Page 22 September 2014 New priest brings serious goals, lighthearted spirit By Katie Mayer “Now pray.” When Father Steve Kunkel utters these two words, the response is tender – his Australian Kelpie-mix rescue dog, Hope gently bows her head. Wherever Kunkel goes, Hope generally trots along with him. And hope – the human kind – is also what Kunkel brings along with him to the Valley parishes he has served for the last 15 years. At Mesa’s Christ the King Catholic Church, Kunkel added in healing and reinvigorated hope by creating the St. Peregrine Shrine for people suffering from cancer. Recently, he was appointed pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Parish as well as its elementary school. “I hope that when people come here, they feel the love that God has for them,” Kunkel said. Kunkel, who goes by “Father Steve,” “Father Kunkel,” or even the humorous “Uncle Kunkel” became interested in the priesthood when he was just a child. “As a child, I thought the priest was magic,” Kunkel recalls with a laugh. “I          ' ‘ Gandalf.” After graduating college, Kunkel obtained an internship as a computer programmer at a bank, and around that "     '   to give the priesthood a try or he may miss the opportunity. “It was a very scary time to give up my work at the bank,” Kunkel recalls. But he made the leap anyway. Kunkel participated in a pastoral year, attended Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology and then enrolled in the U.S. Army as a Chaplain. About 15 years ago, Kunkel moved to Phoenix because the Valley needed priests and it allowed him to live closer to family members. Today, he appreciates the support of a large community of priests and enjoys the desert beauty. “I fell in love with the desert,” Kunkel said. “I had never seen a wide open space with all the colors.” Today, the energetic priest is still enamored with the landscape. In fact, among his favorite hobbies is photography and taking scenic shots of starry skies and desert rock formations. One of Fr. Kunkel’s hobbies is photography. Here he captured his new parish, St. Thomas the Apostle. Continued on page 24 His other hobby is espresso, which he makes fresh from an imported Italian espresso machine. He also ties rosaries out of fabric and creates custom baptism candles out of recycled church candles. “For me, it’s important that my personality is approachable,” Kunkel said. In mass, the friendly priest often sings hymns, and has even added a hymn at the end of mass. “He just has the purest heart and a beautiful innocence about him,” said Bridgette Cosentino, parish manager at Christ the King Catholic Church, where Kunkel was previously pastor. Father Steven Kunkel / Photo by Katie Mayer JCL.co m /practices We’re here for you Right around the corner, you’ll find three primary care practices, giving you easy access to family medicine physicians and services. Whether you need to be seen right away for a cold or flu, or you want to schedule your regular checkup, we’re nearby and ready to help. Call today. shc.org/pri m arycare Arcadia Fa m ily Clinic 4131 N. 24th Street, Suite B102 602-955-6632 Pri m ary Care Arcadia 100 4840 E. Indian School Road, Suite 100 480-882-7360 Pri m ary Care Arcadia 101 4840 E. Indian School Road, Suite 101 480-882-7350 • Accepting new patients • Same day appointments • Most insurance plans accepted • Extended office hours Need a Doctor?

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