Father Derek Saldanha was born and raised in India and immigrated to the United States in 2009. While in India, Fr. Derek studied in Catholic elementary and high schools, obtained an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Pune, India and worked in the Information Technology services field. From a very young age, Father Derek has had a keen interest in politics and current affairs and has written many letters to the editor in various newspapers while living in India, raising issues that were of concern to the Church in particular and society in general. Upon coming to the United States, he obtained a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. After discerning a call to the priesthood and starting seminary formation, he studied at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami and St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida where he earned a Masters degree in Divinity. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Orlando on May 25th, 2019. He has served at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Orlando and Annunciation Catholic Church, Altamonte Springs as a parochial vicar and currently serves as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and School in St. Cloud, Florida.