Reverend Steve Tokarski - Pastor

Fr. Steve has been pastor of St. Pius X Catholic Church since 1993.  He was born and raised in Billings and graduated from Billings Central Catholic High School.  He was ordained in 1969. His ministry has included teaching at Great Falls Central High School and the University of Great Falls, serving as Diocesan Vocation Director and serving on various Diocesan boards and committees.  Before being assigned to St. Pius, Fr. Steve was pastor at St. Leo's in Lewistown, Montana.  His hobbies include reading, running, backpacking, mountain climbing and photography.  As pastor of St. Pius X, Fr. Steve presides at liturgy and provides parish leadership and pastoral ministry.  He works closely with the Pastoral and Finance Councils, the various Parish Commissions and the parish staff.
Reverend Mr. Bill Daem
Permanent Deacon

Deacon Bill has been a member of St. Pius X since 1963. He became a permanent deacon in 1976 and has been assigned to St. Pius X since that time. He and his wife Evelyn have been married for fifty years, have six sons, sixteen grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Bill retired from the City of Billings as Assistant Fire Chief. As the parish deacon, he assists Fr. Steve and the staff by celebrating Weddings, Baptisms, and funerals and assists at other liturgies during the year. Deacon Bill and Evelyn created and maintain the Heart Too Heart program which cleans and refurbishes used pacemakers for donation to the needy in Third World countries. Many people have been blessed with new life through the donation of these pacemakers. Deacon Bill says his favorite pastime is storytelling (and he is good at it!).

Bob Bender
Business Manager

Bob serves as the Business Manager for St. Pius X.  He assists Fr. Steve in overseeing all financial activities of the parish and works closely with the Finance Council, Development Committee and Diocesan Business Office. He is also an ex-officio member of the Calvary Cemetery Board.  Bob also assists with pastoral ministry needs in the parish as an annulment advocate and helping out with marriage preparation ministry as needed.

Bob and his wife, Carol, have two sons, Ryan and Brett. They have been members of St. Pius X since 1995.  Bob and his family enjoy boating, fishing, camping and working together on home improvement projects.

Dee Martenson
Administrative Assistant

Dee has been the voice on the phone and the face at the front desk of the parish offices for 10 years.  She greets visitors, handles the mail and the telephones, schedules meetings in the three building on our campus (Church, Youth Center and Parish Center) records sacraments, and Mass Intentions and keeps the parish database current as people join, leave or change information.  Dee helps Calvary Cemetery manager, Curt Sauber, with sales and paperwork.

Dee and husband, Al, have been married for 45 years and have one daughter, and a son-in –law and four granddogs.  Dee and Al are members of Little Flower parish where Dee is an active member of the parish Council and Worship Commission and serves as a Sacristan.

Dee loves reading, photography and travel – especially trips to the Tucson areas where her daughter lives.  Annual trips to the National Drag Racing Association finals at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix have been on the agenda for several years.

Colleen Eisenman
Liturgy Coordinator

Colleen returned to Billings and St. Pius X Parish after spending sixteen years in the "Valley of the Sun" in Arizona. She attended Kino Institute in Phoenix and received her certification in ministry followed by three more years of classes using her training in a volunteer capacity. She returned to Billings in 2003 and started working at the parish in August 2004 as the Liturgy Coordinator.

Her primary responsibilities include coordinating ministries to engage the gifts and involvement of the community. She oversees recruitment, training, resources and scheduling of all liturgical ministries and engages others to enhance the environment. She serves on the Worship, Parish Life and Education Commissions. Colleen prepares the weekly parish bulletin and serves as backup for the parish administrative assistant when necessary.

Since her return to Billings, Colleen has been involved in Singles with Vision (formerly Beginning Experiences), a "peer grief resolution ministry for the widowed, separated and divorced.” After her life-changing Beginning Experience in Phoenix, she made the decision to move back home to Montana to be closer to family and friends. Her favorite Scripture verse is Jeremiah 29:11: "I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, they are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope."

Colleen has two sons living in Anchorage, Alaska and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include listening to music, playing the piano, sewing and reading.

Jessica Westberg
Director of Youth Ministry

Jessica has been a member of St. Pius X her entire life, being baptized, confirmed and married here. She graduated from Billings Central Catholic High School in 1996. In 2000, she began volunteering with the high school youth group and become the part time high school youth minister during the summer of 2002. In May of 2003, she became the full time youth minister, and in the fall of 2004, took over junior high ministry as well.

Jessica was instrumental in getting the renovation of the Youth Center going. She loves teaching the youth about Jesus Christ and His Church; planning youth group nights, and hanging out with the youth. In her free time, she likes to be with her husband and play with their daughter, Cecelia. She invites you to stop by the Youth Center and see the facility!

Rosalie Foster
Music Ministry

Rosalie has served as our Director of Music since 1997. Prior to joining the staff at St. Pius X, she was choral director at Billings Central Catholic High School from 1989 to 1998. Rosalie's position is fulltime and she is responsible for developing and coordinating a comprehensive parish music ministry program. She serves as a resource consultant for parish liturgies, seasonal celebrations, weddings, funerals and special parish services and is a member of the Diocesan Liturgy Commission. Rosalie has been a member of St. Pius X since 1992. She and her late husband Don are the parents of five children, Laura, Michael, Bryan, Maelynn and Elisa.
 

Mary Carol Rachac
Outreach Ministry

Mary Carol joined our staff on a part-time basis as Coordinator of Outreach Ministry in 2002. She arranges for home visits and Eucharist to sick and shut-in parishioners in their homes, the hospital, and nursing homes by parish volunteers. She works with the parish nurses to assess the needs of parishioners who may need light housekeeping or meals due to illness or injury. She is the chairperson of the Outreach Committee which also includes grief ministry, educational programs and resource referrals to parishioners. Mary Carol was drawn to her ministry through her husband's diagnosis of cancer in 1998 and death, seven months later, as well as her own bout with cancer. She is a Hospice Volunteer and works as a substitute teacher for the Billings Catholic Schools. 

Mary Carol has been a member of St. Pius X since 1984 and has three grown children: Krista, Greg and Sarah. Greg graduated from MSU-B, Sarah from the University of Portland, and Krista and husband Jay Wahl have made her a grandmother for the third time in September of 2008. Her favorite pastime is being with family and visiting with her many friends.
LaRayne Riedel
Girl Friday

LaRayne is a part-time assistant who describes herself as a “Girl Friday”. Her responsibilities include tending to the church plants and greenery, lending assistance for parish weddings and substituting in housekeeping. LaRayne is a Communion Minister for home visitation. She has been a member of St. Pius X for over twenty-five years. LaRayne and her husband Peter have five children; Annette Patterson, Rich Bohn, Christa Duray, Michael Riedel and Marc Riedel. They also are expecting their eighth grandchild.

 
 
  



Bill Walker
Custodian

Bill is our fulltime custodian and is responsible for cleaning the church, the parish offices and the youth center. He also does minor maintenance, tends to the physical plant, maintains lights, carpets, tile, boilers, the mechanical room, windows, campus sprinkling systems and "whatever else needs to be done."

 

Curt Sauber
Calvary Cemetery Manager

Curt has been a member of St. Pius X "off and on" since 1959. He is employed part-time by the church and is generally in the office on Mondays and Wednesdays or as needed. Curt oversees the buildings and grounds as Manager of Calvary Cemetery, handles sales of plots and columbarium niches and supervises the groundskeeper. He and wife, Linda, have been married for 10 years and he has three grown children – one son, two daughters, and three grandchildren. Curt likes to travel and is an avid Seattle Seahawks fan. Curt and Linda are the proud adoptees of two retired racing Greyhounds, named Casey and Bob, and most of the exercise Curt gets is walking the dogs.

  
     



Karyn Haider
Christian Initiation/Pastoral Ministry		  

Barbara Burleson
Christian Formation

Karyn rejoined the staff at St Pius X in 2006.  Her ministry at the parish includes directing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and the RCIA adapted for children.  Karyn works with a dedicated team throughout the year as they prayerfully prepare sessions, Rites and retreats for the Catechumens and Candidates.  Her other duties include coordinating the baptismal preparation program for families preparing for infant baptism and coordinating the marriage preparation program for couples seeking the sacrament of marriage.  Karyn is also available for those seeking spiritual direction and is an advocate for individuals seeking an annulment.

Karyn is a native of Billings.  She did undergraduate studies at Dickinson State University and received her MA in Theology from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN.  Karyn is an avid cook and is a loyal Seahawk fan along with her co-worker, Curt Sauber.  She can easily be coerced into showing pictures of, and telling stories about, her two special canine companions, Sadie and Moses.

  

Barbara Burleson is enjoying our Montana lifestyle after relocating here in 2006.  Hailing from the Diocese of Austin Texas, Barbara moved to Billings in order to be close to her son and daughter-in-law following the death of her husband Don.  They lived their 39 years of married lives in Texas, where Don served within the Diaconate and Barbra both worked and volunteered with several parishes.  With Don’s passing, Barbara relocated to be close to her only child, son Doug and his wife, Ashley Burleson.

As Director of Christian Formation at St. Pius X Barbara’s duties include K-6 religious formation, sacramental preparation for reconciliation, first Eucharist and Confirmation, and catechist formation. 

Barbara has been involved in religious education since 1990, within two Texas parishes similar in size to St. Pius X. Through the years she has had vocation with the Catholic Church from teaching first grade students as a catechist moving into larger roles including Assistant to the Diocesan Director of Religious Education with the Diocese of Austin.  She has always worked and/or volunteered with parishes in one respect or another, making herself a useful servant of God’s house.

When she’s not here creating innovative lessons for Christian Formation you might find her pursuing one of her favorite pastimes, antiquing.  Otherwise she’ll be relaxing with a good book while her two poodles nestle close by.
 


Julie Kirkpatrick
Christian Formation Assistant		  


Kathy McCleary
Volunteer & Communication Coordinator

Julie joined the St. Pius X staff in August of 2008 as the Christian Formation Assistant.  This part-time position involves planning and support for our religious education programs.  Julie works with children in preschool through sixth grade during the school year as well as helping to coordinate Vacation Bible School in June.  Helping with the preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist and Confirmation is one of the highlights of her job. 

Julie brings eighteen years of experience working in various aspects of Christian Formation to her current position, including service as the director of religious education at St. Rose Parish in Dillon, MT.  She looks forward to continuing her service to the church at St. Pius X.  Working for the church is a great way to meet new people in her new parish.

Julie and her husband, Dan, have been members of St. Pius X parish for two years since moving here from Butte, MT.  They celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in June, 2008.  They have three grown children and three grandchildren.  Julie is a member of CCW and St. Michael’s Circle.  She also volunteers once a quarter with Interfaith Hospitality Network when St. Pius X hosts the guests.  Julie loves to cook, read, spend time relaxing with her husband, and spoiling her grandchildren.

  

Kathy joined the parish in August of 2008.  She will collaborate with the parish staff and parish commissions and ministries to work on recruitment, training and support of volunteers for parish programs and ministries. In addition she will provide publicity of our parish programs and ministries within the parish and in the broader community.  She is the staff representative for Christian Service Commission, Outreach Ministry and Parish Life Commission.  She also works with the Development Committee.

Prior to her new position, Kathy was the Director of Sales and Marketing for Northern Broadcasting System a radio and television production company more commonly known as The Northern Ag Network and The Northern News & Sports Network.  She managed the sales team responsible for selling advertising as well as personally managing several regional and national accounts and assisted in marketing the company.

Kathy has been a member of St. Pius X Church most recently since 1997. Kathy has served on the Pastoral Council, and is currently a volunteer member of the Worship Commission, as well as volunteer with Interfaith Hospitality Network.

Kathy received her Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and her Master in Public Administration/Organizational Communication from Montana State University in Bozeman.  She is the president of the statewide Bobcat Club Board of Directors, overseeing 13 chapters, which raise scholarship money for student athletes.  In addition, Kathy is a member of the Quarterback Club and a member of the Emeritus Board of the MSU Alumni Association.
 


Sheila Deibele
Receptionist 		   

Sheila works as receptionist for St. Pius X on Fridays.  You’ve been hearing her voice on Fridays since 2006.  On those days she assists other members of the St. Pius X staff with
mailing projects, of which there are many!

Sheila and her husband John have been members of St. Pius X parish for nearly 20 years.  They have four children, five grandchildren, a number of dogs and cats and one lone bird.