Father Luke Ballman was named Pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church effective July 1, 2023, returning “home” to his first assignment following his ordination in 2001. A native of Ohio, Fr. Ballman worked for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) for eight years prior to entering the seminary for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Fr. Ballman’s seminary studies took him to Rome, Italy where he earned a baccalaureate degree in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and later his licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. After serving as Parochial Vicar at Holy Spirit parish from 2001-2005, Fr. Ballman was named Pastor of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Covington, Georgia until his appointment as Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Atlanta two years later. Fr. Ballman returned to Rome in 2011, joining the faculty of the Pontifical North American College as Director of Apostolic Formation/Formation Advisor. In 2016, Fr. Ballman joined the staff of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), serving as the Associate Director and then Executive Director for the Secretariat for Clergy Consecrated Life and Vocations. Fr. Ballman concluded his commitment to the USCCB in December 2022 and took a six-month sabbatical in preparation for his return to pastoral duties in Atlanta. It was during this time that Fr. Ballman went on pilgrimage walking the Camino de Santiago, or “Way of St. James.” In his spare time, Fr. Ballman enjoys running, reading about history, cooking, and traveling. We are very grateful for Fr. Ballman’s counsel and service to HSP and look forward to his leadership in continuing the important and longstanding collaboration between Holy Spirit parish and the school.