Rev. Mr. Steven Beers

Age: 55

Birth Date: Feb. 26, 1945

Place of Birth: Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

Family: Married for over 30 years to Jane Beers, and has two children, Whitney, 28, and Clay, 23.

Education: Earned bachelor’s degree in business administration, 1967, from University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a master’s in business administration, 1978, from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Work Experience: Was Navy pilot for 10 years in Europe, Africa and Middle East; worked for 10 years for manufacturing companies in Washington, D.C.; for over three years served as vice-president and president of finance for aluminum extrusion company in Newnan; for last 10 years has served as consultant to small businesses in Newnan and Atlanta.

Primary Hobbies and Interests: Traveling, playing tennis.

Parish Ministries: At St. George Church, Newnan, his parish of 13 years, is member of finance committee, works in OCIA and adult education programs, teaches church history in the diaconal formation program and ministers ecumenically; as deacon has also begun preaching.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Teaching, serving as lector, ecumenical outreach, eucharistic ministry.

Assigned Parish: St. George Church, Newnan.

Rev. Mr. Patrick Gillespie

Age: 57

Birth Date: May 26,1942

Place of Birth: Philadelphia.

Family: Married for 38 years to Nancy Gillespie, and has four children, Patrick Jr., 35, Mark, 32, Michael, 30, and Elizabeth, 25.

Education: Earned associate’s degree in math and science from Virginia Western College, Roanoke.

Work Experience: Served in security agency for Army for three years; was architectural engineer for 38 years at Norfolk Southern Corp.

Primary Hobbies and Interests: Woodworking and golf.

Parish Ministries: At St. James Church, McDonough, parish of 12 years, has served for nine years in OCIA program, 10 years as Knight of Columbus; in eucharistic ministry and as lector; was choir director for seven years; is chaplain of parish St. Vincent de Paul Society; additional responsibilities as deacon include helping develop Hispanic ministry and coordinating ministry to sick and shut-ins.

Particular Ministries of Interest: All ministries.

Assigned Parish: St. James Church, McDonough.

Rev. Mr. William Hampton

Age: 52

Birth Date: Dec. 19, 1946

Place of Birth: Cartersville.

Family: Married for 30 years to Kathy Hampton, and has two children, Rich, 32, and Beth, 19.

Education: Attended West Georgia College, Carrollton, 1966-71 and majored in business administration and economics.

Work Experience: Worked for 23 years for Keebler Co. in Atlanta, Tampa, Chicago and Jacksonville in various positions including Eastern area director of sales; opened two years ago and runs Kids ‘R’ Kids childcare center in Peachtree City with wife.

Primary Hobbies and Interests: Traveling, skiing, swimming and doing other activities with family and is “sports enthusiast” who enjoys watching golf and baseball.

Religion Raised in: Methodism.

Parish Ministries: At St. Matthew’s Church, Tyrone, parish of 11 years, has served in eucharistic ministry, altar server training, visitation ministry to sick, youth ministry, confirmation program, first Communion classes, as lector and Knight of Columbus; additional deacon responsibilities include preaching monthly and performing marriages and baptisms.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Visiting sick in nursing homes, hospices and hospitals.

Assigned Parish: St. Matthew’s Church, Tyrone.

Rev. Mr. Peter Hung Viet Huynh

Age: 46

Birth Date: April 2, 1954

Place of Birth: South Vietnam.

Family: Married for 22 years to My Thi Nguyen Huynh and they have three sons: Peter Khuong, 19, a second-year novice in the Legionaries of Christ; Jason Khang, 18, a first-year novice in the Legionaries of Christ; and John Khanh, 16, a student at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta.

Education: Attended Montclair State College, Upper Montclair, N.J., where he received a technical associate degree in computer science. He also attended the two-year Pastoral Ministry Formation program of the archdiocese.

Work Experience: Employed for 10 years in the Alcan Cable Division of Alcan Aluminum Corp., Atlanta. He served as a medic in the South Vietnamese Navy before coming to the United States in 1975 as a political refugee. He moved to Norcross in 1987.

Parish Ministries: Since 1987, he and his family have been active members of Our Lady of Vietnam Church, now located in Riverdale. In the past he has served as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, general secretary of the parish pastoral council, director of religious education and member of the parish RCIA team. He was formerly a lay director of the Cursillo movement. He has worked in religious education, primarily with 300 parish children and youth through ninth grade, but expects to begin also working in adult education in the near future. He continues as director of religious education. He will preach at all the parish Masses one Sunday a month. He is the first Vietnamese permanent deacon in the archdiocese.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Working with the religious education of children.

Assigned Parish: Our Lady of Vietnam Church, Riverdale.

Rev. Mr. Richard Mickle

Age: 42

Birth Date: Jan. 8, 1958

Place of Birth: Newkensington, Pa.

Family: Married to Anna Mickle for 20 years and has two children, Christopher, 19, and Mary, 17.

Education: Earned associate’s degree in electronic technology, 1978, from Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pa., and bachelor’s degree in business management, 1998, from University of Phoenix.

Work Experience: Has worked for AT&T for past 21 years in positions of engineering associate, supervisor and manager in Cockeysville, Md., Oakton, Va., and Conyers, where has worked since 1991.

Primary Hobbies and Interests: Photography, fishing, hiking.

Religion Raised in: Non-denominational Christian.

Parish Ministries: Nine-year parishioner at St. Patrick’s Church, Norcross, where he has worked in baptism preparation, as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, as lector, on the education commission and as head of the liturgy commission; as deacon, will also teach adult education, program for returning Catholics, RCIA and eucharistic ministry training.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Teaching.

Assigned Parish: St. Patrick’s Church, Norcross.

Rev. Mr. William Speed

Age: 64

Birth Date: Feb. 4, 1936

Place of Birth: Selma, Ala.

Family: Married for 46 years to Naida Speed and has three children, Mark, 44, Brian, 41, and Keith, 38, and seven grandchildren.

Education: Earned bachelor’s degree in business administration, 1958, from University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

Work Experience: Served for three years in U.S. Air Force as second lieutenant and captain; served for 20 years as regional sales manager for Georgia at Fortis Financial Group, based in St. Paul, Minn., and Milwaukee; was general agent for four years at Washington National Insurance Co., Evanston, Ill.; was agent for seven years at Underwriters National Assurance Co., Selma, Ala.; is currently selling 30-acre property to develop Buford subdivision.

Primary Hobbies and Interests: Boating and watching football and baseball.

Religion Raised in: Non-denominational Christian, attended Catholic school through third grade.

Parish Ministries: Prince of Peace Church, Buford, where he is 25-year charter member; was lector coordinator for 10 years and four-time parish council president; has been extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, minister to sick and homebound and, since 1993, in positions including rector, kitchen and hospitality boss for Cursillo movement; additional diaconate responsibilities include preaching one weekend monthly, assisting with funerals and baptisms.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Ministering to sick and homebound.

Assigned Parish: Prince of Peace Church, Buford, where is the second parish deacon.

Rev. Mr. James Weiss, DVM

Age: 68

Birth Date: Oct. 29, 1931

Place of Birth: Stamford, Conn.

Family: Married for 40 years to Suzanne Weiss, and has two children, Charles, 38, and Catherine, 34.

Education: Earned bachelor’s degree in biology, 1953, and doctor of veterinary medicine degree, 1957, from University of Georgia, Athens; earned master’s degree in ecclesial ministry and theology, 1997, from Loyola University, New Orleans.

Work Experience: Veterinarian in private practice for 43 years in Atlanta and, since 1969, has been owner and hospital director of Sandy Springs Animal Clinic.

Primary Hobbies and Interests: Golf and yard work.

Parish Ministries: At Holy Cross Church, where he is 35-year founding member, has worked in baptismal preparation, as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and in pastoral visitation to the sick and elderly; Knight of Columbus since 1960s including past grand knight and faithful navigator; is also beginning work in marriage preparation.

Particular Ministries of Interest: Visiting sick and elderly.

Assigned Parish: Holy Cross Church, Atlanta.