Saint Ann Parish Staff
Our Pastor
Fr.
Lou Ruoff
Fr. Lou Ruoff has been ordained for 22 years with the Diocese of Richmond. Fr. Lou was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Shippensburg State University in PA in 1977.
After attending the Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C. for Philosophy, Fr. Lou came to the Diocese as a lay chaplain at the Va State Penitentiary. In August of 1980, He started theology at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore.
At the end of his studies and ordination in 1984, Fr. Lou became Associate Pastor at St. Joseph's Church in Petersburg for nearly two years. His longest assignment was at Holy Trinity in Norfolk. And prior to coming to St. Ann's, Fr. Lou served at St. Mary's in Suffolk for three years.
Our
Pastoral Associate
Sister Ann Daniel Belmonte, OP has ministered at Saint Ann Parish as Pastoral Associate since the fall of 1998. Her major focus has been on the pastoral needs of the parish community.
Sister Ann grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York. She is the oldest of four girls. Her parents taught her early in life that it is important throughout life to value her relationship with God, with her family and to continue to be open to learning both formally and informally.
Sister attended Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY, receiving her B.A. in Elementary and Special Education. She has two masters degrees, one in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Hunter College in NYC and on in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University in Chicago. She just completed a certification program in Spirituality from Loyola University, Chicago, sponsored by the Diocese of Richmond.
Sister Ann taught at the elementary and special education level for 15 years. For the past 25 years, she has ministered as a Pastoral Associate in Princeton, West Virginia; Waynesboro, Richmond, and Colonial Heights, VA. Presently, she serves on the Fricano Board, The Dominican Sisters of Hope Ministry Fund Board and the Diocesan Seminarian Interview Committee.
Among her interests are reading, listening to music, cooking and traveling. People and their lived experience are important to Sister Ann. Therefore, she feels blessed and grateful to many who have shared their joys and sorrows with her throughout her ministry. This opportunity has enriched her understanding and lived experience of what it means to follow Jesus.
Our Director of Religious Education
Mary Ellen Winkler has served as the Director of Religious Education at Saint Ann parish Formation since September of 1995. She received a BS degree in Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH in the sixties, and taught elementary and high school courses for 14 years. She married George and helped raise his six children and the two children they gave birth to. She returned to Trinity College in Washington, DC for one year of Theology and received a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies in 1991 from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. For details on the programs Mary Ellen overseas at St. Ann, see the Christian Formation page.
