Fr.Jay grew up in East Bridgewater and Brockton and has a twin brother Justin who is special needs. He attended East Bridgewater High School and started his college career at Massasoit Community College. Growing up Greek Orthodox he always had a special place in his heart for God and explored Faith more deeply after a pilgrimage to Saint Ann and Saint Joseph in Canada. At the Easter Vigil in 1996 he came into full communion with the Catholic Church. While he attended UMass Boston, he frequently visited Saint Anthony Shrine on Arch Street in Boston. Feeling a call to priesthood he entered Saint John’s Seminary College in Brighton in 1998. After three years he completed a bachelor's degree in liberal arts at Saint John’s and received a Bachelor from Boston College. In the summer of 2001, he was sent to Rome to the North American College and studied at the Gregorian University. He left Rome in 2006 with a licentiate in sacred theology and began his first parish assignment in Foxboro. Fr. Jay has served as Administrator in Amesbury, Pastor in Whitman, Pastor in Dorchester, Parochial Vicar in Milton, and now he is currently the Pastor of the Saugus Catholic Collaborative. Both Saint Margaret’s and Blessed Sacrament in Saugus welcomed him on June 1, 2021.
Fr. Jay has been very open about being a grateful member of Alcoholics Anonymous getting sober in February of 2015. He states, “the ability to share with parishioners my struggle with alcoholism has been an incredible blessing.” Fr. Jay feels that the Church locally and universally must be radically transparent to move forward into the future with the vigor the Lord demands. Fr. Jay believes that he can’t expect this type of transparency from the Church is he is not radically transparent about himself.
Fr. Jay loves being a priest and enjoys certain hobbies including traveling, fishing, computers, gaming, cooking and a good cigar! He is an avid animal lover and was gifted Thea, a brown Boston Terrier, for his birthday and sobriety anniversary.
Fr. Jay says, “I am truly excited to be in Saugus and fell in love with the area and parishes right away. I look forward to continuing the great work that has been done and is being done my parishioners and staff.”