A Brief Bio ....
I was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA, where I attended local public schools. The first Catholic school I ever attended was The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where I studied English literature, learned to appreciate California weather, and met some lifelong friends with interesting American accents. It was also during my college years that my involvement in campus ministry activities led me to consider a vocation to the priesthood.
After deciding that I was more suited to a less agricultural area than the Central Valley, I became a seminarian of the newly established Diocese of San Jose. I received my theological training at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park. When Bishop Pierre DuMaine ordained me in 1987, I was only the fifth priest ordained for this diocese. Since that time, I’ve served in many parishes throughout Santa Clara County. Before coming to St. Mary’s, I was the pastor of St. Joseph of Cupertino for 16 years.
In high school, I developed a love for singing. I have a great interest in liturgical music from all ages of Church history and have experience both as a performer and as a leader of song for worship. The proud descendant of pioneer Chinese immigrants to this country (my true surname is Ng in Cantonese or Wu in Mandarin), I am also a student of Chinese American history and an avid genealogist who has traced his paternal ancestors back to the 7th century B.C. I have enjoyed helping people from around the world—including some parishioners— to discover their own family histories.