On behalf of the faithful, we thank the priests serving in the Archdiocese of Edmonton for their ministry. We are also profoundly grateful for those priests whose terms of service are concluding, and offer our prayerful best wishes as they move to their new assignments in the coming months. We also remember the retired priests of the Archdiocese, recognizing the incredible contributions they have made to strengthening our faith community.
✠ Archbishop Richard Smith
Archdiocesan Administrator
With gratitude for the work of the Clergy Personnel Committee, the following changes are effective on July 16, 2025, unless otherwise noted below:
Retirement
- Rev. Leo Hofmann, currently serving as pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Edmonton, will retire after 36 years of pastoral ministry. Thank you for your years of dedicated service, and we wish you a blessed and fulfilling retirement!
Sabbatical
- Rev. Jan Sobkowicz, currently serving as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Red Deer, will be taking a one-year sabbatical.
- Rev. Les Kwiatkowski, OMI, currently serving as pastor of Our Lady of Mercy in Enoch, Lac Ste. Anne in Lac Ste. Anne, and the attached mission parishes, will be taking a one-year sabbatical.
Departures
Reassigned by their Bishop or Religious Superior, the following priests will be departing from the Archdiocese. We thank them for their term of service.
- Rev. Dr. Adaikala Raja John, SDB, currently serving as pastor of St. John Bosco in Edmonton. He will serve in the Archdiocese of Toronto.
- Rev. Mario Villaraza, SDB, currently serving as associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sherwood Park.
- Rev. Felix Devasia, currently serving as pastor of St. Anthony in Drayton Valley, St. Elizabeth in Evansburg, and St. Agnes in Mayerthorpe. He is returning to India.
- Rev. Michael Phi Tri Nguyen, O.P., currently serving as pastor of Queen of Martyrs (Vietnamese) Parish. He will serve in the Diocese of Calgary.
Further Studies
- Rev. Miroslaw (Mirek) Kostarzewski will be studying Canon Law, in addition to his pastoral responsibilities.
Pastoral Assignments
Note: A Parish Administrator has the same rights and obligations as a Pastor. Upon the appointment of a new Archbishop by the new Pope, these priests will be delegated the role of Pastor (unless otherwise decided upon).
Parish Administrator
- Rev. Joy Vadakkan Poulose, CFIC, as Administrator of St. Matthew Parish, Edmonton, and interim Vice-Chancellor of the Archdiocese. Effective April 8, 2025.
- Varkey Kummananchery Ouseph, CMI, as Administrator of Holy Name of Jesus Parish, St. Joseph, Derwent, and St. Columba, Clandonald. Effective April 8, 2025.
- Rev. Nilo Macapinlac, as Administrator of St. Vital Parish, Beaumont. Effective May 28, 2025.
- Rev. Alex Joseph, as Administrator of St. Stephen Parish, Olds, and St. Anne of the Prairies, Trochu (and Missions). Effective May 28, 2025.
- Rev. Miroslaw (Mirek) Kostarzewski, as Administrator of Good Shepherd Parish, Edmonton.
- Rev. Robert Lee, as Administrator of St. Mary’s Parish, Red Deer.
- Rev. Andrzej (Andrew) Bogdanowicz, as Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Red Deer.
- Martin Huy-Thong Nguyen, O.P., as Administrator of Queen of Martyrs (Vietnamese) Parish, Edmonton.
- Rev. Carlos Nunez, as Administrator of St. Andrew’s Parish, Edmonton.
- Rev. Selvaraj (Christopher) Rayappan, SAC, as Administrator of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Fort Saskatchewan (and Missions).
- Rev. Curtis Berube, as Administrator of St. Anthony Parish, Drayton Valley, and St. Elizabeth, Evansburg, and St. Agnes, Mayerthorpe.
- Chinnapparaj (Chinna) Balraj, SDB, as Administrator of St. John Bosco Parish, Edmonton.
- Rev. Chad Miciak, as Administrator of St. Martin of Tours Parish, Vegreville and Holy Heart of Mary, Viking.
- Avinash Francis, SAC, as Administrator of St. Mary Parish, Provost and Corpus Christi, Consort.
- Rev. Josephin Raj Muthuswamy, as Administrator of Our Lady of Peace Parish, Innisfail.
In addition, the following pastoral assignments, announced by Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Lacombe Province), are effective August 1, 2025:
- Rev. Garry LaBoucane, OMI, as Administrator of Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, Edmonton.
- Rev. Susai Jesu, OMI, as Administrator of Lac. Ste. Anne Parish, Lac. Ste. Anne and Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Enoch, and Missions.
- Rev. Heinner Paucer, OMI, as Administrator of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, Maskwacis.
- Rev. Marek Pisarek, OMI, as Parochial Vicar (a.k.a. Associate Pastor) of St. Albert Parish, St. Albert, Lac. Ste. Anne Parish, Lac. Ste. Anne (and Missions).
Associate Pastors
- Francis Sundarraj, SDB, as Parochial Vicar of St. Charles Parish, Edmonton.
- Michael Arockiasamy Pancras, SDB, as Parochial Vicar of OLPH, Sherwood Park.
- Linoose Bivera, as Parochial Vicar of OLPH, Sherwood Park.
- We await three priests from various Syro-Malankara Eparchies in India who will be assigned as a Parochial Vicar to the parishes of Joseph’s Basilica, St. Thomas More Parish, Edmonton, and St. Anthony Parish, Lloydminster, as they arrive:
- Rev. Geevarghese Nediyamalayil Abraham
- Rev. Justin Chellappan
- Rev. Manu Moran
- Rev. Geevarghese Nediyamalayil Abraham