Meet St. Anthony Head of School Tim Cullen: Growing in Faith Through Service

For Tim Cullen, both a parishioner at St. Theresa and the Head of School at St. Anthony in Wailuku, being involved at the parish and vicariate levels have helped him in his personal and professional faith journeys.

“It has brought me great joy and support,” he says. “The sincerity and action of the mission of the parish through its many services to the community to feed the hungry, care for the sick, and support both young and old is inspirational to me.”

Born and raised in Fremont, Ohio, Mr. Cullen has been married to his wife, Paula, for 31 years. He has three daughters — Sophia, Gabriella, and Gianna. Mr. Cullen has degrees from Bowling Green State University in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as a Master’s in School Administration from Azusa Pacific University. After working in public education for 25 years in Ohio, including a position as the Head of School at his alma mater, St. Joseph Central Catholic High School, Mr. Cullen, and his family moved to Maui to begin his position at St. Anthony.

The Cullens have been parishioners at St. Theresa for the past four years.

“We enjoy the sense of ‘ohana that permeates the church and its people,” Mr. Cullen says. “I have attended some church-sponsored events and hope to be more involved in supporting the leadership team for the parish and Fr. Terry. I also attend Vicariate meetings that are facilitated by Fr. Terry, represent the Vicariate on the Diocese of Honolulu School Board, and am a member of the Catholic Charities of Maui Leadership Council. Running a Catholic school in Wailuku and living in Kihei limits some of my opportunities to do more for the parish, but I hope to be able to do more soon.”

As Head of St. Anthony School, Mr. Cullen believes that a Catholic education creates well-rounded individuals, both academically and spiritually.

“What makes St. Anthony School special is that we respect and honor the past, celebrate the present, and are working toward building a brighter future,” he says. “We continue to adapt and change in response to the world around us while maintaining our core purpose to educate the whole child — heart, mind, body, and soul.

“We successfully navigated the chaos of the pandemic from last spring to this year as we opened school on Aug. 4 with full, 100-percent on-campus instruction for our K-12 students and programs,” he adds. “We completed the first semester and have welcomed our students back to campus after the holiday break.”

As a product of Catholic education himself, Mr. Cullen can personally attest to its positive impact.

“My parents chose a Catholic education because they wanted me to learn in faith every day I went to school,” he says. “They raised seven children and sacrificed much for us to have the gift of a Catholic school foundation that impacted us throughout life. It is what we wanted for our daughters, too. The excellence of academics, the opportunity to participate and grow through the arts, athletics, and other clubs, and the importance and appreciation of service to others is vital in living a life of faith that inspires others to do the same. These are the reasons why parents and grandparents should consider it for their children, too, as all our children deserve the best opportunity to flourish. The graduates of St. Anthony School truly make a difference.

“St. Anthony School has been educating students for over 160 years and although the name is connected to the parish that started it, it truly is open and eager to serve all families on Maui who are searching for an excellent K-12 Catholic school system,” he adds. “We also are a Marianist-sponsored school and the relationship we have with the Marianist Province is long-standing, strong, and continues to grow.”

Mr. Cullen and his wife, Paula.

Mr. Cullen meets with a school student.

The Cullens and their daughter, Gianna.