Parochial Vicar, Fr. David Chojnacki, Born and raised in Hudson, he attended Borromeo Seminary and St. Mary Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland. His responsibilities at the parish include evangelization, welcoming new members through OCIA, campus chaplain of COW, and youth ministry.

Deacon Bob was ordained at St. John Cathedral on May 5, 2018 by Bishop Nelson Perez.  He is a fourth generation member of St. Mary’s parish and is honored to be assigned to his home parish.  Bob and his wife Lee have been married for over 32 years and are proud parents of Nina, Anthony, Amanda and twins Jacob and Anna.  Bob retired from the Ohio Army National Guard and is currently managing a small business in the fire safety industry.

Deacon Nathan was recently ordained for service to the Diocese of Cleveland.  He is a transitional deacon meaning preparing to become a Catholic priest, God-willing, in 2026. He was born in Asheboro, North Carolina but moved to Amherst Ohio at the age of 6. His family has attended St. Joseph Parish there ever since. Deacon Nathan is the sixth of eight children to his parents, Kim and Steve. He entered the seminary after a year at the University of Akron and graduated from Borromeo College Seminary in 2021.  He is finishing his graduate studies at St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Wickliffe, Ohio. His previous assignment was St. Ambrose parish in Brunswick, where he served as a seminarian intern in 2023. This year, he looks forward to completing his formation process as a priest and doing so being accompanied by the incredible people of faith located here at St. Mary Parish.

Mrs. Kim Dannemiller, Principal of St. Mary Day School.  Kim Dannemiller grew up in Doylestown and has been a lifelong member of the community.  Prior to accepting the position she worked for OHuddle, a non-profit school based mentoring organization here in Wayne County as their Director of Operations.  Kim began her teaching career at Sts. Peter and Paul taught 3rd grade for five years.  Kim spent 20 years at Green Local Schools teaching 5th grade and as an Assistant Principal 6-12 for her last three years in the district.  Kim has had the opportunity to work as a Curriculum Consultant, Director of Instruction, as well as worked other various education opportunities throughout her career.  

Kim received her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Akron.  She received her Masters of Art in Teaching and Learning  from Nova Southeastern University.  She completed her Administrative licensure coursework through Ashland University.  

Kim and her husband, John have three grown children, one son-in-law and three grandchildren.  She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and spending time outdoors.

Ivy was raised in Hanoverton, Ohio and currently resides in Massillon with her husband Matthew who she just married on April 15, 2023 and are happily enjoying life as newlyweds! 

Ivy began piano lessons in 4th grade and about 2 years later, switched to organ lessons.  She started playing organ in church in junior high school and hasn’t stopped since! Ivy obtained a Bachelor Degree in Organ Performance from Mount Union and a Master’s Degree in Sacred Music from Duquesne University and is looking forward to sharing her love of music with everyone at St Mary’s Wooster! Please stop by and say hello! 

Sarah Nussbaum, Director of Faith Formation, has been a St. Mary Parishioner for more than a decade. A native of the Dalton/Kidron area, she is married to Matthew and they have four wonderful children: Ava, Carsten, Mary Grace and Cole. She attended Dalton High School and graduated from Ohio University with a degree in English Literature. In addition to her vocations as a wife and mother, she enjoys music, gardening and baking. Before prayerfully stepping into her current role, she served as Faith Formation Office Secretary for 2 1/2 years. She has also served as a cantor and VBS leader for several years. Her prayer as the "director" of Faith Formation is that the Holy Spirit will always move as the true Director of our life as a parish!

Mrs. Michaela Sheehan, Campus Minister, was born and raised Catholic here in Wooster. St. Mary has been her home parish since she was Baptized as a baby and she received all of her Sacraments at St. Mary. She is married to her high school sweetheart, David Sheehan. They have two dogs, one cat and some chickens as they pray for children. 

Michaela attended St. Mary School, Edgewood Middle School, and Wooster High School. She has completed courses through Dayton University’s Youth Ministry Program and has taken classes at the Seminary through the Diocese of Cleveland. As Campus Minister, she serves students at St. Mary School, as well as middle school, high school youth and those preparing for Confirmation. Her passion for ministry began as a teen involved in youth ministry and later as a core team member. Michaela has a heart for teens and strives to help them know they are seen, heard, and loved. Her prayer is to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit, walking with young people on their faith journeys.

Leah has been working as the secretary for the faith formation office at St. Mary since 2022.  She also teaches religion to three of the younger grades at St. Mary school and runs after-school care.  Baptized at St. Mary, Leah is the oldest of five children.  She went to Triway schools, then graduated from Franciscan University where she studies Catechetics and Theology.  Leah is grateful to work at St. Mary.  

I have been at St Mary my whole life. My parents and grandparents also (Pagniano and DiScipio).

I have been married to Michael for 54 years. We have two daughters, two granddaughters and two great grandsons. Michael is a retired teacher and coach and I am retired from banking. I have been working at St Mary for around 6 yrs and feel as if

I "am at home".

Jarred grew up in Minnesota in a small town about an hour north of Minneapolis and attended college at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, where he majored in journalism. He moved to Ohio in 1996 to work at the Ashland Times-Gazette, and then The Daily Record in Wooster. After 30 years in the newspaper industry, he began working at Ashland University as a content writer in the marketing department in 2022.

He has lived in Wooster and been a member of St. Mary Parish for more than 20 years. He and his wife, Jamie, who is a longtime OB nurse at Wooster Community Hospital, have two adult children, Evan, who works at the Joyful Café in town, and Seth, who attends Kent State University.

Jarred was a PSR teacher for 12 years and is now a sub. Since the summer of 2023, he has been the editor of the St. Mary Bulletin after learning for several months under the guidance of the previous Bulletin editor, Cheryl Davis. If you have any questions, suggestions or observations regarding the Bulletin, Facebook or the St. Mary Website, reach out to Jarred.

Chandler has moved in and around the state of Ohio several times but has spent most of her life

in Centerburg, Mt. Vernon, and Newark. She finally landed in Wooster when she got married in

December of 2024. Chandler attended Catholic school from pre-school all the way to grad

school. She attended Newark Catholic High School, then went on to college and graduated from

Franciscan University of Steubenville where she double majored theology and catechetics, and

minored in music ministry. From there, she went on to study for her master’s in theology through

the Echo Program with the McGrath Institute for Church life at the University of Notre Dame.

While in the Echo program, she took classes, lived in an intentional faith community, received

spiritual formation, and worked in a parish in West Lafayette, Indiana. Chandler finished her

master’s in the summer of 2024 and is so excited to be a parishioner with her husband, Xavier,

and to be working in a parish again. In her free time, Chandler enjoys reading, hiking, cooking,and singing.

Mr. Darcy Pajak, part-time Director of Operations, was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana near the University of Notre Dame. After graduating from high school, he enrolled and graduated from the School of Business at Indiana University.

He held different leadership positions with his corporate employer which brought his family to Wooster and became a Parishioner 38 years ago.  Their daughters who all graduated from college are married and mothers. His grandchildren bring him great joy.  Darcy has been very active in many community organizations as well as St. Mary.  Prior to retirement, he led their family business interests with his wife Faline.  In his time away from "helping our Parish" he does caregiving, likes to read, travel and relax at their lake cottage

Karen has worked at St. Mary since August 2020.  She has implemented the St. Mary Cemetery death records books onto the Catholic Cemeteries Association website in the Diocese of Cleveland.  She upkeeps and maintains the deceased records and makes deeds for purchased cemetery plots in St. Mary Cemetery.  Karen worked on the Outreach Project in our parish.  Karen helped establish the new website for the church and the cemetery.  Karen works in the Parish Office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Karen enjoys hiking, biking, and any outdoor activities.  Karen is studying The Divine Will by Luisa Piccarreta and appreciates working along side her co-workers.  Karen is married and has 9 adult children living outside of the home.

Paul joined us as a member of our Maintenance Staff in January, 2023 . He was born in Stark County and graduated from Carrollton High School. At Atwood Resort, he worked and then became the supervisor of the maintenance team and then moved into heating & cooling field. After marrying Martha and moving to Wooster, Paul worked for OARDC as Supervisor of Stores.

Together, Marty and Paul raised two children. Son Kyle lives in Orrville with wife Stephani and 2 kids (Anthony, 6 and Riley, 18 mo. old) and daughter Kelly is a senior Art Education Major at Adrian College in Michigan. Paul and Marty are both recently retired and plan to travel and spend time with their grandchildren.