Meet our Staff!!
Who We Are
Father Kevin Sweeney
Pastor
Fr. Kevin Sweeney, comes to us after spending the last 24 years on Active Duty with the Navy and Marine Corps. A homegrown priest ordained for the Diocese of Orange in 1994. Fr. Kevin was born in Newport Beach and grew up in Costa Mesa. St Joachim is his home parish.Fr. Kevin graduated from Newport Harbor High School, has a BA in Philosophy from the Dominican School of Philosophy in Berkeley CA. For his graduate degree in Theology, Fr. Kevin studied at Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict OR.
After serving 3 years at San Francisco Solano Parish in Rancho Santa Margarita, Fr. Kevin was given permission from Bishop McFarland to go on Active Duty as a Navy Chaplain. For the next 24 years Fr. Kevin has served around the world in a variety of assignments, 10 tours, 3 with the Navy and 7 with the Marine Corps. On 30 June 2021 Fr. Kevin retired as the Command Chaplain for Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Installations West. Fr. Kevin retired at the rank of Navy Captain.
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Fr. Kevin became the new pastor for St. Vincent de Paul on 01 July 2021.
714-842-3000 ext. 104
Father David Otto
Parochial Vicar
Fr. David Otto was born and grew up in Westminster, California. His home parishes were Blessed Sacrament and St. Bonaventure churches. He graduated from Westminster High School and afterwards worked at the Pavilion’s grocery store as the “fish monger,” seafood manager and meat department staff.
His mother and grandmother, Lita, played a significant role in guiding him in his faith. He was attending California State University Long Beach when he repeatedly heard God calling him to the priesthood. He formalized his discernment by responding to a bulletin article that read, “Men interested in becoming a priest, come to Marywood for discernment.” Fr. David was ordained in 2016 with a Master of Divinity from St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California. Before coming to St. Vincent de Paul Church, he happily served at St. Mary’s in Fullerton and St. Joseph’s in Santa Ana, CA.
Fr. David is a dog lover and the owner of a pug named Pokie. He enjoys the outdoors, reading, and listening to Big Band Music, especially songs by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Most recently, he has started to listen to music in Spanish. He likes to eat Mexican, Italian, and Japanese food. He also likes to drive around in his 1997 Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck. He is delighted to begin his new assignment as Parochial Vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Church effective on July 1, 2023.
714-842-3000 ext. 103
Pastor Emeritus Jerome T. Karcher
Father Karcher was born and raised in Anaheim, California, as one of the twelve children of Carl and Margaret Karcher. He was baptized at Saint Boniface Church in Anaheim, California and attended the parish school for eight years. He then attended Mater Dei High School for one year and was graduated from Servite High School in Anaheim.
Having attended the University of San Diego and Gonzaga University in Florence, Italy, he was graduated from Loyola University of Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He has also received a degree in Philosophy from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California, where he also studied theology. Theological studies were completed at Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, where a Master of Arts degree in Theology was granted.
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On February 12, 1983 Father Karcher was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop William Johnson for the service of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, California.
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He has served at St. Norbert Church in Orange, St. Anne Church in Santa Ana and St. Joachim Church in Costa Mesa. On July 1, 1995 he was installed as the pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Huntington Beach, California. After reaching retirement age, Fr. Jerome was named Pastor Emeritus of St Vincent de Paul Parish on July 1, 2022.
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Fr. Jerome is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Mercy House Living Centers which serves and houses homeless men, women and children in Orange County at its various facilities.
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For more information on Mercy House, please click on the link below:
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Deacon Gerard Wallace
​Deacon Jerry was born in Los Angeles and raised in Anaheim. He is among the first families of Saint Justin Martyr parish. He attended grade school at Saint Justin Martyr and high school at Servite High School in Anaheim. He graduated with a BA in business management from Cal State Fullerton. He is retired from the corporate world and collaborates in various parish ministries as well as Detention Ministry for the Orange County jails and visits patients at UCI hospital. Deacon Jerry and his wife, Cathryn, moved to Huntington Beach in 2002 and joined St. Vincent de Paul Church. He was ordained a Deacon for the Diocese of Orange by Bishop Tod Brown on May 21, 2011 and was assigned to serve at Saint Vincent de Paul Church
714-842-3000
Deacon Angelo Giambrone
Deacon Angelo was ordained in October 2015 from the Diocese of Orange.
He and his wonderful wife Cindy have been members of St. Vincent de Paul Church for many years and have supported several ministries like bringing communion to the sick and homebound, during Mass.
Deacon Angelo and his wife, Cindy, are involved with various Engaged Couple and Married Couple Ministries including The Marriage Course by ALPHA, FOCCUS Facilitators for Engaged Couple Marriage Prep, and Worldwide Marriage Encounter ministry.
Deacon Angelo and Cindy also host a radio show and podcast called, “Wedding Banns”, on Sprit Filled Radio. They and their 3 children have been active members and participate in the life of the parish.
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Link to Podcast:
https://www.spiritfilledevents.com/wedding-banns
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DeaconAngelo@svdphb.org
Deacon Alfredo Santana
Deacon Alfredo Santana was ordained on October 14, 2023, by our esteemed Bishop Kevin Vann. He, alongside his beloved wife Rosita, has been an integral member of the San Vincent de Paul parish since 2002, actively participating in numerous ministries.
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Born in the city of Tijuana, Baja California, Alfredo is one amongst thirteen siblings - a family of 8 sisters and 5 brothers, with him being the ninth. The Santana family made the move to Santa Ana, California when Alfredo was 14 years old. He attended Santa Ana High School,and also played baseball and soccer. Pursuing a passion for Mechanical Engineering, Alfredo now stands as a successful entrepreneur, specializing in the manufacturing of aircraft components. The bond between Deacon Alfredo and Rosita has been blessed with two wonderful children, Alfredo Jr. and Kenny, and they take immense pride in their 4 grandsons and 3 granddaughters. In his leisure time, Alfredo finds solace in the sport of golf.
