Clergy & Staff | St. Matthew's Cathedral

Clergy Announcements

XXI Dean & Rector

The Vestry of the Cathedral Church of St. Matthew is delighted to announce that Father Tom Smith has accepted the Vestry’s call to become the XXI Dean and Rector of the Cathedral. We look forward with great joy to welcoming him for his first worship service at St. Matthew’s on April 12. He will begin full time duties on April 15. See his bio below.

Associate Priest

We are equally thrilled to announce that Mother Kate Smith has accepted our call to become our new Associate Priest. She will also join us in April. We are truly blessed and profoundly grateful to welcome both of these gifted clergy into our Cathedral community. See her bio below.

The Rev. Dr. Tom Smith

Father Tom is not from Texas, but he got here as fast as he could. Born and raised in Irish South Buffalo, he grew up Roman Catholic and also spent a number of years in Baptist/Non-Denominational circles. He has served as rector of Saint Paul’s in Prosper from 2016-2026.

He did his undergraduate degree at Moody Bible in Chicago. Then he continued studying Greek and Hebrew at Gordon-Conwell in Boston taking an MA in New Testament and an MA in Old Testament. At the University of Toronto, he completed his Ph.D. in Old Testament studying how the Bible was used during the Civil War.

In Toronto, he served as an assistant priest and youth minister until he came to Prosper where he and his amazing team helped grow the church and preschool. He is excited to begin life at St. Matthew’s and is looking forward to working with all the fantastic and loyal people of the cathedral.

(He remains an ever-suffering always-loyal Buffalo Bills fan.)

The Rev. Kate Smith

Mother Kate spent her childhood in Canada and Israel, where her parents were church planters. At Saint Paul’s in Prosper, she has served as an Associate Priest since 2021. During her time there, she has been involved in pastoral care, women’s ministry, small group ministry, youth ministry, and spiritual direction. She also teaches a number of spiritual direction classes at the Stanton Institute as well as being a spiritual director for postulants in the discernment process. Prior to serving at Saint Paul’s, she served as a hospital chaplain and was the Fellows Director at Church of the Incarnation for four years. She was a member of the bishop’s search committee and also currently serves on Executive Council.

She has degrees in education from the University of Toronto and a master in theology from Wycliffe College. While living in Canada, Kate taught High School literature, served various churches, and even lay-pastored an English-speaking Chinese congregation for a time. Kate and Tom have three children, Kathryn (21), Simeon (18), and Cameron (17).

Clergy

The clergy of St. Matthew’s Cathedral consists of ordained priests and deacons, each of whom serves a staff function in addition to the role as pastor to our congregation.

The Rev. Canon Victor Lee Austin, Ph.D.

Theologian in Residence vaustin@edod.org

Father Austin is Cathedral Theologian-in-residence as well as Theologian-in-residence for the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. An Oklahoman, he went to college in Santa Fe and then seminary in New York, where he got stuck and served parishes in the Hudson Valley for nearly two decades. He was then Theologian-in-residence at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue before finally returning to the Southwest and coming to Dallas in 2016. He has written about his late wife’s brain disease in Losing Susan. His theological interests concern how theology makes a difference to everyday life (he has written on friendship, for instance). He has two adult children and nine grandchildren.

The Rev. Mark Hall

Deacon, Pastoral Care

mhall@episcopalcathedral.org

Deacon Mark coordinates the Cathedral’s pastoral care ministries and is involved in various outreach ministries. He received a BA in Political Science from Drake University, a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center, and a Diploma in Ministry from the Stanton Center for Ministry Formation. He was ordained as a Deacon of the Church and came on staff at the Cathedral in June 2014.

Retired Clergy

The Rev. Canon Diana Luck

Deacon for Outreach Emerita
dluck@episcopalcathedral.org

Deacon Diana coordinates the liturgical assistants and is involved in various outreach ministries. She attended the University of Texas at Arlington and is a graduate of the Anglican School of Theology. She was ordained as a Deacon of the Church in 1987. She served for many years as the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Dallas, coordinating the ministry of the deacons of the Diocese of Dallas. She joined the staff at the Cathedral in 1996.

The Rev. Canon Pam Dunbar

Deacon for Christian Education Emerita

Known throughout the Diocese of Dallas as “Deacon Pam,” The Rev’d Canon Pam Dunbar retired from seventeen years service with the Diocese of Dallas as the Missioner for Christian Formation and Youth Ministries in 2017. She always considered the Cathedral her “home church” and has been assisting here for many years. She serves as Canon for Family Ministries and works with Children’s and Youth Ministries in a guidance capacity.

Program & Administrative Staff

In addition to the many, many volunteers on whom we depend, St. Matthew’s Cathedral employs a paid staff of full-time and part-time non-ordained professionals — each bringing to their job a commitment to our mission and a steadfast love of the Lord.

Sarah Shafer

Director, Cathedral Montessori School
episcopalmontessori.org

Keith Franks

Director of Music and Organist kfranks@episcopalcathedral.org

Keith Franks received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music and his Master’s Degree in Music at the University of North Texas in Denton. He sang in the St. Matthew’s Cathedral Choir from 1975 to 1976 and again in 1985. As a young adult, he sang alto in the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys in San Francisco. Upon returning to Texas, he sang in the St. Mark’s School of Texas Evensong Choir and participated in two residency tours with the St. Mark’s Choir in 1988 and 1990 to Westminster Abbey, Magdalen College, St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, and York Minster. He served as Assistant Organist at the Church of the Incarnation from 1996 to 2012 and accompanied the Incarnation Choir as organist on six residency tours in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011 at Westminster Abbey, Chichester Cathedral, Wells Cathedral, Lincoln Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral (Edinburgh), Lichfield Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, and St. George’s Chapel (Windsor) and for several CDs. Keith has served as Assistant Organist at St. Matthew’s since January 2014 and now serves as the Interim Director of Music and Organist of St. Matthew’s. He has previously taught class piano and choir in the Dallas Independent School District and currently enjoys teaching World History and Advanced Placement Macroeconomics at North Dallas High School.

Paul Demer

Music Minister – Agape Service and
Children’s Music Ministry
pdemer@episcopalcathedral.org

Paul has been helping congregations sing together for over 10 years. He and his wife, Trisha, started leading music at the Cathedral in 2020 and helped to start the Agape Service. Paul also works as a singer-songwriter, record producer, and outreach musician. He has released several albums of original music, played over 1,500 concerts in hospitals and nursing homes in partnership with the local non-profit Texas Winds Musical Outreach, and regularly produces records for other artists.

Erin Sullivan

Director of Lay Ministries,
Minister to Families with Children
erin@episcopalcathedral.org

Erin Sullivan directs the Cathedral Kids ministries, serving children from birth through fifth grade. She attended Texas A&M University and Dallas Theological Seminary, from which she received her master’s degree in counseling. Prior to joining the staff of St. Matthew’s, Erin worked as a licensed professional counselor. She is passionate about teaching the stories of our Christian faith to children and generating fellowship opportunities for families of the Cathedral. Born and raised in San Antonio, Erin is devoted to The Spurs, H-E-B, and properly made flour tortillas.

Cassie Marsh

Business Manager
cassie@episcopalcathedral.org

Cassie is a lifelong Texan with deep roots in Dallas. East Dallas, with its historic buildings and homes, holds a special place in her heart. Cassie is committed to keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes so the Cathedral’s ministry can thrive in the community. When she’s not working, Cassie loves spending time with her adult daughter, Beth, and their dog, Luke. She’s an avid thrifter with a growing collection of books she might not have time to read.

Joseph Bobadilla

Sexton