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John Mark Ettensohn, OMI (Director)

Originally from Indiana, Fr. John Mark brings extensive experience in preaching and spiritual direction to King's House. He has served as a Pastor, Director of the Oblate Preaching Team, and as a Television Producer/Writer/Director creating programs about Catholic/Christian spirituality. He has given parish renewals and retreats in fifteen states. He became the Director of Christ the King Retreat Center in July of 2003.

Jack Lau, OMI (Team Member)

Fr Jack is a CIA alumnus (i.e., Culinary Institute of America). He has journeyed extensively with persons living with HIV/AIDS, as well as those with drug/alcohol dependency. Fr. Jack was pastor of St. Francis Xavier, the mother church of the African-American community in Overtown-Miami, Florida.


S. Carol Marie Hemish, SSND (Team Member)

S. Carol Marie is a School Sister of Notre Dame and a native Minnesotan. Her varied experience---teaching, parish ministry as liturgy and music director, spiritual director at a Jesuit Retreat House, and establishing a conference center---prepared her well for her position here. She is on the preaching team and serves retreatants as a presenter, liturgist, musician, and spiritual director. She joined the staff in July of 2005.

 

 

Roger E. Lamoureux, OMI (Team Member)

Fr. Roger is a native of Lowell, Massachusetts. He has been an Oblate priest since 1983. His ministry has been in parishes, beginning in Plattsburgh, New York then in his home town of Lowell. For the past 15 years, he has served as pastor of parishes in Lowell, most recently as pastor of two parishes that included a large Brazilian immigrant community. Fr. Roger also served as a vocation director for the Oblates for four years. He has been here at Christ the King since January of 2005.


Ray Prybis, OMI (Business Manager)

Ordained in 1967, Fr. Ray has spent the majority of his ministry in Washington D.C. He came to Christ the King Retreat Center in 2001 as a member of the ministry team. He became Business Manager in January of 2004 and is happy to be a part of the team working here at the retreat center.


Al Svobodny, OMI (Public Relations Manager)

Fr Al is the friendly face who greets our retreatants upon their arrival to Christ the King Retreat Center. Fr Al is also the one to send them home with a joke to lighten the heart and is the backbone to Christ the King's hospitality and public relations ministry.


Nancy (Administrative Assistant)

Nancy started working at King's House in November of 1999. Along with bookkeeping duties she serves as assistant to the director. She also is responsible for the Retreat Registration for individuals as well as developing contracts for retreat groups.

Donna (Secretary/Receptionist)

Donna started working at Christ the King in May of 2002. As secretary, she is responsible for mailing retreat invitations, updating the database for name and addresses of retreatants, working with newsletter and fundraising letters, revising brochures, and answering the telephone. Hers is usually the first voice you hear when you call us.

Sharon (Gift Shop Manager)

Sharon started working here in April of 2005. She had served for 24 years in various parish ministries, as elementary school teacher, principal, and faith formation coordinator. Her background serves us well as she keeps the gift shop well stocked with good “food for the soul”.

Bruce (Maintenance Supervisor)

Bruce has worked at Christ the King since 1998. As maintenance Engineer he is responsible for all of the building functions and care of the grounds. He finds the work here, though frustrating at times, to be both challenging and rewarding.

Lois (Kitchen Supervisor)

Lois started working at Christ the King Retreat Center in October of 1991as a part-time cook. In August of 1995 she became Food-Service Supervisor. In addition to being a wonderful cook, she plans the menus for retreatants, schedules the cooks and servers, and oversees their work. "This position challenges me," she says, "and I like a challenge."

Kay (Housekeeping Supervisor)

Kay started in housekeeping here at Christ the King Retreat Center in August of 2005.  She became Housekeeping Supervisor in December of 2005.  Kay has been married for 35 years, has raised three sons, and is a registered nurse, so she has had plenty of experience with housekeeping and keeping things clean.  She says that she too finds her work here to be “challenging but also rewarding.”

The Staff of Christ The King Retreat Center