“I’ve always associated with the Viatorians.”
It makes great sense that Tommy Gugino became a Viatorian Associate, since he describes his association with our community as a forever thing. Growing up in Las Vegas, he belonged to St. Viator Catholic Community with his family, and his parents sent him to St. Viator Parish School. He received his Sacraments of Initiation at St. Viator and, from childhood, started serving in liturgical ministry, becoming a lector, Eucharistic Minister, and music minister.
Then, as a young adult, the Viatorian Youth Congress catalyzed his growth. While he didn’t attend the first couple VYC’s as a teen delegate, he helped out in 2012, 2013, and 2014 as a Young Adult Leader. “It was one of the biggest inspirations to keep my faith life alive during college, and it gave me motivation to stay involved in ministry,” Tommy said – he earned a bachelor’s and master’s in communications from Southern Utah University, a public university. “I think VYC helps form lifelong friendships across the Viatorian Community and helps show what Viatorian ministry looks like in different parts of our community.”
Tommy and Ky served as MC’s for VYC 2022 in the Bourbonnais-Kankakee region.
Tommy served as a Young Adult Coordinator in 2015, helped emcee the program in 2022 and 2023, and assisted with leadership formation in 2024. “For me, it was definitely an extension of my faith. I didn’t know about associates until I was on VYC and met so many of them there and then at my parish,” Tommy said. “They have changed my life for the better, and so when the opportunity came up for me to become an associate, too, it was a perfect for me to become part of the community and the charism and bring what I can to make the community even better.”
Tommy began pre-association in 2018. As he undertook formation, he also had a unique professional opportunity that integrated his heart for ministry with his skills in communication: he established and served as the first administrator for the social media accounts of Cristo Rey St. Viator College Prep, the school Viatorians founded that opened in 2019. “The year that they were recruiting students before opening, I started all of the social media accounts for Cristo Rey St. Viator before they opened. I helped build and shape them into what they’re becoming now,” Tommy said.
Tommy went on to make his initial commitment as a Viatorian Associate in 2020. After that initial two-year commitment, he made his three-year recommitment in 2022 and five-year recommitment in 2025. While siblings have been Viatorians together before, Tommy and his twin brother, Anthony, who committed in 2017, are the first twins to be Viatorians.
Tommy has been serving on the regional leadership team with (left to right) Associates Kim Martinez, Anthony Gugino, and Dan Schwarz, and they’ve planned events for the Viatorians of this region, such as this service outing.
Professionally, he now works as Director of Marketing and Communications for the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has remained active in his parish, continuing in music ministry, contributing to web design and social media management, and volunteering with youth ministry. For the Viatorian Community, he now serves on the regional leadership team, elected by his peers to the role.
“There’s plenty of opportunities for young people to be more involved in Church life, not just in Mass but also outside of Mass. We can use what people are studying in college or what they’re passionate about,” Tommy said. “On VYC, (Associate) Ky (Guerrero) did photography, and that was such a gift for us to receive and experience her work. Outside of going to Mass, I helped do edits for the parish website. People may not always want to be involved in Mass, but there are other ways to engage people, especially with younger generations.”
For one, Tommy is a hearty endorser of VYC, where he believes teens gain a healthy, diverse sense of Church life and Viatorian life, especially seeing the collaboration and friendship between professed Viatorians and Viatorian associates – perhaps laying groundwork for their own discernment and vocation, too. “VYC helped me see association as a real possibility for myself,” Tommy said. “Associates Karen Cutler and Kim Martinez encouraged me to explore association, urged me to apply, and continue to guide and encourage me. Their belief in me reinforced my own sense of calling to the Viatorian Community.”
Tommy made his five-year recommitment on Querbes Day 2025, following his initial commitment in 2020 and three-year recommitment in 2022.
More on Tommy from Viatorians.com:
- Observing Querbes Day (2025): As part of commemorations of our founder, Tommy made his five-year recommitment as an associate.
- FEATURE: VYC Formation Fosters Vocations of Commitment (2025): Tommy is one of eight VYC alumni who have gone on to association, religious life, or priesthood. Hear from Tommy and these seven others about the VYC difference.
- Viatorians Serve Together to Meet Urgent Needs in Las Vegas (2025): Tommy and his partners on the regional leadership team organized a kit-packing night to meet the surging needs of people experiencing homelessness around Las Vegas.
- Taizé Prayer Approaches Milestone (2024): This story of Taizé Prayer at St. Viator is one of many times Tommy has served in music ministry for his parish.
- Young Faith Leaders Respond Prayerfully after UNLV Shooting (2023): Tommy joined with several fellow young adults to plan and lead a prayer service following the shooting on campus at UNLV.
- Roundtable on Young Adult Association (2022 – Viatorian Voices podcast appearance): Going into depth, Tommy, Anthony, and Ky reflect at length on association, faith life, and belonging for Millennial and Gen Z Catholics.
- Young Adults in Association (2022 – Viatorian Voices podcast appearance): Tommy and Associate Anthony Gugino reflect on becoming associates at a younger age and belonging to the Viatorian Community.