Staff | Sacred Heart Church

Fr. Michael Ruminski, Pastor
It is a joy to arrive at Sacred Heart Parish in Bloomfield. We will be spending the next few months getting to know each other, but I will give you a head start with some basic background information. I was born out west in Nevada, my father was a mining engineer at the time. When I was seven, we moved to Watertown, CT – my father had moved to copper and plastic recycling (which he called “urban mining”).

I studied music at University of Hartford where I graduated in 2008. Immediately after college I entered seminary. As a seminarian I went to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia (for philosophy) and the Catholic University of America in D.C. (for theology). By God’s grace I was ordained a priest in 2014. My first assignment was at St. Joseph and St. Gabriel churches in Windsor. Then, I spent a year at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph where I organized the “Jubilee of Mercy” for the Archdiocese in 2016 (and also was chaplain at University of Hartford).

At the end of 2016 I was made pastor of the newly formed Our Lady of Hope parish in the towns of New Hartford and Harwinton where I was tasked with merging two parishes into a new community. In addition to that assignment, the Archbishop assigned me to further studies in Sacred Liturgy (through summer school) and gave me the position as the director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese. In addition to being pastor of Sacred Heart, I am to increase the time dedicated to the Office of Divine Worship. I also still have two more summers of graduate school to finish the degree in Sacred Liturgy from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake.

I know this sounds like a lot, it is. Being a pastor is my highest priority and the reason why I was ordained a priest. The Sacred Heart Family and caring for your needs will always come first. I am happy to be in Bloomfield. It is a community I have known since I was in college. I am also devoted to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the fire of divine love which flows from his heart. I am looking forward to journeying towards heaven and holiness with you.

Deacon Anthony Nwankwo

Deacon Richard Santos

Deacon Richard Santos, the oldest of seven children, was born on July 20, 1964 in Boston, MA. Richard was ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on June 12, 2004 by the Most Reverend Henry J. Mansell, Archbishop of Hartford. Prior to ordination he was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church and upon ordination he was assigned to St. Brigid, West Hartford for six years. Richard returned to Sacred Heart in June 2010. Richard received a B.A. degree in religious studies from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell and is currently pursuing a masters degree. Richard is the religion department chair at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford. Richard and his wife Renee live in West Hartford.

Mary Swetcky, Secretary

Doris Battle, Religious Education Coordinator

Julia Barksdale, Youth Minister and Confirmation Coordinator
Julia Barksdale was born and raised in Austin, TX on October 5th 1995 as the youngest of four. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville and earned her B.A in Theology with a concentration in Youth Ministry. A lover of all things evangelization, Julia participated and led hundreds of high schoolers through retreat ministry, participated in prison ministry, homeless ministry, and hospital ministry. Julia loves to travel and has been to 11 countries and served in France and Ecuador on medical mission trips. While in college, Julia served in the Army National Guard for 6 years in the transportation corps. Upon graduation, Julia spent two years on the Eastern Shore of Maryland teaching religion in a Catholic High School. Julia moved to Connecticut the summer of 2022 and lives in Glastonbury with her husband, Timothy.

Rian Grimmer, Director of Music/Accompanist
Rian Grimmer was born in New Haven on August 15, 1991, to be the elder brother of two sisters. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2015, with a B.Mus. in Composition, with focused studies in Conducting and Music Production & Engineering. He received his high school diploma in 2009 from the Trumbull Agriscience & Biotechnology Center, concentrating in Biotechnology & Environmental Science. Amongst composing music, playing the organ, and directing the church choir, he enjoys playing keyboards and singing for bands and ensembles of mixed styles, in both live and studio settings. His hobbies and interests include astronomy, biology, physics, art history, historical reenactment, sewing, and online gaming with friends, in addition to film, television, and literature in the genres of mythology, science fiction, and fantasy. He resides in West Hartford with his two cats, Gigi and Willie.

	Fr. Michael Ruminski, Pastor It is a joy to arrive at Sacred Heart Parish in Bloomfield. We will be spending the next few months getting to know each other, but I will give you a head start with some basic background information. I was born out west in Nevada, my father was a mining engineer at the time. When I was seven, we moved to Watertown, CT – my father had moved to copper and plastic recycling (which he called “urban mining”). I studied music at University of Hartford where I graduated in 2008. Immediately after college I entered seminary. As a seminarian I went to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia (for philosophy) and the Catholic University of America in D.C. (for theology). By God’s grace I was ordained a priest in 2014. My first assignment was at St. Joseph and St. Gabriel churches in Windsor. Then, I spent a year at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph where I organized the “Jubilee of Mercy” for the Archdiocese in 2016 (and also was chaplain at University of Hartford). At the end of 2016 I was made pastor of the newly formed Our Lady of Hope parish in the towns of New Hartford and Harwinton where I was tasked with merging two parishes into a new community. In addition to that assignment, the Archbishop assigned me to further studies in Sacred Liturgy (through summer school) and gave me the position as the director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese. In addition to being pastor of Sacred Heart, I am to increase the time dedicated to the Office of Divine Worship. I also still have two more summers of graduate school to finish the degree in Sacred Liturgy from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. I know this sounds like a lot, it is. Being a pastor is my highest priority and the reason why I was ordained a priest. The Sacred Heart Family and caring for your needs will always come first. I am happy to be in Bloomfield. It is a community I have known since I was in college. I am also devoted to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the fire of divine love which flows from his heart. I am looking forward to journeying towards heaven and holiness with you.
	Deacon Anthony Nwankwo
	Deacon Richard Santos Deacon Richard Santos, the oldest of seven children, was born on July 20, 1964 in Boston, MA. Richard was ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on June 12, 2004 by the Most Reverend Henry J. Mansell, Archbishop of Hartford. Prior to ordination he was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church and upon ordination he was assigned to St. Brigid, West Hartford for six years. Richard returned to Sacred Heart in June 2010. Richard received a B.A. degree in religious studies from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell and is currently pursuing a masters degree. Richard is the religion department chair at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford. Richard and his wife Renee live in West Hartford.
	Mary Swetcky, Secretary
	Doris Battle, Religious Education Coordinator
	Julia Barksdale, Youth Minister and Confirmation Coordinator Julia Barksdale was born and raised in Austin, TX on October 5th 1995 as the youngest of four. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville and earned her B.A in Theology with a concentration in Youth Ministry. A lover of all things evangelization, Julia participated and led hundreds of high schoolers through retreat ministry, participated in prison ministry, homeless ministry, and hospital ministry. Julia loves to travel and has been to 11 countries and served in France and Ecuador on medical mission trips. While in college, Julia served in the Army National Guard for 6 years in the transportation corps. Upon graduation, Julia spent two years on the Eastern Shore of Maryland teaching religion in a Catholic High School. Julia moved to Connecticut the summer of 2022 and lives in Glastonbury with her husband, Timothy.
	Rian Grimmer, Director of Music/Accompanist Rian Grimmer was born in New Haven on August 15, 1991, to be the elder brother of two sisters. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2015, with a B.Mus. in Composition, with focused studies in Conducting and Music Production & Engineering. He received his high school diploma in 2009 from the Trumbull Agriscience & Biotechnology Center, concentrating in Biotechnology & Environmental Science. Amongst composing music, playing the organ, and directing the church choir, he enjoys playing keyboards and singing for bands and ensembles of mixed styles, in both live and studio settings. His hobbies and interests include astronomy, biology, physics, art history, historical reenactment, sewing, and online gaming with friends, in addition to film, television, and literature in the genres of mythology, science fiction, and fantasy. He resides in West Hartford with his two cats, Gigi and Willie.