Hi, my name is Fr. Tony Recker. I was named pastor of St. Paul’s by Bishop Daniel Thomas in the spring of 2022 and arrived in July of that same year. I’ve been a priest since May of 2009 and have served in a variety of assignments in the Diocese of Toledo: St. Joan of Arc, Toledo, Parochial Vicar (2009-2012); St. Mary, Norwalk and St. Anthony, Milan, Pastor (2012-2016); and All Saints, Rossford, Pastor (2016-2022). I am excited to be back in Norwalk as the Pastor of St. Paul parish. I attended seminary at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio, where our former pastor, Msgr. Ken Morman, served as Dean of the Seminary and also taught me Latin (he was also my next-door neighbor).
I am originally from Napoleon, Ohio, where I attended St. Augustine School and Napoleon High School. I am the fifth of six children, with 2 brothers, 3 sisters and 20 nieces and nephews.
I love being a priest and love being a pastor. I was blessed to previously serve in Norwalk at St. Mary’s, so I arrived with a sense of coming home. I have many interests, but especially love being with parishioners and sharing the life of faith. I try to keep Jesus at the heart of everything I do. With St. Paul as our patron, my goal as a priest it to bring the love of Jesus to the people of Norwalk and Huron county.