Former Pastor

 

Rev. Anthony Luke Espinosa was born in 1964 & raised in New York City.  The youngest of four; his parents* from Puerto Rico.  He attended Cardinal Spellman High School & New York Institute of Technology.  He graduated Holy Apostles Seminary in Connecticut in 1993.

He was ordained a priest in 1996** for the Omaha Archdiocese & was stationed at:

• St. Bonaventure, Columbus ('96-'99)
• O.L. Guadalupe/St. Agnes, Omaha ('99-'02)
• Immaculate Conception/St. Joseph, Omaha ('02-'07 -- Pastor & Dean)
• Divine Mercy, Schuyler, with Columbus Hispanic Ministry ('07-'10)
• Ss. Peter & Paul/St. Anthony, Omaha ('10-'11)
• St. Gerald, Ralston ('11-'12)
• St. Michael, South Sioux City, with Emerson Hispanic Ministry ('12-'13)

On May 16, 2013, 9 a.m., he was requested to pastor St. Leonard, Madison, effective June 20.  Installed August 10 by Rural Central Dean, Rev. Ross C. Burkhalter.

Also, in the past: Omaha Chaplain to NE Medical Center, Ancient Order of Hibernians, American GI Forum;  NE State Chaplain, Catholic Daughters of the Americas;  Board, South Omaha Business Association;  and Member, Gov. Johanns Diversity Advisory Cabinet.  Assisted the South Sioux City Area Chamber of Commerce.

His house companions were two birds: a cockatiel named Nathan &
a conure named Junior.

A controversy effected his termination on August 31, 2016.

* Mother was a seamstress & father a thirty-year hotel worker (taxi driver, railroad laborer & U.S. Navy before that).  Brother, Ralph, a security guard.  Sister, Jenny, a teacher.

** First Mass was at St. Francis, Humphrey, helped by
St. Leonard's Dcn. Frederick A. Ridder.

Pastor Emeritus

Rev. Scott A. Hastings was assigned here in 2010, first as administrator, then as pastor.  His first assignment after ordination as priest was as parochial vicar (associate pastor) at Sacred Heart, Norfolk.

Father Scott grew-up in Omaha at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church.  He has five siblings, one of whom is his twin brother.  He loves to fish, kayak, cook & read.  He plays piano & organ.  When he entered seminary, our previous pastor (his predecessor), Rev. Dermot J. Dunne, was the parochial vicar at his home parish.

Fr. Scott graduated from the University of Dallas with a degree in economics.  He attended Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis and was ordained a priest in 2008 for the Omaha Archdiocese (his classmates: Revs. Jeffery J. Mollner & G. Chi Igboanusi).  During seminary years, he had summer assignments at Boys Town & Holy Name, both in Omaha, and St. Patrick, Fremont (as deacon).

Church interests include:

• Canon Law
• Hispanic Ministry
• Natural Family Planning
• Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (the Latin Mass)
• past NE State Chaplain, Knights of Columbus

Brief time as it was, Fr. Scott was so happy & excited to have been at St. Leonard, Madison!

Appointed Judicial Vicar, Archdiocese of Omaha, on Dec. 8, 2015.