2024-25 Pastoral Council Members | St. Pius X Catholic Church

One of the primary purposes of the Pastoral Council, which continues to meet monthly, is to represent the wisdom of the perspectives present in the parish community and to ensure mutual communication between the Council and parishioners. Do you have a question, a concern, a comment, idea, or a compliment that you would like to share? Please click the name to reach a parish council member via email or click here to fill out a webform. Your feedback will be heard and discussed at the next monthly Pastoral Council meeting, which meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month (Sept.-June). Thank you for bringing your gifts, talents, and ideas to the life of our parish community.

Kristine Ericson – President
My husband Kris and I have been members of St Pius X since 2014. We have two girls (Lylah and Taylor), who have attended SPSL since preschool. Lylah just graduated from SPSL and is headed to Mercy High School and Taylor will begin 6th grade. I attended UNO and have degrees in Accounting, Finance and Banking. I am currently Director of Ballot Management at Election Systems and Software, and have been there in some capacity for over 15 years. My husband Kris works as a Senior IT Engineer for Nebraska Medicine. I have always been involved in many boards and volunteer activities, either at SPSL school, Fort Atkinson Living History, Girl Scouts or the Local Omaha Project Management Chapter. I coach for soccer and basketball for my youngest daughter and spend many minutes and hours driving the kids to practice, games, show choir performances, drama performances, girl scouts, etc. If there is ever time left in the day I can be found working in my yard or doing cross stitch or needlepoint. I grew up in the Omaha area and attended St Leo the Great for most of my life with my parents Tom and Karen Hosier. You will often see us attending Saturday night service where my girls serve and I attend with my parents. I recently (2023) completed co-chairing the St Pius X Summer Festival, where I met so many great people of our parish. Of late, I have begun to focus my volunteer time on items with my kids and my church. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Pastoral Council.

Norah Morris -Vice President
My name is Norah Morris. I have been a St. Pius X parishioner for over 30 years in total. I grew up in the St. Pius X parish and attended school here for grades 1-8, graduating in 1989. I went away for college, then moved back to Omaha and eventually rejoined the parish with my husband, Stacy, and our three children. Our oldest, Maggie, attended SPSL and will be a senior at Marian High School this fall. Our middle child, Peter, also attended SPSL and will be a sophomore at Creighton Prep in the fall. Our youngest, Frannie, will be in 8^th grade at SPSL this coming school year. I currently teach English classes at Metropolitan Community College and work in their Writing Centers, which I have done since 2003. I have always felt like both the parish and school of St. Pius X are so welcoming and I have enjoyed volunteering in both, but look forward to learning more about how the parish works and serving on the Pastoral Council.

Cheslee Klinger-Secretary

My spouse, Alex, and I are the parents of five children attending St. Pius X/St. Leo Elementary. We have been active members of St. Pius X parish since 2019. My upbringing was in the St. Cecilia’s parish, where I received my education from kindergarten to 8th grade, graduating in 2001. Subsequently, I pursued a degree in Chemistry and Forensics at the College of St. Mary’s. Following my studies, I relocated to Atkinson, NE for employment. In 2019, I returned to my hometown to be closer to my family and provide support as my parents enter the next phase of their lives. Upon our return, I enrolled our children at St. Pius X/St. Leo Elementary and became a member of the parish. Our children currently attend St. Pius X/St. Leo Elementary: Nickson in 8th grade, Ava in 5th grade, Sloan in 4th grade, Piper in 3rd grade, and Bodhe in Pre-K.
Professionally, I hold the position of Head of Quality in Blair and Ottawa for Novonesis, overseeing the production of both Feed and Food grade products in the US and CAN. Outside of work, my family and I enjoy outdoor activities such as traveling, cycling, hiking, and kayaking.
I have consistently experienced a warm reception from both the parish and school of St. Pius X, and I have found fulfillment through volunteer work in both capacities. However, I am enthusiastic about broadening my understanding of the parish’s operations and contributing to the Pastoral Council.

Bill Fell
My wife Molly and I have been members of St. Pius X since 1987. We have three grown children who all attended SPSL school. Two of our children are married and we have one grandson. My wife retired last year after working for Bergan-CHI as a clinical laboratory technologist for 38 years. I also retired last year from the Omaha police department after working as a crime scene investigator and then as a police officer for 33 years. I now work part time as a civilian for the city of Omaha. In prior years, I have assisted with the school fundraiser, men’s club, parish festival and Anne’s attic. I enjoy bicycle riding, going for walks with Molly and working on home improvement projects at my home and now at my kid’s homes. I look forward to working with the others on the parish council.

Kathie Horvath
My husband, Ron and I have been married for 45 years. We have no children. I grew up in North Dakota and Minnesota. We moved to Omaha in 1980 for our jobs and joined St. Pius X at that time. I am a retired registered nurse and worked in that profession for 42 years. I worked at Nebraska Medicine for 34 years in intensive care. I am currently active in the funeral luncheon committee, human needs committee (pantry worker) and Pius Nurses (taking blood pressures after masses). My hobbies include reading, baking and volunteering when I can. I am pleased and excited to be offered this opportunity to be on the pastoral council of St. Pius X parish. A very active and welcoming community.

Barb Houlden
I have the privilege to be married to Tim and honored to be the mother of Jenny and Steve. Both who attended school St. St. Pius X.
I am interested in The Blues music, basketball and have a new interest in Robotics.
I have participated in Pasta Fridays, and am active in the Francis house, funeral lunches and other ministries. In the past I have helped with Religious Education, Baptism classes and Small Group Bible Studies. I also lector and am part of the supper club (my favorite).
I retired from a career in Social Work and am humbled and in admiration to the people I served in the area of mental health.
Since retirement I answer the phone in the St. Pius rectory and tutor children in the area of reading at a neighborhood school. I am so grateful for the blessings in my life. I look forward to learning as I participate in the Pastoral Council. Thank you for allowing me to serve.

Faith Kurtyka
My husband, LaRue, and I joined St. Pius in 2021 when our older daughter (now 6) started kindergarten. Our younger daughter, age 4, now attends the Pre-K. I grew up in Wisconsin, and I converted to Catholicism in 2011 at the St. Thomas More Newman Center at the University of Arizona while I was getting my PhD in English. We moved to Omaha in 2012 and I began my current position on the English faculty at Creighton University. My husband is a teacher at Papillion South High School. We enjoy gardening (indoor and outdoor) and watching movies. I currently serve as a Eucharistic minister at St. Pius and I am excited to get more involved in parish life.

Jerry Klug

Sam Griffin
My wife, Danielle, and I have been attending St. Pius X since 2019. Danielle took RCIA instruction and was confirmed into the Catholic Church here and we were married in 2021 at St. Pius X as well. Our daughter Lucy was baptized here in 2023. We owe many of our most joyous moments as a family to St. Pius X, and we are doing our best to give back to this community by remaining involved in the life of the Church. Danielle is one of our two Wedding Coordinators and I serve on the liturgy committee in addition to my new role on the Pastoral Council. I look forward to getting to know as many parishioners as possible and serving the needs of this parish as best as I can!

Justin Cyboron
My wife, Shannan, and I joined St. Pius X in 2014 right after we got engaged. That first year, we went through marriage prep, RCIA, my wife’s first communion and confirmation, and wedding here at St. Pius. Since then, we have also baptized our two daughters here, Charlotte and Bernadette. Our oldest daughter attends school at St. Pius/St. Leo’s and the younger one will join her as soon as she is old enough. You will often see me at the front of the church during the 9:30 mass as one of our sign language interpreters. I am also a 3rd degree member of the Knights of Columbus and my wife is one of the members that helps to decorate the church. I work as a middle school teacher at the Iowa School for the Deaf and my wife works for a non-profit organization called Deaf Missions that produces bible resources for Deaf people. Thank you for allowing me to serve the parish in this capacity as a member of the parish council.

Jessica Lathrop
My husband, Scott, is a graduate of St. Pius X/St. Leo school and grew up in the parish. We officially became members of the parish after the birth of our oldest, and I completed RCIA in 2016. We are blessed with two daughters, Samantha and Ella, who both attend SPSL. I enjoy volunteering at the school and parish whenever possible and am one of the co-leaders for our school’s Girl Scout troop. The SPX and SPSL community has truly become “a place to call home”, and we are grateful to be part of such a welcoming and supportive environment.

Trustees
Mary Ellen Freyermuth
I was born in Chicago, IL, am the second oldest of six children, and spent most of my youth in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I attended St. Francis Grade School and Loretto Academy High School. I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, with a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in English and a minor in Criminal Justice. I worked in the property/casualty insurance industry for over thirty years, and prior to my retirement in July of 2017, I spent the last twenty-four years as the Manager and Director of Information Technology (IT) for Catholic Mutual Group. During my tenure at Catholic Mutual Group, I also performed volunteer services for the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association (IASA), where I held a number of positions including Chief Information Officer for the Board of Directors, VP for the Marketing & Communications Committee, VP for the Seminars Committee, and Director of the Executive Education Program.
I have been a member of St. Pius X Parish since 1978, and currently serve as a Lector and a member of the Hospitality Group. My daughter, Christine, is a graduate of Madonna School, received her First Communion and was Confirmed here at St. Pius X, and currently is an altar server. My husband, Charlie, my daughter and I have always felt blessed to be part of the St. Pius X family, and I am honored to serve as a Trustee for the Parish.

Jerry Morrissey
I am a graduate of St. Pius X Grade School. I attended college at Southeast Missouri State University and received degrees in Business and Computer Science.
I was a past member of St Pius Parish Council and of the St. Pius finance committee, for 12 years where I served as chair for 10 of those years.
I was owner of a successful sign business for 30 years until retirement in 2020. Prior to owning my own business I worked for multiple Fortune 100 companies.
I have been married 40 years to my wife Colleen. We have one son Peter who also graduated from SPSL in 2003. I have been a member of St Pius since 2nd grade.