Born and raised in Covington, Father moved with his family to Turkeyfoot Road while he was in school at Covington Latin. When St Pius X Parish was established, Father and his family lived within the boundaries of the new parish. He was ordained and celebrated his first Mass here in 1963 after having attended St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. After 41 years of priestly ministry, in July 2004, Father retired from active ministry and came to reside at St. Pius X Parish.

Father insists that he retired not from priesthood but from administration. He continues to give talks and retreats and he helps in our parish with weekday and weekend Masses as in the adult formation program.

Father Brink has had a varied priestly career. He began his ministry in parish work at Sacred Heart Parish, Bellevue and taught English and Religion at Newport Catholic High School. Father’s next assignment was to full time retreat work for two years and he has continued giving retreats to lay, religious, and priests around the country.

Father did further graduate work in theology at the University of Notre Dame and Fordham University in New York. He taught at Villa Madonna/Thomas More College for many years where he was Provost before returning to parish work. Father Brink was the elected President the National Federation of Priests’ Councils and served as chairman of the International Assembly of Priests of English Speaking Countries. In that position, he traveled throughout the USA and Europe and Africa. Father has served as pastor at two different parishes: Holy Cross in Latonia and St. Mary in Alexandria from which he retired in 2004.

Father Brink says that in retirement, as well as when was a pastor, he considers his main responsibility as a priest to be liturgy and preaching. He considers preaching and presiding at liturgy the greatest pleasure as well as the heaviest responsibility of being a priest. He sets as a sacred priority scheduling time for preparing his homilies. He also hopes that in retirement he will more time to travel and to play golf.

After many years, Father Brink enjoys being a priest in today’s church. He says the challenges, the frustrations, and the accomplishments all add to a very rewarding life.

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