Our team
Fr. Nilson Leal de sa
Director
Hello, I am Fr. Nilson! After 21 years in France, 4 in Italy, 2 in Africa, and a few months in Vietnam I am now in Denver, CO discovering the beauty of America! I am our local superior and I teach Canon Law at St. John Vianney Seminary. I never thought I would be so involved in this mission, but it is wonderful to see that Christ unites us despite our differences. The Community of the Beatitudes is like a family within the Church where I feel at home everywhere. Beatitudes Missions offers the possibility to “taste” the universality of our Faith. In times past when I have left for a new country with fears and my limits, the Lord has always sustained me with his grace and given me his peace. So, I continually surrender myself to Him.
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Sr. Helene de Bodman
Assistant Director
I am a French member of the Community of the Beatitudes and have lived in Denver for six years as superior of the sisters. I was part of the first group in our community to take religious vows, together with Fr. Jacques Philippe! Before Denver, I had a rich missionary experience in various countries, and I'm eager to share my faith with as many people as I can. I feel in many people a great thirst for God that they try to fill with the wrong things, and I want to help people drink from the living water Jesus offers us. I'm happy to be part of the Beatitudes Mission team, bearing fruit together through this ministry. I pray that the Holy Spirit opens doors for people who need to encounter the joy of Jesus.
Sr. sarah Mercier
Intern Coordinator
Hi! My name is Sister Sarah of the Annunciation. I am from France and have been in the community of the Beatitudes since 2008! I moved to the Denver, CO house at the end of November 2021 and I am happy to serve and follow Jesus here in America! My task in Beatitudes Missions is to help form the daily life of the interns. My goal is to help them serve Jesus every day with joy, to grow in a spirit of faith, freedom, fraternity, and to serve Christ in their daily life.
fr. anthony Ariniello
Executive Director
Born and raised in Colorado, my formation path included the University of Notre Dame, diocesan seminary in Denver, the NAC in Rome, Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, a Pontifical License in Theological Anthropology at the University of St. Teresa of Avila in Rome, and Byzantine bi-ritual faculties. I helped found the chaplaincy at the Colorado School of Mines as well as Beatitudes Missions. I have guided over 17 student/young pilgrimages to Israel, and 12 to Europe! I have spent eight years residing in Israel and Lebanon, and now I live at our center for retreat and mission south of Paris, where I serve as superior for eight priests and brothers.
Luke & Karmyn Mulderink
Missionaries
After getting married on January 6th, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we decided to join the Beatitudes Missions team for three months in France! Karmyn has known Beatitudes Missions since meeting them on road trip in 2018 and went on immersion in Lebanon in 2022. Luke met the Community briefly in Denver and in Lebanon with Karmyn. We decided to leave our jobs (Electrical Engineer and HVAC Technician) to see where the Lord might lead our marriage and our already growing family. Karmyn is taking on a more administrative role with Beatitudes Missions and Luke is leveraging his handyman know-how to assist the Bethany house with its many projects.
fernando rivera
Missionary
Hello everyone! I grew in up Kansas and attended college in Hays, where I first met Fr. Anthony and the community. I am an aspiring chef, and have been cooking for my boys at Chi Rho Frat at K-State. I started a podcast to talk about the lives of the saints and our beautiful Catholic faith. After last summer's internship and WYD, last fall's missile-dodging in Galilee, and our winter campus whirlwind, I’m ready again to be set on fire for my faith, to grow in virtue, and fry up the beignets and crêpes!