Fr. Michael was born and grew up in Alaska. He studied for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Anchorage, and was ordained in 1979. He served various parishes in the diocese, including St. Patrick’s, St. Francis Xavier in Valdez, and St. Michael’s in Palmer. He was with Archbishop Francis Hurley, on the first trip to Magadan in 1989. Then while on retreat, he received a call to ‘go, pray in the camps’, and he understood it to mean to return to Magadan, and give his life in that former place of the camps. He was also inspired to live more deeply the spirituality of Bl. Charles de Foucould. He received permission of Bishop Hurley to put on the habit of Bl. Charles, and was sent to Magadan in 1994.

Fr. Dave was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. the son of Gerald and Clarine Means. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1981, and served at St. Boniface Church, Ste. Genevieve, and All Saints Church. In 1990 he volunteered to serve in Alaska, where he got to know Fr. Michael. After Fr. Michael went to Magadan, Fr. Dave also felt a call to join him in serving the re-emerging Church in Russia and be part of the new little fraternity of Bl. Charles. He was released to serve the Russian Diocese of St. Joseph, and came to Magadan, in 1996.