Father Drew Olson, Pastor
Raised as a Lutheran near South Bend, IN, I had a love for Scripture and personal relationship with Christ from an early age. While attending a Catholic high school, I fell in love with the pursuit of truth, and Jesus led me to discover the Catholic Church as the true Church of Christ. Desiring to be closer to Jesus, I converted freshman year of college at DePaul University in Greencastle, IN, where I studied economics, political science, and mathematics.
After joining a fraternity, Delta Upsilon, the practice of my faith waned until I experienced a new awakening and fervor in my final year. As my studies came to a close, I discerned my vocation, and the Lord answered me with a desire to get married and have a large family. Under His guidance, I found a job in Verona, WI working at Epic as an implementation consultant. While working, I met new friends in Madison, including priests, seminarians, and Bishop Morlino, and I fell in love with prayer, spending evenings praying in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Redeemer or at the Vigil for Life at Planned Parenthood.
In these friendships and prayer, I found a renewed desire for the priesthood and entered seminary. My first two years were spent studying philosophy in Detroit at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, followed by five years in Rome, where I studied theology with a specialization in early Christian studies, known as patristics.
After ordination in 2018 and the completion of my studies in 2019, I was assigned to Saint Patrick’s in Janesville, WI as parochial vicar, then administrator, and finally pastor for the past two years. Leaving Saint Patrick in Janesville was one the hardest moments in my life, and yet the blessings from my time so far with St. James and Our Lady of Guadalupe have been immeasurable. I look forward to meeting all of you and your families and walking with you all toward a deeper relationship with Jesus and His Church.