Father Brad Karelius has been an Episcopal priest since 1971 in the Diocese of Los Angeles, for 30 years the pastor of Church of the Messiah, a multi-cultural congregation located in the Logan Barrio in central Orange County, CA. He founded “Hands Together – a Center for Children,” providing high quality early childhood education to the poorest children in Santa Ana. A new center currently serves homeless mothers and children. Net proceeds from the sale of “The Spirit in the Desert” go directly to support Hands Together. Fr. Brad has been Associate Professor for philosophy and world religions at Saddleback Community College, since 1973. For many years he has researched and taught Native American spirituality, and this knowledge is integrated in The Spirit in the Desert. Fr. Brad is married to Janice Karelius, a Family Nurse Practitioner doing Emergency Medicine, and they have two adult children.