Pastor
Rev. Jim Liekhus
612-869-2426, ext. 110            
[email protected]

Fr. Liekhus was named pastor of St. Richard and Assumption in 2020, and St. Peter in 2021. He’s from north Minneapolis, though was raised at St. Olaf in downtown Minneapolis, where his parents met in the choir. He was ordained in 2005. On his day off, you can find him on the golf course or at the bowling alley, depending on the weather, and playing cards and watching the Twins at a local cigar shop.

Parochial Vicar
Rev. David Shaw
612-564-5089
[email protected]

Fr. David Shaw joined the parishes of Assumption, St. Peter, and St. Richard, in July of 2022. He has previously served in the Archdiocese of Portland, OR, since he was ordained in 2006. In Oregon, Fr. David worked as a parish priest and as a teacher/chaplain in a Catholic high school.

Originally, Fr. David is from South Bend, IN and is a member of the Brotherhood of the People of Praise, a private association of the faithful in the Catholic Church.

He enjoys being on the water in a kayak, sailboat, or canoe and is an avid cribbage player.

Parish Administrator
Beth Schorle
612-866-5089
[email protected]

I joined the staff as Parish Administrator in early December 2020 and have witnessed the spirit of Joy, Peace, Hope and Love in your worship that are the results of your relationship with Jesus Christ. I enjoyed meeting some of you and look forward to the time when we will all meet in person.

I bring varied experience to my ministry. Much of my career I spent in financial leadership roles in the commercial real estate and construction industries. For the last eight years I have had the pleasure of offering my leadership, experience, faith and enthusiasm to support the mission of the Church as Parish Administrator, most recently at St. Edward in Bloomington. 

I grew up in Bloomington, MN, where my family were members of the Nativity of Mary Catholic Church. I received my Bachelor of Science in Accounting (a bizzillion years ago!) from Minnesota State University – Mankato.

My husband Darryl and I are blessed with our three children, Allyson (her husband Will), Parker and Tonya. Our family has been members of St. Therese Parish in Deephaven since 1996 when a job relocation brought us back to Minnesota from Arizona. Through the years I have served on their Finance Council and we have participated in numerous ministries and volunteer activities.

This is clearly a time of possibilities for the Church and I am humbled and incredibly thankful to be given this wonderful opportunity. As this year has proved, it takes the gifts of the whole church for us to be the church. I look forward to working with you.
Please pray that God will help make this a smooth transition and productive time for our ministries. 

“And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.”
Col. 3:15

Deacon
Deacon Mark Johanns
612-866-5089
[email protected]

Deacon Mark was ordained in September 2001 and has served at St Peter and now the three Richfield parishes since that time. Our seminary formation focused on deacons as being servants to all they minister to and that is a role that I embrace. Deacon Mark and his wife Nancy are parents to two married daughters and grandparents to six grandchildren. His primary role in ministry is focused on pastoral care for seniors, assisting at funerals, and other sacramental duties as assigned. Deacon Mark also serves our Richfield community as a Chaplain for the Richfield Police Department.

In his spare time, Deacon Mark is an avid fisherman.

Director of Administration & Accounting
Ligia Araque
612-869-2426 (ext. 100)
[email protected]

Director of Pastoral Care
Sheila Przesmicki
612-866-5019
[email protected]

Sheila Przesmicki holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University New Orleans. She has been doing community and faith-based work in and outside of the United States since 1988. Sheila is fascinated by cultural stories, language and history, and tries to be a cultural bridge, intertwining her faith with other experiences whenever possible.
Among her diverse positions, Sheila worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala; a Programmer/Camp Director for minority students from New York City; a faith formation instructor with migrant seasonal farmworkers, and as Executive Director of UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence.
In 2017 Sheila moved to Minnesota from Mississippi, where she had managed and coordinated activities and liturgies at two small parishes. She served as Ministry Coordinator at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in Hopkins until 2021.

Sheila enjoys swimming, camping, biking and hiking, is a member of St. Gabriel Parish in Hopkins, a member of the National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM) and the Association of Pastoral Ministers (APM) and an Associate of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.

Director of Faith Formation (Spanish)
Patricio Pena
612-866-5019
[email protected]

Director of Faith Formation (English)
Anne Marie Strabala
(Safe Environment Coordinator)
612-869-2426
[email protected]

Anne Marie grew up in south Minneapolis, and graduated from the U of M Twin Cities with a BS in Math Education. She taught Math for seven years for Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado.After much discernment she left her teaching position and joined the lay community Family of Mary (Pro Deo et Fratribus-Familia de Maria) and spent six years doing missionary work in Europe. Feeling called by God to a different ministry, she returned to Minneapolis.

Soon after her return to Minnesota she developed a neurological disorder, known as dystonia, which affects different muscles of the body and eventually she became disabled.

After a number of years, she slowly was healed of her disability and began studying for a Master’s Degree in Theology at the St. Paul Seminary, and working in Faith Formation in various parishes around the Archdiocese.

You may see Anne Marie biking to the parishes or riding around the lakes and paths of the Twin Cities, and she has a passion for reading books.

Maintenance Director
Joaquin Martinez
612-767-1792
[email protected]

Director of Music
Nuriel Abdenur
612-869-2426
[email protected]

Nuriel has called Buenos Aires (Argentina), California, and New York home, but says this community is the first to have called her back. She first came to teach music at Blessed Trinity in 2019, and despite being called away to assume the role of Director of Music and Liturgy at her home parish of St. George, Long Lake, she continued her support as a guest teacher here. Nuriel said she feels blessed to return to serve this community which made its mark on her years ago.

Nuriel has studied the voice for a lifetime – attending a high school conservatory in Classical Voice, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Southern California (Fight On!) and a Master’s in Vocal Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. She said it is a joy and an honor to marry this passion with her faith.

Her philosophy of worship is summed up by St. Augustine who noted that “When you sing, you pray twice.” She said her work with musicians ages 3 through 90 has affirmed her belief that every voice is a gift and motivates her mission to encourage every voice. She wants to invite you (yes, you!) to lift your voices during Mass!

Music
Barb Schrenk
612-767-1789
[email protected]

Director of Communications
Corey Voegele
612-866-5089 (ext. 789)
[email protected]

Corey joined our staff as Director of Communications in 2021. Before coming to us Corey was a journalist for 20-plus years, working at newspapers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Washington State. Corey grew up in Faribault, where he attended Bethlehem Academy. He and his wife Kevira — and their cats — now live in Shakopee. 

Corey is an avid Vikings fan and is addicted to fantasy football.

Administrative Assistant
Rikki George
612-866-5089
[email protected]

Born in Virginia, and raised in Wisconsin, Rikki earned a bachelors and masters in Art History from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the University of Kansas, Lawrence, respectively. Rikki worked most of her adult life in Washington, D.C. as a government contractor until she moved to Minnesota in March 2020. Rikki landed a job at St. Peter in April 2020, where she hoped to help others and the mission of the church.

Rikki enjoys taking walks, pretty much anywhere. She also enjoys cooking for her husband. When not taking walks or cooking, Rikki dabbles in art and studies Spanish.

Maintenance
Jaime Pineida
612-866-5089

Anne Marie Gavel, Chair
Beth Coleman
Alma Dominguez
Maureen Mahowald
Casey Martin
Angeles Martinez
Jeanne Mielke
Angela Piram
Roma Lee Rasmussen
John Rimstad