Diocese of St. Petersburg (Echo 21 & 22)
Matt Cutrona, Tina Tetecatl, Arianne Lintag, Tom Canuel
Matt Cutrona
Echo Class:
Echo 22 Parish Apprentice
Echo Placement:
St. Timothy Catholic Church
Diocese of St. Petersburg
Hometown:
Flushing, New York
Undergraduate Institution & Area(s) of Study:
The Catholic University of America, 2025
Politics Pre-Law, Philosophy (minor) & Sports Management (minor)
What are your favorite hobbies and activities outside of your ministry work?
I am a huge baseball fan, so you might find me either watching baseball, researching the analytics or the history of it, or playing with friends. I also enjoy reading and have recently gotten into exploring, especially being new to the area. Being Italian, I do enjoy being in the kitchen and cooking food and breaking bread with friends and family.
What attracted you to Echo and helped you decide to join the program?
Echo allows its students to be "boots on the ground" with ministerial work, encountering people in different parts of their lives yet striving for the same thing: holiness. Echo, with its phenomenal education and formation, allows for holistic growth in community!
What have you enjoyed most about your Echo experience thus far?
I have really enjoyed the community aspect of my Echo experience. While taking courses and formation sessions over the summer, I have been able to create great friendships among my classmates, many of whom are scattered across the country in their dioceses working at parishes and schools. The opportunity to take courses with them, pray with them, have fun and learn from them has been amazing!
What kinds of things will you be doing at your Echo placement?
I will be working within Faith Formation, Youth & Young Adult Ministries, and other various Parish assignments from bulletin creation to liturgical ministries!
What advice would you give to Echo applicants?
Reflect on the question that Jesus poses to the first disciples: "What do you seek?" (Jn 1:38). We are best suited to hear the answer if we sit and reflect in the presence of God, attuning our hearts and minds to His. When we do that, we are better able to follow Jesus for what He has planned: "Come, and you will see" (Jn 1:39).
Arianne Lintag
Echo Class:
Echo 22 Parish Apprentice
Echo Placement:
Our Lady of Lourdes
Diocese of St. Petersburg
Hometown:
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Undergraduate Institution & Area(s) of Study:
Seton Hall University, 2023
Biology B.S. (Major), Catholic Studies (Major)
What are your favorite hobbies and activities outside of your ministry work?
My favorite hobbies include early morning runs, reading spiritual books, watching movies/tv shows with my community, playing the piano, going out for a matcha latte or boba tea, thrifting at local thrift shops, and hiking at the state park and finding some alligators in the wild!
What is your favorite quote, song, or image?
My favorite image of all time is Rembrandt's painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son." In my first year as a FOCUS missionary, I led a women’s bible study on the Parable of the Prodigal Son using this image. This painting powerfully portrays the tender love of God the Father who always receives His beloved children in a warm embrace.
What attracted you to Echo and helped you decide to join the program?
What attracted me to Echo is the opportunity to serve in a parish. I have always wanted to help build the church and to teach the faith to people of all ages and walks of life. I am grateful to God for placing me at Our Lady of Lourdes, that I get to work with the most amazing and holiest people that I've ever met and live out my dream of serving the Church.
What kinds of things will you be doing at your Echo placement?
I am dipping my toes into all kinds of ministries at my parish! I will help with our high school and middle school youth groups, high school bible study, sacramental prep, and the OCIA program. I will also be part of the music ministry as the pianist for mass. I am grateful to use all of the gifts God has given to me to serve this parish!
What is the most significant thing you’ve learned in Echo?
Ministry is messy, and that's okay! Ministry is building deep connections and relationships with people, and that doesn't always look smooth and easy. Nobody is perfect, all of us are on the way. But it is in the messiness and hardships that God's grace will shine through. Trust in God to take of all the details!
What advice would you give to Echo applicants?
Ask God to open the eyes of your heart! Pray for the vision to see where God's hand is moving in your life. And do not give into fears, doubts, and lies, take the leap of faith!
Tom Canuel
Echo Class:
Echo 21 Parish Apprentice
Echo Placement:
Saint Lawrence Parish
Diocese of St. Petersburg
Hometown:
Taunton, MA
Undergraduate Institution & Area(s) of Study:
Saint Anselm College , 2024
Theology, Music
What are your favorite hobbies and activities outside of your ministry work?
Outside of ministry, I love to run and play different sports such as basketball, pickleball, and volleyball. I am very active and love almost anything I can get competitive in or use up some energy. I am a big football and baseball fan and regularly enjoy watching the Red Sox and Patriots too. Finally, I enjoy playing music on my guitar or keyboard at home!
What have you enjoyed most about your Echo experience thus far?
Every day, I come home more joyful and inspired because of the witness of our parish staff, volunteers, and parishioners. I love all the various opportunities I have been given to teach, serve, and apply what I have learned at Notre Dame during the summer to my ministry. My ministry continues to be the biggest blessing in my life.
What is the most significant thing you’ve learned in Echo?
The most significant thing I have learned from Echo is the centrality of the Eucharist in my ministry. The Eucharist is not only the source and summit of our faith but also commits us to the poor and those we serve at our parishes. The Eucharist is what transforms my work and grounds it in Christ. From the sacrifice, we are called to share what we have received with others.