Canonically Resident Priest
Rector of St. John’s, Essex
The arc of Catherine’s life has provided many vantage points from which to witness, experience, develop, and deepen a Christ-centered life of faith. Born in San Francisco to an immigrant mother and an American father, Catherine describes herself as “Asian-fusion with a Hispanic twist,” having spent most of her childhood summers in the southern Philippines. There, she experienced the joy of extended family while living in a region of extreme poverty amid great civil unrest. After earning a degree in civil engineering, Catherine served in the Navy as a Civil Engineer Corps officer. Her military career culminated with an exhilarating four-year tour in charge of the Navy’s construction office in Iceland. While continuing in public service as a federal employee, Catherine eventually realized she could no longer outrun the “still small voice” calling her to ordained ministry. Following graduation from seminary in May and her subsequent priesting in June 2021, Catherine served her curacy at St. Paul’s K Street, Washington DC. Catherine loves a good mystery novel, riding trains, exploring cultures, learning what makes people “tick,” and sharing a meal with friends. She dearly loves her husband of nearly 38 years, Bill Burns, and they consider themselves very lucky that Barney, their 13-year old rescue dog, shares his home with them.