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Leadership2024-02-03T19:51:27+00:00

St. Mary’s Clergy

Fr. Ryan Wright

Fr. Ryan Wright, Rector, [email protected], 239-992-4343

Father Wright, 44, is the youngest rector in the parish’s history. He is a native of Naples who has lived in Southwest Florida most of his life, most recently with responsibility for Church of the Epiphany in Cape Coral and St. John’s Episcopal Church on Pine Island. He is credited with growing those two diverse churches to their present state of health from previously precarious conditions.

A graduate of Stetson University in Deland, FL, and The General Theological Seminary in New York City, Father Wright came to Christ as a young adult and uses his experience as an “unchurched” youth “to break through people’s preconceived notions of what it means to be part of the church. Paramount in encountering the unchurched and churched alike is to speak truth with an absence of judgment,” he says. His pastoral experience ranges from programs for the bereaved and terminally ill to years in college ministry; he hopes to bring all that work to bear at St. Mary’s.

“I look forward to working with St. Mary’s to

Fr William Faupel

Fr. William “Bill” Faupel, Assistant Priest, [email protected], (239) 992-4343

“Father Bill,” as the Rev. Dr. D. William Faupel likes to be called, came to St. Mary’s as Priest Associate in November 2018, and served as Priest in Charge May 1, 2020 until June 30, 2021.   “Coming to St. Mary’s is the culmination of spiritual journey,” he said when asked about how he felt as a priest at St. Mary’s.  “I feel that all the forks in the road that I have taken, in retrospect, were designed to lead me here.”

That this journey has had many forks is an understatement.  Fr. Bill began his pastoral ministry in 1966 as a Pastor in the Assemblies of God in Manistee, Michigan.  They paid him $10 a week.   “Fortunately,  I was able to land a teaching position teaching 3rd grade, so I did not starve.”   After a year, it became clear that at 22 he was not mature enough to pastor, so he resigned and moved to Kentucky to pursue an M.Div. at Asbury Theological Seminary, a United Methodist school.  “It

Mtr. Gail Tomei

Mtr. Gail Tomei, Assistant Priest, [email protected],  (239) 992-4343
I was called to be a Priest Associate at St. Mary’s Bonita Springs in 2006.
At that time I was a certified Hospital Chaplain working at both Naples Community Hospital South and Naples Hospice, as well as serving at St. John’s, Naples until their new priest arrived.  I had only visited St. Mary’s once when I was immediately drawn into the presence of the Lord through the beautiful Sunday liturgy.  At St. Marys, I was invited to teach, celebrate Holy Eucharist and serve in a number of full time capacities for the next three years.
My husband and I then moved to Pennsylvania where we could live closer to family.  It was time to retire.  However, after a few months in the Lancaster area, the Lord drew us to a small church where we were greatly needed.  I served there for three years before being called to ‘help out’ another church until they found a new Rector.
The Lord then provided me with another opportunity to serve as Rector of a church

St. Mary’s Staff

Picture of Ian Mitchell

Ian Mitchell
Parish Administrator
[email protected]
(239) 992-4343

Picture of Sandra Cecchini, office assistant

Sandra Cecchini
Office Assistant
[email protected]
(239) 992-4343

Picture of Nancy Vaughn

Nancy Vaughn
Director of Youth and Family Ministries
[email protected]
(239) 992-4343

William Elliott
Organist and Choirmaster
[email protected]
(239) 992-4343

How Our Vestry Works

The vestry is an elected group of members who serve as the legal representatives of the parish of St. Mary’s with regards to its corporate function. The basic responsibilities of the vestry are to help define and articulate the mission of the congregation, support the church’s mission by word and deed, select the rector, ensure effective organization and planning and to manage resources and finances. The presiding officer of the vestry is the rector. There are usually two wardens. The senior warden leads the parish between rectors and is a support person for the rector. The junior warden often has responsibility for church property and buildings.

2024 Vestry Members

2023 Vestry Portrait

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