flathead Lake area, will begin work in August as youth and young adult minister for Catholic Formation Services. He will direct the high school leadership camp at Legendary Lodge this June.
He and his wife, Becky, have three daughters.

Christine Perry is the new administrative assistant for the Office of Development Services, which includes stewardship and the Diocesan Offertory Program.
She and her husband, Brian, are from Ohio. They lived in Missoula where she worked for the day-care and after-school program at St. Joseph’s Catholic School.
Early this year they moved to Helena, where they belong to the Cathedral of St. Helena Parish.

“I am delighted that we have such fine people joining the staff at the Chancery,” Bishop George Leo Thomas in announcing their positions. “Their service will enhance the ministry our Chancery Services are able to provide to our Diocesan Church.”

Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 23, No. 4, April 20, 2007.