Father Joseph Charles Paul Gatto was born in Dunkirk and attended Holy Trinity Roman Catholic grade school and Cardinal Mindszenty High School. Dunkirk is a small town, predominantly Catholic. Father Gatto was immersed in the traditions of our faith from an early age. He grew up in a Catholic household; his mother was of Polish descent and his father was Italian so the holidays and Church traditions were an important part of his youth. Celebrations included traditions of both sides of his family, such as Wigilia (meatless dinner) on Christmas Eve and the St. Joseph Table.
He was surrounded by wonderful priestly examples while at Cardinal Mindszenty. These men had a profound influence on his decision to become a priest. As Father Joe says, "they were coaches, they were teachers and they were school principals. They did your weddings. Not one of them left the priesthood. They were eight happy men. There were no facades about them. They gave me a sense that I wanted to be like them."
Father Gatto played four sports and dated during College at Wadhams Hall in Ogdensburg, New York. When he made the decision to become a priest, Bishop Edward Head asked him to attend Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, where he was trained by the Jesuits. He was ordained a priest on July 9, 1983. After briefly serving as administrator at St. Rose of Lima Parish, Forestville, Father Joe joined St. Leo the Great Parish, Amherst as parochial vicar. After he had served there for three years, Bishop Head asked him to serve as associate vocation director for the Diocese. Fr. Joe also served as co-host of the "Real to Reel" television program for the Diocesan Office of Communication. He was later asked to return to Rome for his doctorate, which he earned in systematic theology from Gregorian University in 1994.
Father Joe has been teaching at Christ the King Seminary since 1990. At the Seminary, he has served as Vice-Rector, Director of Recruitment, Director of Formation and Directory of Pre-Theology. He is currently an Adjunct Faculty Member.
While his Diocesan assignments have been fulfilling, it is parish ministry that has proved to be his true calling. He became pastor of St. John the Baptist in Lockport in 2002. During his tenure at St. John the Baptist, Parish Outreach was redefined. Father Joe is also committed to the parish school concept. St. John's merged with DeSales in the 1990's and now consists of a regional elementary school, the second largest in the Diocese. Furthermore, he is also committed to a "total picture" of education, beginning for all of us with baptism; for young couples and for all Catholics, including those separated from the Church. As a son of separated and later divorced parents, Father Gatto has a special dedication to separated and divorced Catholics.
On July 14, 2006 Father Joe became the fourth pastor at St. Gregory the Great. Those who know him, find him to be a very open person and very committed to family and friends. He lives a full life and is an avid skier, enjoys hunting, rides a motorcycle, loves to read and is a big Buffalo and Cleveland Indians fan. Though his parents are deceased, his is very close to his two sisters.