Meet Cory Brunatti: A Heart for Ministry, Music, and Creation

When Cory Brunatti reflects on his journey to ordained ministry, the story begins with a quiet, insistent call he first heard as a twelve-year-old boy. “It held on and kept up through my entire life,” he says. “Even when I went on a bit of a detour—met a girl in high school, got married, had a family—that call never went away. It was always in the back of my mind, nagging me that I was supposed to be doing something more.”

That “something more” has led Cory to this moment: preparing for ordination in the Diocese of Algoma. After a 30-year career in information technology, including 14 years with the City of Greater Sudbury, Cory retired and decided it was time to revisit that call. He began theological studies in 2015 at Thorneloe University, thinking initially it might simply enrich his faith. Instead, it launched him into an immersive ministry journey that has been anything but simple.

“It’s not like I ever got away from church,” Cory explains. Raised Roman Catholic, he was active in church life for decades—reading, serving at the altar, and participating in parish ministries. “But everybody expected me to become a Catholic priest. I think I was earmarked to be that guy in the family.” His path took a different turn, yet he smiles at the adage, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

Today, Cory serves as Lay Incumbent of seven churches in the Parry Sound and Muskoka Lakes area. Along the way, he has discovered lessons about ministry that no classroom could teach. “Sitting with congregation members in their last days has been one of the hardest and holiest parts of this work,” he says. “Even if you’re not saying anything, just being there as a spiritual hand, reminding them that God is with them, that everything will be fine—that’s not something you learn in a course. It’s something you learn by showing up.”

Cory’s ministry style reflects his musical roots: approachable, relaxed, and deeply human. “If I had to describe my preaching style as a musical genre, it would be modern folk,” he says. “It’s not the old-style folk, but contemporary and free-flowing. I just can’t do the traditional three-point Anglican sermon. I need to preach from the center aisle and connect with people.” That connection is second nature to a man who spends Friday nights playing guitar and singing with his band, The Legionnaires, at the Parry Sound Legion.

Music runs in the Brunatti family. Cory’s father was an exceptionally talented musician and vocalist, winning singing contests in the 1950s. Cory inherited that gift and can often be found jamming with friends. “It feeds my soul,” he says. “It’s only a couple of hours on a Friday night, but I guard that time zealously. When people start to dance to a song we’re playing, that’s really something.”

Cory’s appreciation for creation is equally deep. As a boy, he spent countless hours canoeing in the lakes south of Parry Sound, often feeling God’s presence in the whisper of wind through the trees. “It made me understand how much a part of His creation we are,” he says. “It often felt like sacred space.” Even today, he cherishes his sense of wonder for the natural world. “Every time I’m outside, I’m amazed by how everything fits together so perfectly. I never want to lose that.”

His family’s example shaped his generous spirit. “Some of my earliest memories are of my dad teaching me daily prayers, and I watched both my parents live out their faith. People would knock on our door at supper time needing help, and they were brought in, given a meal, and whatever help was required. That left a mark on me.”

When asked for a one-line sermon, Cory points to Jesus’ words about the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself.” He adds, “If we do that, everything else works out.”

As he prepares for ordination, Cory dreams of one day working alongside his friend, a missionary pediatric surgeon in Tanzania, using his IT and management skills to help her focus on saving lives. But for now, his heart and hands are firmly rooted in Algoma.

“It’s been a long road,” he says, “but I’ve never felt more certain that this is what I was meant to do.”

The Diocese of Algoma invites your prayers for Cory Brunatti as he prepares for ordination and continues his ministry among the parishes he serves.