2019 Appointments of Priests in the Archdiocese

19 May 2019

Appears in: Archdiocesan News

Wondering if your pastor will be moving or staying? The Archdiocese has released the 2019 list of priests’ appointments. Most take effect on July 17, which is a month earlier than in previous years, giving pastors more time to settle in and get to know their new parish. (Exceptions are indicated in the list.)

In a statement accompanying the list, the Archdiocese included a note of gratitude to all who serve the people of God in priestly ministry:

“To all the priests serving our archdiocesan Church, may God bless you abundantly as you continue your ministry with dedication, generosity and joy.

“We express our gratitude to all who will be assuming new responsibilities. They have responded to the needs of the Archdiocese with generous spirits. We ask the people in parishes where changes are taking place to warmly welcome their new pastoral leaders into their midst.

“We also extend profound gratitude to the priests who are retiring or leaving the Archdiocese for their faithful ministry in our archdiocese. We are grateful to them for their generosity in serving here. Each in his own way has deeply enriched the lives of the faithful of the Archdiocese, and we wish them well in the future.”

Parishes in Edmonton

St. Joseph Basilica

Father Simmy JOSEPH CMI, from the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate in India, is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Roger Niedzielski.

Father Danial DSOUZA SAC, from the Pallotine Fathers Assumption Province in India,  is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Robert Lee.

Good Shepherd Parish

Father Leo HOFMANN, current Chaplain at St. Benedict Chapel in City Centre Mall, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Marc Cramer.

Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Portuguese)

Father Sergio Luiz Mafra SANTOS from the Archdiocese of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Alex da SILVA SIQUEIRA.

July 1

St. Alphonsus Parish and St. Clare Parish

Father David BITTNER CSB returns to the Archdiocese and is appointed Pastor, replacing the current Administrator, Father Glenn McDonald CSB, who resumes his position as Part-Time Associate Pastor and Chaplain of Edmonton Catholic Schools.

St. Anthony Parish and St. Agnes Parish

Father Varghese MUNDUVELIL CFIC, current Pastor of Sacred Heart in Edson, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Joby Augustin CFIC.

St. Benedict Chapel

Father Tesfu KELATI, current Pastor of St. Emeric Parish, is appointed Chaplain, replacing Father Leo Hofmann, in addition to his responsibilities as Pastor of St. Emeric Parish.

St. Charles Parish

Father Marc CRAMER, current Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Jack Herklotz OMI and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Father Robert LEE, current Associate Pastor at St. Joseph Basilica, is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Edward McSheffrey OMI.

St. Theresa Parish

Father Felix DEVASIA, from the Diocese of Vijayapuram in India, is appointed Associate Pastor and will serve the Malayalam-Speaking community.

Paroisse St-Thomas d’Aquin

Father Jean-Claude NDANGA CFIC, current Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Provost and Corpus Christi Parish in Consort, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Daniel Tshimbalanga Musakay CFIC.

St. Thomas More Parish

Father Bala Showry RUDRAPOGU SAC, from the Pallotine Fathers Assumption Province in India, is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Joy Vadakkan Poulose CFIC.

Parishes outside Edmonton

St. Francis Xavier Parish, Camrose

Father Joby AUGUSTIN CFIC, current Pastor of St. Anthony Parish and St. Agnes Parish in Edmonton, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Larry Pederson.

Sacred Heart Parish, Edson

Father Thomas BASANI SAC, current Associate Pastor of Our Lady of the Foothills Parish in Hinton, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Jasper and Holy Cross Parish in Grande Cache, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Varghese Munduvelil CFIC.

Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Fort Saskatchewan, Gibbons, Lamont, Redwater, St. Michael, Skaro

Father Balraj ANTHONISAMY SDB, from the Salesians of Don Bosco Chennai Province in India, is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Anthony NARISETTY SAC.

Our Lady of the Foothills, Hinton, Grande Cache, Jasper

Father Anthony NARISETTY SAC, current Associate Pastor at Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Fort Saskatchewan, is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Thomas Basani SAC.

St. Anthony Parish, Lloydminster

Father Rajesh Kumar JESURAJ SAC, from the Pallotine Fathers Assumption Province in India,  is appointed Associate Pastor, replacing Father Selvaraj (Christopher) Rayappan SAC.

St. Stephen Parish, Olds, Trochu

Father Nilo MACAPINLAC, current Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Wetaskiwin and Our Lady of Seven Sorrows in Mascwacis, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Adam Daniluk.

St. Mary Parish, Provost, Consort

Father Selvaraj (Christopher) RAYAPPAN SAC, current Associate Pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Lloydminster, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Jean-Claude Ndanga CFIC.

April 8

Christ the King Parish, Stettler, Bashaw, Castor

Father Roger NIEDZIELSKI, Associate Pastor of St. Joseph Basilica, is appointed Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Stettler, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Bashaw, and Our Lady of Graces Parish, Castor, replacing Father Miroslaw Kostarzewski.

Sacred Heart Parish, Red Deer

Father Jan SOBKOWICZ, current Pastor Holy Trinity Parish in Spruce Grove, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Tomasz Puslecki.

April 8

St. Mary Parish, Red Deer

Father Miroslaw KOSTARZEWSKI, Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Stettler, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Bashaw, and Our Lady of Graces Parish, Castor, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Len Cadieux.

Holy Trinity, Spruce Grove

Father Paul MORET returns from a sabbatical year and is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Jan Sobkowicz.

Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Vermilion, Clandonald, Derwent

Father Joy VADAKKAN POULOSE CFIC, current Associate Pastor at St. Thomas More Parish, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Roger Rouleau.

Sacred Heart Parish, Wetaskiwin, Mascwacis, MaMeO Beach

Father Roger ROULEAU, current Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Vermilion, St. Columba Parish in Clandonald and St. Joseph Parish in Derwent, is appointed Pastor, replacing Father Nilo Macapinlac.

Other

 

Father Andrew SCHOENBERGER, current Pastor at St. John Baptist Parish in Fort McMurray in the Diocese of St. Paul, is appointed to serve on the Formation Team of St Joseph Seminary.

 

Father Wilson THANKACHAN, from the Syro-Malankara Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum in India, is appointed Priest Chaplain at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, replacing Father Felix Kusamba, and will serve the Syro-Malankara Catholic community.

Retirement

April 8

Father Len CADIEUX, Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Red Deer, retires from pastoral ministry.

April 5

Father Larry PEDERSON, Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Camrose, retires from pastoral ministry.

Sabbatical & Study Leave

 

Father Felix KUSAMBA, current Full-Time Priest Chaplain at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, is granted a sabbatical leave.

End of Term

April 4

Father Samson David ANTONY SDB, Associate Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Edmonton, receives a new assignment by his religious community.

Father Adam DANILUK, current Pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Olds and Our Lady of the Prairies in Trochu, concludes his term of service in the Archdiocese and receives a new assignment by his Bishop.  We thank Father Daniluk for 12 years of generous priestly ministry in the Archdiocese.

Father Alex da SILVA SEQUEIRA, current Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Portuguese), concludes his term of service in the Archdiocese and receives a new assignment by his Bishop.  We thank Father da Silva Sequeira for 3 years of generous priestly ministry in the Archdiocese.

Father Jack HERKLOTZ OMI, current Pastor of St. Charles Parish in Edmonton, receives a new assignment by his religious community.

Father Brian INGLIS CSB, Member of the Formation Team at St. Joseph Seminary, joins the retired members of his religious community in Ontario.

Father Don McLEOD CSB, Sessional Professor at St. Joseph’s College, receives a new assignment by his religious community.

Father Edward McSHEFFREY OMI, current Associate Pastor of St. Charles Parish in Edmonton, receives a new assignment by his religious community.

Father Tomasz PUSLECKI, current Pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Red Deer, concludes his term of service in the Archdiocese and receives a new assignment by his Bishop. We thank Father Puslecki for 8 years of generous priestly ministry in the Archdiocese.

June 26

Father Daniel TSHIMBALANGA MUSAKAY CFIC, current Pastor of Paroisse St-Thomas d’Aquin, concludes his term of service in the Archdiocese and receives a new assignment by his religious community.  We thank Father Daniel for 5 years of generous priestly ministry in the Archdiocese.

Pastoral Internship

 

Chad MICIAK, seminarian for the Archdiocese of Edmonton, is appointed to St. Theresa Parish in Edmonton. Father Patrick Baska will serve as his mentor.