Rev. Cory A. Mayer, born in 1977 in Varysburg, New York, near Buffalo, grew up in the rural country of Wyoming County and graduated from Attica High School. After high school, he pursued a career in electrical engineering, working as a professional electrical drafter and controls designer. He holds a Master’s Electrician License from the City of Rochester, New York, and has been a Master Electrician for over 25 years. Inspired by his sister’s deep faith and dedication to serving the poor, Father Mayer felt a calling to missionary work. He joined St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy, serving the underprivileged in Buffalo. This experience led him to discern a vocation to the priesthood. In 2001, Bishop Henery Mansell sent him to Rome, Italy, where he entered the Pontifical Maria Mater Ecclesiae Seminary. During his studies, he earned a Master’s degree in Sacred Theology and a Baccalaureate in Philosophy from the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University. He furthered his theological education by obtaining a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Upon returning to the United States, Father Mayer joined the Diocese of Venice, Florida. He was first assigned to Epiphany Cathedral and later to Ave Maria, Florida. In 2017, he became the founding pastor of Ave Maria Catholic Church, successfully petitioning Bishop Dewane to elevate the church from Quasi status to full parish status within the Diocese of Venice. With the support of a generous benefactor, he acquired the local academy, transforming it into a diocesan K-12 school now known as Ave Maria Parish Academy. After several years of leading the parish and school, Father Mayer was appointed pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Englewood, Florida. Under his leadership, the congregation grew from 1,800 to over 2,600 families in five years. The parish was designated as the 2026-2027 pilgrimage site for the Diocese of Venice. Father Mayer also built an adoration chapel for St. Francis parishioners and the surrounding area. In June 2026, Bishop Dewane appointed Father Mayer as the Administrator of St. Ann’s Catholic Church and School in Naples, Florida, entrusting him with the pastoral care and administration of the parish and its educational institutions. Father Mayer is also an avid supporter of the Arts. He enjoys painting in oils and has painted multiple full-size paintings. He also enjoys advanced woodworking and CnC carving. He has crafted all the Stations of the Cross at St. Francis Church, and many other works around the parish hall and grounds. You can frequently find father out in the woods praying the Stations of the Cross or walking around town talking about God to anyone he meets.