Fr. John Paul Heisler was ordained a priest by Bishop Burbidge in June 2021, and St. James is his first assignment as a parochial vicar. He grew up in Front Royal and is the second oldest of 9, so this parish family is even bigger than what he is used to! Growing up, he played lots of basketball and baseball. These days he loves cycling and gardening, so the construction on the W&OD is a temporary bummer, but the parish gardens are great! Time spent in silence with Jesus as a teenager set his heart on fire with a love of the priesthood that led him to enter the seminary. Among the many things he wanted to be when he grew up, a parish priest was always at the top of the list. This assignment is a dream come true.