Ordained for the Diocese of Orange in 2009, Deacon Wayne Thompson grew up in Anaheim, CA. As a young man he met an Italian student immigrant, Rosa, and fell in love – the two were married in 1979 and would go on to raise a son and a daughter. But also in young adulthood, Wayne drifted away from the Lord and even got into trouble with the law, resulting in a painful period in life that terminated in his decision to give himself totally to the Lord and return to the practice of the Catholic faith wholeheartedly. This conversion eventually led to an offering of himself in ministerial service to the Church, and also, to his’ and Rosa’s acceptance of guardianship for their three grandsons when circumstances no longer allowed their parents to care for them. Seeking a more wholesome environment in which to raise the boys, the Thompsons moved to the Gallatin Valley in early 2020 and are settling into their new life here. During the week Dcn. Wayne works as a professional mechanic at Ressler Chevrolet, and on the weekends, he shares preaching duties with Dcn. Warner Holm every other month.