Hello parish family!

I wanted to take the time to formally
introduce myself to you as your pastor. My name is Father Michael Conway – although I generally go simply by Father Mike.

I am a native Pittsburgher; I grew up in the city’s Overbrook neighborhood. I was a member of Saint Norbert Parish (now part of Blessed Trinity Parish), and I attended grade school there until the school closed; I finished at St. Sylvester. After graduating from Seton- LaSalle High School, I went to Wheeling Jesuit University and earned a bachelor’s degree in history. I had hopes of one day being a high school history teacher, but somehow found myself working in the world of finance. I started at a small, local mortgage brokerage, then moved over to National City Mortgage Company for several years. I ended my time in finance working at BNY Mellon, in the Global CDO group.

At many points along the way, I felt God calling me to something more, but I can be stubborn and I tried to ignore Him. Finally, in 2008, I gave in and applied and was accepted to the seminary. Looking back, I only wish I had done it sooner. I lived at St. Paul Seminary in Crafton for two years and earned a master’s degree in philosophy from Duquesne University, and then the bishop assigned me to further theological studies in Rome. I lived at the Pontifical North American College and studied first at the Gregorian University, earning the STB degree, and then at the Angelicum, earning an STL degree and specializing in dogmatic theology. (I have a lot of Rome stories. You’ll hear them at some point.)

I retuned to the US permanently in 2015, and was assigned as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish (now St. James Parish) in Washington, PA. After two years there, I was named administrator of Saint Richard Parish (now part of Saints Martha & Mary Parish) in Richland Township. With the launch of On Mission for the Church Alive, I moved back to Washington to be part-time at the parish and to be chaplain at California University, Washington & Jefferson College, and Waynesburg University. That only lasted one school year; as some parish groupings had to be adjusted, I was moved to be the parochial vicar at what is now Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish in Homestead/Duquesne/Munhall/Whitaker/ West Mifflin (there were eight predecessor parishes there.) And now I’m here.

As I’ve been saying at Masses, I look forward to meeting all of you, but please be patient with me: I’ve never been good at names, and you outnumber me by a wide margin. If I don’t call you by name, it’s because I don’t know it, so please remind me. In the spirit of the recently- convened synod, I look forward to journeying together with you over the next several years as we do the work of building up the Kingdom of God in Monroeville, Penn Hills, and Pitcairn.

Oremus pro invicem!