Elk County Catholic School System welcomes Fr. Christopher Beran as their new campus minister. Besides his work at ECC, Fr. Chris also serves as Pastor of St. Boniface in Kersey. He comes with a wide-range of educational and professional experience.
Fr. Chris grew up in Sterling Heights, MI in the Metro Detroit area. Following high school, he attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI where he began his studies as a Pre-Pharmacy student. Feeling a potential call to enter seminary soon after starting there but not yet taking the leap, he switched majors and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with two minors: Religious Studies, and Health, Illness and Society. He completed that degree in just three years in order to enter formation for the Archdiocese of Detroit as a seminarian at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He completed the two-year Pre-Theology program there, earning a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in the process.
Being not quite sure if diocesan priesthood was for him and wanting to take some time to look at religious life, he left formation with the Archdiocese of Detroit; however, he immediately continued his education by attending Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio where he graduated with a Master of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry. During his time at Franciscan, he served on a mission trip to Australia and upon graduating when looking for jobs then saw a posting for a Campus Minister at the North Sydney Campus of Australian Catholic University. He applied and got the job! He lived and worked in Australia for some 16 months before than returning home to the States. Almost immediately upon his return, he was offered a Campus Ministry job at Gannon University in Erie, and it is thus how he came to the Diocese. After working at Gannon for three years with the call to the priesthood still on his heart, he entered seminary formation for the Diocese of Erie.
As such, he spent one year living in formation at St. Mark Seminary in Erie while also serving as Campus Minister for Edinboro University through Our Lady of the Lake Parish. He was then assigned him to St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe for his theological studies. Fr. Chris graduated there with a Master of Divinity and a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology. Fr. Chris was ordained a priest at St. Peter Cathedral on May 26, 2023.
Fr. Chris attended public school all the way up until his first time in seminary. Since then, however, he has been connected with Catholic education in some form or another and is passionate for it and the faith. He comes to Elk County after serving the past two years at St. George Catholic Church and School in Erie. He also served as Chaplain at Penn State University’s Behrend Campus this past year.
Fr. Chris is no stranger to the eastern side of the Diocese. He served as a Deacon and, for a short time, as a Parochial Vicar at St. Eulalia in Coudersport. During his seminary formation, he also spent three summers serving at Young People Who Care in Frenchville and has helped out with the Divine Mercy Encounter Retreats that have taken place at ECC in the past. Fr. Chris enjoys hiking and kayaking. He also makes latch hook rugs, knotted rosaries, and recently taught himself how to crochet. Fr. Chris is looking forward to seeing what the Holy Spirit has in store for him at Elk County Catholic in the year ahead!
