Geno Finn

DRE (MS + HS); Confirmation

geno.finnholycrosswi.org

For those of you who I haven’t met, I wanted to tell you a little about myself and some of my hopes and plans for the youth at St. Bernard. My name is Geno Finn.
   I grew up in Stockbridge, Georgia, where my parents still live. I was heavily involved in the youth group at my parish.
   My entire life, I have been educated at Catholic schools and am so grateful for the ways that deepened my faith. I studied Philosophy and Theology at Ave Maria University, where I was involved in many facets of campus life. I played soccer, ran cross-country, participated in the pro-life group, and worked for the athletic department.
After being immersed in that beautiful, Catholic environment, moving back to Georgia and working in building restoration brought about a number of challenges.
   For months, other than attending Mass most weeks, my faith was not as much of a priority to me.
   After realizing that the world was not going to offer me the happiness I was seeking, the Lord’s grace brought me out of this time of searching. I returned to a routine of prayer, regular Mass attendance, and discerning how to give back to the Lord in the Church.
Trusting in God’s plan, I applied for and interviewed for jobs throughout the country.
   While interviewing at Our Lady of the Assumption in Beloit, I was unsure, having never seriously considered moving to the north. I said yes to the youth ministry position and moved to Wisconsin in 2014 not knowing a single person here.
   Thanks to the community in the Diocese of Madison, especially within the youth ministers and parish catechetical leaders, I quickly felt at home. I felt so at home that I met my wife here! Lindsay and I got married in August of 2017 here at St. Bernard.
   We have two great boys, George who is 4 and Max who is almost 3. As a family, we enjoy going on adventures together. I love sports and enjoy running and working out whenever I get the opportunity. We cheer for the Badgers, and I’m an Atlanta United and Chelsea fan. I enjoy the art of smoking meats and trying to make BBQ as good as there is down south.
I have worked these past eight years in the Diocese of Madison at OLA, Blessed Trinity, and Blessed Sacrament. It has been a gift to witness and be a part of the transformation of teens in these parishes.
   I am excited about working at St. Bernard and being a part of this parish community. I look forward to investing in the teens' lives and sharing the gospel message with them. My hope for this year is to get things back to a bit of normality. There will be some exciting in-person events for teens to attend here at the parish and around the Diocese. I plan to attend sporting events, plays, musicals, etc. of the teens.
   It’s important to live your faith not only in the parish and at home but also in your school, on the field, on the court, and on the stage. I look forward to meeting each of the teens and families of St. Bernard.