Clergy – Ciero

Rev. Ben Cameron, C.P.M., Pastor

Fr. Ben Cameron was born in Kokomo, Indiana, and grew up as a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in that city. During his junior high and
high school years, he attended a small Christian school that was
operated by a local Baptist church. It was in that non-Catholic
environment, where his faith was often challenged, that he began to
study the Catholic Faith. Fr. Ben is a 1991 graduate of Christendom
College, a small Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia,
where he became involved in a lay apostolate known as the Legion of
Mary, which awakened his desire to share his Catholic Faith with others.
Upon receiving his degree in Political Science and History, Fr. Ben
planned a career in the political arena but soon found that God had
other plans. He joined the Fathers of Mercy in 1992, studied theology at
Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut, and was ordained to
the Holy Priesthood on May 31, 1997.

Fr. Ben has served as Vocation Director, Treasurer, Mission Director and Assistant General of the Fathers of Mercy during his priesthood. He is currently serving as a full-time parish mission preacher and retreat master, which has been his apostolate since 2000. He also serves as the Spiritual Director of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy, a new confraternity in the Church for women and men, once wounded by abortion, but now seeking holiness.

Rev. Victor Moratin, CPM Parochial Vicar

Rev. Peter Stryker

Along with his two brothers and three sisters, Fr. Peter grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He enjoyed photography, running, and other wholesome activities, yet he also has fond memories of attending Mass and praying the Rosary as a family. After college, he worked for Westin Hotels & Resorts. He frequently stopped in at the Daughters of St. Paul Bookstore, and the Sisters there encouraged him to pray about religious life and priesthood. He entered the Fathers of Mercy in August of 1991, received formation at St. Philip’s Seminary in Toronto, and he thanks God that he was ordained a priest on May 30th, 1998. Fr. Peter is now blessed to be serving the faithful at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, located in the Diocese of Green Bay.

Rev. Mr. Lee G. Bidwell

Deacon Lee Bidwell was born in Owensboro, KY. He graduated from Owensboro Catholic High School and Western Kentucky University. He served in the United STates Navy. He is married to Frances and they have four sons. Deacon formation classes started in November of 1977 in Somerset, KY. Class was held at least one weekend a month with ordination in June of 1981. The role of deacon is to assist the priest in preaching, the conferral of baptism, performance of marriage, the administration of parishes and sick duties. Deacon Bidwell has taught religious education classes for over forty years. He takes Holy Communion to patients in the nursing home, hospital and shut-ins on the weekends.

Rev. Mr. David U. Smith

Deacon David U. Smith grew up with his parents and younger sister less than a mile away from Churchill Downs Racetrack (home of the Kentucky Derby and his first job) in Louisville, KY. After graduating from St. Frances DeSales High School, Deacon Smith received degrees from Bellarmine and Spalding Universities. As well as being ordained for nearly 10 years (August 26, 2006) and having been assigned to St. Helen and Our Lady of the Caves Churches since 2009, he and his wife Theresa have been married for nearly 30 years (June 21, 1986) and have two sons, Bryan and Adam, both Eagle Scouts. Bryan has since married and made them proud grandparents. Adam, a recent WKU graduate, hopes to continue in neuro-chemistry. As a Registered Nurse (RN) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMPT), Deacon Smith is employed fulltime by the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health. In addition, he has counseled (Archdiocese’s Parish Counselor Program) those who have experienced emotional/relationship difficulties, including Tribunal Restriction and bereavement counseling. Theresa and he are Metropolitan Tribunal’s auditors/advocates, assisting with marriage annulment process. Also, Theresa and he prepare couples for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony including instruction in Natural Family Planning (NFP) as a Teaching Couple through the Couple to Couple League (CCL).