Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I bring you warm greetings and deep gratitude as I begin this new chapter with you.

My name is Fr. Christian Salata. I was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ on June 14th, and I am beyond excited to be serving you all and getting to know you.

I am the new Parochial Vicar for our parish, and I hope to learn as much as I can about serving as a priest under the guidance of Fr. Brian. I am very new at this, so I ask for your patience as I learn and gain experience. I will make mistakes, and I apologize in advance.

I grew up in Ann Arbor, attending Christ the King parish. I am a little familiar with the area of Saline because I used to play soccer with some friends who lived in the area. Before I entered seminary, I lived in the Kalamazoo–Battle Creek area, attending Western Michigan University and working in the aviation industry. I worked as an aircraft inspector for a few years before I chose to enter seminary and pursue the priesthood. I did not work for an airline, but for a privately owned family company that worked on business-corporate aircraft. Although I do miss working with my hands and putting airplanes back together, I would not trade anything in the world for the path that God has given to me. I am excited to see how God will use me as His instrument to share His tender mercy with everyone.

One of my favorite pastimes and hobbies is playing golf. I played in high school at Fr. Gabriel Richard and have never stopped playing. I am certainly not as good as I once was, because the short game suffers when you are not on the course frequently. I also love good BBQ food. My parents have a smoker, and during breaks or days off, I will go over and cook for them. One unexpected blessing during the COVID years was the opportunity to spend extended time at a parish while the seminary was temporarily closed. One aspect that I especially enjoyed was the chance to go over to families’ homes for a meal and get to know them. I hope I will get a chance to do that again with all of you.

I’ve already heard wonderful things about the people of Good Shepherd, and I feel blessed to walk alongside you in faith.

Please pray for me during my time here —that the Lord may continue to conform my heart after His own and that I may always remain open to the Holy Spirit. Also, be assured that I have been praying for you already and will always continue to do so. Our God is loving and compassionate, and I know that He has great plans for us all.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may the Holy Spirit guide us as we journey together in faith. I look forward to meeting each of you in the weeks to come.

God Bless You.

Fr. Christian