My brothers and sisters in Christ, peace be to you!

As a way of introducing myself, I would like to share with you that I am originally from the South Side of Pittsburgh and St. Adalbert Parish (now part of Mary, Queen of Peace Parish) and was born on August 31, 1964 to Edmund and Florence Kriss, both of whom are deceased. My brother, Father David Kriss, a priest of 25 years, is also deceased at the age of 51. My older sister Elly is married to John Walkowiak. They live in Tacoma, Washington, and have two grown children, Erin and Laurel. My older brother Mark lives in Ross Township, Pittsburgh’s North Hills, and has two grown children, Kerry and Julia, and four grandchildren: Mariah, Mason, Maverick, and Matthew.

I heard the call to priesthood at a young age when I was an altar server in fifth grade. I attended South Side Catholic Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. Following graduation, I attended the University of Pittsburgh from 1982 to 1986 for a double major and Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Anthropology. Pursuing my call to the priesthood, I attended St. Paul Seminary in Crafton and Duquesne University for one year of study in Pre-Theology from 1986-1987 and St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe from 1987-1991 for study in Theology where I received a Master of Divinity Degree. On May 18, 1991, I was ordained to the priesthood. My first assignment was as Parochial Vicar at St. Bartholomew Parish in Penn Hills from June 1991 to January 1995. From January 1995 to June 1996, I was assigned as Parochial Vicar at Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Beaver, and Chaplain at Quigley Catholic High School in Baden before coming to the Upper Allegheny Valley to be Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Natrona Heights, from June 1996 to July 2002. During that time, I also served as Spiritual Director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the Northeast Deanery. After being assigned as Pastor of St. Ursula Parish in Allison Park and Chaplain at La Roche College from July 2015 to July 2016, I came back to the Valley and served as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, Natrona Heights, and St. Joseph Parish in Natrona from July 2016 to October 14, 2018. Beginning October 15th, I served as Senior Parochial Vicar of the 6 parishes in the Upper Allegheny Valley, which was formed into one parish called Guardian Angels, in July 2020.

I enjoy sports – playing (mostly watching now) baseball, hockey, football, and some basketball as well as music – singing (church and pop, mostly 70’s and 80’s) and writing poems. Also, I enjoy walking, bicycling, traveling, and sightseeing in the states as well as other countries and particularly attending games at Major and Minor League baseball parks and hockey arenas.

Now the Holy Spirit has led me to you. My prayers are for you. Let us all pray and work together to build God’s Kingdom, not only here at Holy Spirit Parish, but wherever God leads us from day to day.

God Bless you!