Fr. Zugger was born in Buffalo, NY, in 1954 and educated at St John the Baptist School and St Bonaventure University;  Seminary education at the Washington Theological Union and Catholic University, with studies at John XXIII Center at Fordham University. With this extensive background in Catholic education, he is passionate about the religious and educational values of Catholic schools. 

Ordained in 1981, Fr Zugger served in parishes in Maryland and New Jersey as a seminarian/ deacon, and founded St. Thomas church in Gilbert, Arizona, before coming to Albuquerque in 1985. He served as pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help 1985-2008, and since then he has been assisting at that parish. In addition he is a popular retreat master, preacher, and also an instructor in adult education for OASIS, specializing in Church history and theology. At Our Lady of Perpetual Help he also is chaplain for the high school "Ask A Priest" group and for Catholic Apologetics Fellowship Evangelization at UNM, and has a number of Catholic videos on YouTube and Instagram.