Staff – Karen Bartos

Karen Bartos was born in PA but raised on the west side of Warren. She graduated from Western Reserve High School in 1974 and attended Kent State University studying elementary education. In 1978, she was married to John Bartos, Jr. and they had two sons, John and Michael. Previously, Karen volunteered for 14 years in various children’s ministries and also coordinated for two years the children’s ministries at Churchill First United Methodist Church.

She joined St. Patrick Church through the RCIA process at the Easter Vigil of 2000 along with her sons, John III and Michael. In the summer of 2000, Fr. Tim O’Neill hired her part-time as the CCD Principal and to coordinate the sacramental preparation and celebrations for the parish. In the summer of 2001, she was hired full time to also grow and coordinate all the youth ministries for the parish. Through the years she has continued her faith formation through many lay ministry formation classes, theology classes at Walsh University, and various diocesan conferences and workshops. She has enjoyed learning, serving and building so many friendships through the years that have brought her to where she is today. As Coordinator of Religious Education at St. Pat’s, she continues to pray and seek new ways that we can all continue to make faith formation a fun and loving experience to share the love of Christ with our families.

Her sons are both married and beginning their own families. John III is married to Mary and they now have a daughter, Ariana and a son, John Paul IV. Michael is married to Julie and they are both very busy in their careers. Karen enjoys reading and crocheting. In the summer months she enjoys boating and fishing on Lake Erie with her husband, Deacon John.