Pastoral Staff

Fr. Patrick Freitag

Fr. Freitag was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He has four sisters and three brothers. He is a graduate of Queen Anne High School and Gonzaga University. After college, he worked as an auditor for the accounting firm, Touche Ross. He then obtained a Masters in International Business from the University of South Carolina and returned to the Northwest to administrate Kenworth and Peterbilt truck sales in the Pacific Rim for PACCAR International.

He left PACCAR in 1991 to enter the pre-theology program at the Seminary of Christ the King in Mission, BC, then attended Mundelein Seminary north of Chicago for four years of theological and pastoral formation. On June 8, 1996, Archbishop Murphy ordained Fr. Freitag to the priesthood at St. James Cathedral.

Prior to becoming the Regional Pastor for the Catholic Parishes and Missions of Grays Harbor County, he served as a Parochial Vicar at St. Mary Magdalene ( Everett), Sacred Heart and Assumption (Bellingham), and as Pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea (Bremerton) and St. Monica (Mercer Island).

Fr. Freitag's companion in ministry is his Golden Retriever, Sophia. He enjoys walking Sophia while praying the Rosary, doing his own vehicle maintenance and upgrades, reading science fiction, and spending time with family and friends. He owns a vacant lot in Ocean Shores, where he likes to go RVing with his sister and brother-in-law. Someday soon he hopes to build a small home there to spend time off and eventually retire as our Regional Pastor Emeritus.

Fr. Showreelu Simham

Fr. Showreelu Simham was born on October 21, 1980 and raised in southern part of India in the village of Mutluru. He is the youngest of three sons from a family with a Christian tradition dating back 200 years. His parents entered him in the seminary when he was in 6th grade. In addition to his philosophical and theological studies at St. John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad, he earned Bachelor of Commerce and English Literature degrees. He was ordained in the year 2011 on April 28 for the mission diocese of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh state.

On a personal note, Fr. Simham likes all types of food - he follows the motto from his seminary days "eat what is placed before you." He plays cricket, football (soccer), and table tennis. He likes to visit new places and learn about new cultures. His other interests include watching the news and studying the history of places.

Fr. Jaya Kumar Embeti

Fr. Jaya Kumar was born December 1, 1980, in Chinthareddy Palem, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He has served as a diocesan priest in the diocese of Nellore, India.

He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree, a Master of Arts degree in Literature (Shakespeare), a Master of Social Work, and a Diploma in Carnatic Music in Kali Khavari College of Fine Arts in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. He studied philosophy at St. John’s Regional Seminary, Kondadaba, Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, India and theology at St. John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad, in Telangana, India. He was ordained on April 28, 2011.

His appointments have included:
2011-2012 – Assistant Pastor in Tripuranthakam Parish
2012-2014 – Musical Studies (Carnatic Music in South Indian style)
2014-2017 – Pastor to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hanumanthunipadu Parish
2017-2018 – Language Course in German
2018 – Ministry in St. Stephen’s the Martyr Church, in USA