Meet the Vocations Office Team

We are here to help you discern God’s call.

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Fr. Drew Clary, C.S.C.

Rev. Drew Clary, C.S.C.

Associate Director, Office of Vocations

Fr. Drew is originally from St. Louis Catholic Church in Castroville, Texas, part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. He attended the University of Notre Dame and studied Economics and Political Science while living in Fisher Hall. Instead of pursuing law school as he had planned, he taught as an ACE Teaching Fellow in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). There, he fell in love with Catholic education and, after graduating from ACE in 2011, he worked as the Associate Director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Educational Initiatives for several years before discerning God’s call to enter Holy Cross. Ordained a Holy Cross Priest in 2022, Fr. Drew spent his deacon year and first year of priesthood as a middle school teacher and administrator at St. Adalbert School (South Bend, Indiana). He also served as Associate Pastor to the St. Adalbert and St. Casimir Parishes.

Fr. John DeRiso, C.S.C.

Rev. John DeRiso, C.S.C.

Director, Office of Vocations

A native of Cold Spring Harbor, New York, Fr. John DeRiso received his BA and MDiv from the University of Notre Dame. He professed his Final Vows in September of 2001 and was ordained a priest in April of 2002. Fr. John formerly served as rector of the Shrine of Blessed Basil Moreau and as pastor of the parish of Notre-Dame de Sainte Croix (Le Mans, France). He has also served as pastor of Saint Joseph Parish (South Bend, IN) and as parochial vicar at Saint John Vianney Parish (Goodyear, AZ). In addition to serving as Director of the Office of Vocations, Fr. John is the in-residence priest for the men of Morrissey Manor on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

Mr. Matthew Bartek

Mr. Matthew Bartek

Assistant Director, Office of Vocations

Though born in Nebraska, Matt has lived most of his life in South Bend and has been a proud member of Holy Cross parish communities since his childhood at Christ the King Catholic School. He is married to Christy Bartek — a product of a rival Holy Cross grade school run by St. Joseph Catholic Church. Their marriage was officiated by a Holy Cross priest. Matt and Christy have two children, Paetra and Paul, both of whom were baptized at and still attend St. Joseph Parish. Before joining the vocations team to serve the mission of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Matt worked in private Christian education as a teacher and administrator for 22 years.

Tim Wheeler

Mr. Timothy Wheeler

Assistant Director, Office of Vocations

Tim comes from Michigan, where he has lived most his life — outside of his years in seminary formation, which let him travel the United States and live in Minnesota, Kentucky, and Washington D.C. He received his degree in Philosophy and Theology from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has been fortunate enough to work in the Church as a director of religious education and as a 6th-12th grade Theology teacher. Having spent nearly five years in seminary, Tim is passionate about vocational outreach and building up the Kingdom of God here on earth. Tim is a proud husband, and he and his wife are parishioners at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in South Bend, a Holy Cross parish.

Abigail Leali

Ms. Abigail Leali

Marketing Communications Manager, Office of Vocations

Abby grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and converted to Catholicism in 2018. She has spent the last several years falling more and more in love with the Catholic faith. She graduated from Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, MI) in 2021 with BAs in Art and in English. During college, she was introduced to Holy Cross spirituality through several of her mentors. She is passionate about theology, literature, foreign languages, art history, and graphic design, and she spends a good deal of her free time writing about art and creating new projects in Adobe Creative Suite.

Rita Wilson

Mrs. Rita Wilson

Office Administrator, Office of Vocations

Rita Wilson joined the Office of Vocations staff in 2009. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Notre Dame. She lives in South Bend with her husband and two daughters.

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