‘Go-to guy’ for parishes and Ponderosa
Monsignor Winslow elevates the Precious Blood during Mass for the 2024 Duc In Altum vocation summer camp at Belmont Abbey.CHARLOTTE — Monsignor Patrick Winslow carries some lofty titles.
Vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte. Canon lawyer. Former Promoter of Justice. And one of only 50 American priests appointed by Pope Francis to serve as a worldwide Missionary of Mercy.
He’s also a member of diocesan leadership boards that aren’t exactly household names – the Presbyteral Council, College of Consultors, Vocations Board – but help keep the Church running in western North Carolina.
Yet when you ask him which credential represents his most important work he goes to what he calls the essence of the Church: Father Winslow, parish priest.
“Seeing the impact I’ve had in the lives of people as a priest is extraordinarily fulfilling,” says Father Winslow, who is celebrating his 25th anniversary of ordination this month. “I will run into parishioners I haven’t seen in a while, and seeing the way they look at me with such fondness and appreciation – it just never ceases to surprise me.”
A parish priest for 20 of those 25 years, he has served in Tryon, Jefferson, Sparta, Charlotte and briefly in New York, where he began his ministry in 1999.
“There isn’t a thing I do today at a diocesan level that isn’t informed by my experience as a parish priest, working directly with the People of God.”
It has been five years since Father Winslow pastored a parish. As vicar general, he now works uptown in the Diocesan Pastoral Center, which provides leadership and support for the diocese’s 92 parishes, 20 schools and more than 50 ministries. Yet, despite the passage of time, more than 200 friends and former parishioners turned out recently to celebrate his anniversary with a special Mass and party June 8 at his last parish, St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte.
“We love him.” “He listens.” “He’s kind,” they said standing in line to congratulate Father Winslow.
Christine Coutre drove up from Georgia to attend because, she says, “he transformed my life…during a very, very dark time” of loss.
“He impacted my life in ways words can’t express,” she says. “He sent me to Catholic Charities for counseling, and he’d talk with me…When he would give a homily I felt he was speaking to me directly. He could just speak without any script, and his reflections were just so meaningful.”
Today, his “parish,” in effect, encompasses the entire diocese, with its 530,000 Catholics in 46 counties across the western half of North Carolina.
While he’s one step removed from parish life, he says, “I see my role as serving those who serve the people. So it’s important that our diocesan procedures and methods not only help achieve that goal but also reduce the work and the pain that priests and their people might otherwise have to endure to get things done in their churches and their lives.”
As vicar general and chancellor, Father Winslow wields significant influence, working directly with the bishop and acting in place of the bishop in his absence. But the position also carries significant responsibility, a job many priests say they wouldn’t touch. Father Winslow calls his assignment a “blessing” and a “privilege” despite the grueling schedule and “hard calls” he must make, because “ultimately, I have the opportunity make it easier for our parishes to share the promise of Jesus and salvation.”
That opportunity won’t diminish now that the diocese has installed a new bishop. One of the first official actions taken by Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., was to reinstate Father Winslow as his No. 2.
“A 25th anniversary is a big milestone for any priest but in particular for Monsignor Winslow, who has made such a difference in the lives of so many,” the bishop said. “His dedication to the Church of Charlotte has been a rich blessing to my predecessor Bishop Peter Jugis and to me personally. He is a trusted adviser and a holy priest who places his life at the service of the Lord every day.”
Priest in the making
On his way to one of many high school proms he attended, Patrick Winslow was popular in school and helped out at home, becoming like a second father to his twin sisters Mary (left) and Debbie.Although he wasn’t particularly pious as a boy, you can see the makings of a priest by looking back on his life.
Patrick was the baby of three boys born to Rich and Karen Winslow in the late 1960s, that is, until twin girls came along 13 years later. They didn’t have a lot when the boys were young: Dad was transitioning from the Navy to pursue a doctorate degree in chemistry, so the family lived in student housing on the University of Massachusetts’ Amherst campus.
“We were kind of on the poor side in those early years, so the dynamic was to keep things light,” Patrick’s brother Mike says. “Pat was always very funny. We would try to see who could be wittier. We played practical jokes and there was lots of sarcasm.”
Brother Rich adds: “When you don’t have a lot, you’re not taking vacations or going to camp, so you spend a lot of time together. We developed a tight-knit family that never really splintered. There’s a closeness to this day.”
The boys played sports together but Patrick didn’t latch on, probably because, his brothers admit, they stuck him in scut positions like goalie and center while they would shoot pucks at him or play the glory positions.
The Winslows went to church on Sundays and Catholic values were preached at home but their faith deepened over time, and their economic circumstances improved when Rich Winslow Sr. landed a job at General Electric and a house in suburban Albany, New York.
Patrick’s brothers were nearly grown when their sisters were born – so Patrick, age 13, helped take care of the girls, changing diapers and entertaining them, offering a glimpse of his uncommon patience and compassion.
“He was like a second father to us. He was always so kind,” says sister Debbie. She remembers fondly how he taught them to swim and took them to get their ears pierced – without their parents’ knowledge or permission.
His brother Rich says: “Pat was always a good kid. He never really got in trouble. He was always just a kind and gentle kid…So it’s not a surprise, looking back, that becoming a priest has been a good fit.”
Popular and pensive
Other character traits that define him today showed up in high school.
“He was very popular – there wasn’t anyone who didn’t like him,” brother Rich says. Patrick went to more proms at his and other high schools than his brothers did combined, their father says, largely due to the vast network of friends he made working at Ponderosa Steakhouse.
Patrick took that job seriously, learning every aspect of the business – from line cook, to cleaning, to serving, to operations – and he’d eagerly take extra shifts, at times, stepping in as manager.
“He became the go-to guy at Ponderosa,” his father recalls. This may have begun Father Winslow’s tendency to dive into details, to think about things a million different ways – sometimes annoyingly, friends and family joke, but always with the intent of finding a solution to help others.
“He loves process. His brain is usually spinning like the pinwheel on your computer,” says longtime friend Father Matthew Kauth. “It is a mill that is always moving and it depends on what grist gets tossed in there to see what will come out.”
Father Christopher Gober jokes: “Playing golf with him will certainly help you grow in the virtue of patience. He stands over the ball far too long. It takes him forever to swing a golf club because he overanalyzes everything, from his swing to the surroundings. Just hit the ball!”
It’s a trait, Father Winslow says, that can sometimes lead to “over-engineering.”
“The biggest challenge about being vicar general is when something comes up and there isn’t a playbook. You have the expertise but you have to figure out how to apply it in this particular case.”
Building churches and people
Monsignor Patrick Winslow visits with parishioners in 2022 after officiating at the ceremony to elevate the growing St. Jude Mission in Sapphire to parish status. Rica Cabigao, one of his own former Charlotte parishioners, says, “He loves people. He’s very warm and embracing. He preaches a message of love…He always goes back to love.” (Photo by Liz Chandler)At an early age, Patrick developed a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary – from his first glimpse of her in a nativity scene, through his study of her appearance at Fatima. But it wasn’t until he’d entered the doctoral chemistry program at Georgia Tech in 1993 that he suddenly felt a call to the priesthood.
He graduated with a theology degree from Catholic University of America and was ordained in 1999, serving in two parishes and as a prison chaplain in the Diocese of Albany, before moving south in 2002. He became incardinated into the Charlotte diocese.
He served at St. Vincent de Paul in Charlotte, St. Francis of Assisi in Jefferson and its mission, St. Frances of Rome in Sparta, before becoming pastor at St. John the Baptist in Tryon and, in 2012, at St. Thomas Aquinas.
“He’s a builder rather than a caretaker, a problem solver rather than a lounger,” says Father Kauth.
Indeed, Father Winslow overhauled St. John the Baptist in 2010, and renovated the sanctuary of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2018, which included the addition of a dramatic baldachin (or canopy) over the altar.
He’s also a builder of people, say friends and parishioners: approachable, compassionate in confession, wise.
“He’s had a significant impact on me. He was my pastor and I told him I was thinking about the priesthood, and he took care of me in the sense of being a good spiritual leader,” says Father Chinonso Nnebe-Agumadu, who was ordained in 2023. “You could talk to him about anything, and seeing how he loved and cared for his parishioners, well, that is the type of relationship I hope to develop with my parishioners.”
Longtime friend Father Timothy Reid adds: “Father Winslow has an ability to put just about anyone at ease. He’s a deep thinker and yet imminently practical, and without a doubt is one of the most creative people I know. I love that, at one moment, he can wax poetically about chemical compounds, and at the next, dive into an informed discussion about pop culture. He has a great love for our faith and the Church, and a very particular love for Our Lady. We are blessed to have him.”
Five hard years
Known – and sometimes teased – for his deeply analytical approach to problem solving, Monsignor Winslow leads a two-day workshop to evaluate and reconstruct the way the diocese’s 92 parishes plan for their futures. “He has no problem with a hard day’s work,” says older brother Mike. “He kind of enjoys it and always has.”In 2019, Bishop Peter Jugis asked him to serve as vicar general and chancellor.
The five years since haven’t been easy.
His first task was to produce a list of priests in the diocese who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse since its founding in 1972. The yearlong historical records review led to publication of one of the most comprehensive accountability reports in the country.
Next came the pandemic, which brought unprecedented challenges. At one point, Father Winslow took to watching safety videos online, then demonstrating to his priests how they could safely anoint the sick and dying with a cotton ball and Q-Tip.
“There was great appreciation for how he navigated the diocese through COVID,” Father Gober says. “He always had very timely guidance that incorporated a pastoral approach and sound safety measures.”
With the diocese’s 2,000-plus employees, there are always personnel matters, mishaps and operational challenges as with any large organization. The diocese’s population growth also poses challenges. Then there are partnerships to work out, such as bringing in priests from the Diocese of Buea, Cameroon, and elsewhere.
“He has been incredible in helping find the right formula for how we could fit into this diocese,” says Father Andres Gutiérrez, a Colombia native who is helping the diocese minister to Spanish speakers. “You just see him excited about the potential that is here. It’s that excitement, his solid doctrine, his piety – he’s just an exemplary priest.”
By nature, he spends a lot of time building new processes and procedures to simplify life – from a diocesan intranet with policies and resources, to new parish planning, property management and church construction processes.
“Whenever you are in a position of authority or leading, you have to make decisions that you know are going to upset some people,” he says. “The hard calls usually float up. You don’t have the luxury of not deciding. I don’t like upsetting people; I don’t like being an instrument of pain for people – so that is a huge sacrifice.”
Most recently, he helped the diocese navigate a transition of its leadership, as Bishop Martin succeeded the retiring Bishop Jugis.
He’ll be forever indebted, he says, to Bishop Jugis for the opportunity to lead a growing and vibrant diocese, and for his mentorship. “I have learned a great deal about patience and trust in God from him,” Father Winslow says.
Bishop Martin, he says, is a good fit for this time in our diocese. “He brings vitality and zeal, and a wonderfully human touch. I think his strengths will help us meet the moment of growth and opportunity to help people find and grow their faith. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Holy Spirit has in store.”
— Liz Chandler
Fun facts about Msgr. Winslow
What’s your favorite…
CNH: Bible verse?
Winslow: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
CNH: Liturgy?
Winslow: Mass and Adoration
CNH: Holy Day?
Winslow: Easter
CNH: Saint?
Winslow: Blessed Virgin Mary
CNH: Movie?
Winslow: Not limited to, but includes “Return to Me,” “The Color Purple,” “The Song of Bernadette,” “Secretariat,” and “Wit”
CNH: TV show?
Winslow: Recently, dubbed Korean television
CNH: Food?
Winslow: Steak, potato, nearly all desserts. I like ice cream, I like custard, I like cookies.
CNH: Pastimes?
Winslow: Time on the water – rivers, lakes, oceans
More fun facts
Favorite childhood activity? Time in the swimming pool
Favorite chemistry experiment? Baking
Last book you read? “The Fulfillment of all Desire,” by Ralph Martin; “The Body,” by Bill Bryson
Pet peeve? Hidden agendas
Nicknames? Human Snowball (from a childhood skiing wipeout my brother still laughs about)
Meanest childhood prank? My brothers woke me up at 1 a.m. saying I was late for my paper route, then mocked me mercilessly when I jumped up, got dressed and headed out the door three hours too early.
Favorite video game? Roulettist casino app
Guilty pleasure? Reality TV – I’m like a deer in headlights when it comes on. Also, any TV show that reveals people’s paranormal stories.
Specialty dish you make? Some pastas (carbonara, amatriciana, norcina) and salads
Something most people don’t know about you? I am not as I appear; I am still a kid at heart
Something most people don’t know about the diocese? The work of God happens everywhere, all the time, at the most local level
What’s an obscure talent you have? Conversing while falling asleep in a chair. I never know what I’m saying.
Favorite sport? Winter sports, all Olympic events, high-profile games
Most challenging moment as a priest? Offering advice and counsel in a second language
Your parents are…? My first and my greatest blessing!