Father Walter A. Norris, Pastor, Saint Joseph the Worker, Haddon Township. Philip and James Parish in Grand Mound. Father Colin Blatchford, associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Several Knoxville priests toldThe Pillarthat Stikas apparent intention to ordain the aspiring priest is part of a pattern of questionable judgment, failure to listen to advice from both priests and experts, and, in some cases, failure to appreciate the significance of allegations of sexual misconduct. He remains Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Cookeville and Dean of the Northeast Deanery. Ordained in 1979 he has served at Holy Family Parish and Assumption High School in Davenport, Assumption Parish in Charlotte, St. Patrick Parish in Villa Nova, Mater Dei High School in Clinton, Assumption/St. Effective July 1, 2021, the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments which have the effect of creating new pastoral linkages between parishes: Reverend Thomas Anderson, in addition to his current role as Pastor of St. Benedict, Yankton, to Pastor of Sacred Heart, Yankton. Prior to that he served as pastor of St. Catherine Labour in Copperhill, associate pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville, associate pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, and associate pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to The East Tennessee Catholic and receive notifications of new posts by email. He was before that a priest of St. Louis, and both chancellor and vicar general to Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of St. Louis until 2004, who now lives with Stika in retirement. Father John C. Retar concludes his appointment as pastor, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, Lorain and St. Vincent de Paul, Elyria. Deacon Dan Freeman will serve as parish life coordinator and deacon at St. Mary Parish in Wilton. Father Anthony Stewart is released from the office of Associate Pastor of Holy Family Church in Brentwood, and upon canonical erection of the parish, will be appointed as Pastor of Mother Teresa Church in Nolensville for a term of six years. Receive our weekly newsletter in your email inbox. A Vatican official confirmed toThe Pillarlast week that about 10 reports against Stika have been received by the Congregation for Bishops and are being reviewed. Sister Peter Miriam Dolan, a Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Mich., is the new diocesan director of Christian Formation. Reverend Anthony Klein, in addition to his current role as Parochial Vicar, Holy Spirit Parish, Sioux Falls, to Chaplain, OGorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls. Sister Maria Juan, a native of Idaho, has been a member of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma since 2012. Father Joseph Mundakal, CMI, is released from the office of Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Lawrenceburg and is appointed Administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Dover. Cimpl (the current vicar general) for a time in order to facilitate a smooth transition. Father Michael Hendershott has been appointed a full-time associate pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville effective July 1. The bishop said on a few occasions that he has spoken to the apostolic nuncio, who told him not to worry about reports from the priests to (then-)Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, since there are only two disgruntled priests who complained, and that Kurtz and the apostolic nuncio had determined that the reports were without merit. Bishop Stika also announced that longtime diocesan priest Father Tom Moser has retired from active priestly ministry. Stika has beenmore recently criticized for permitting a Knoxville seminarian to live in the bishops residence, work as his personal assistant with an office in the diocesan chancery, and remain formally a diocesan seminarian, even after the man was dismissed in February from a seminary outside the diocese, for multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, and was accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting a parish employee. Prior to that, he was associate pastor of St. Thrse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland. He was born in Walla Walla, Wash., in 1946, and has lived in more than a dozen states and overseas. . Time will tell., Documenting the Catholic Sexual Abuse and Financial Crisis Data on bishops, priests, brothers, nuns, Pope Francis, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Documenting the Abuse Crisis in the Roman Catholic Church Established June 2003, https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/stika-accepted-deacon-accused-of. All assignments are. The bishop said on a few occasions, in public and in private, that the apostolic nuncio assured him there would be no investigation into his handling of the seminarian in question. New priest assignments are effective Monday, July 2. Father Brant will remain in the Diocese and will continue to assist in priestly ministry as . Effective July 1, 2021, (unless indicated differently) the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following priest appointments to parish and other assignments: Reverend Mark Axtmann, from Chaplain, Avera St. Lukes Hospital and Sacramental Minister at St. Mary, Aberdeen, to Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph, Mobridge, St. Michael, Herreid, St. Anthony, Selby, and St. Joseph, Eureka. There will be change in pastoral leadership at Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville later this year. Those reports are expected to trigger an investigation into the bishops leadership of his Tennessee diocese. Manning conceded that the optics are bad on this, even while he defended the bishop. Stika told priests by email last week that if the Holy See decides to investigate, he would welcome it with open arms and will cooperate fully. Bishop Stika announces priest assignments - Diocese of Knoxville Your email address will not be published. Father Scott Foley, 36, will become pastor of St. Mary Parish in Grinnell. Home - Diocese of Colorado Springs - BISHOP GOLKA'S VIDEOS He also served as chaplain and on the faculty at Knoxville Catholic High School. The assignments include: KNOXVILLE (TN)Knoxville News Sentinel [Knoxville TN]. He began seminary training in Colombia and completed his training at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois. He continued studies at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas, and the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga to prepare for ordination in East Tennessee. Joseph Fowler Judicial Vicar in the Office of the Tribunal, as well as Parochial Vicar, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Pensacola, effective March 1, 2021 Rev. Reverend Brian Eckrich, effective May 1, 2021, from Parochial Vicar of Cathedral of St. Joseph, Sioux Falls, to Parochial Vicar of St. Mary, Dell Rapids, St. Rose of Lima, Garretson, and St. Joseph the Workman, Huntimer. Reverend Andrew Swietochowski, from Pastor of St. James, Chamberlain, and St. Margaret, Kimball, to Senior Priest. After the deacon was dismissed from seminary, Stika agreed in 2017 to assign him to a year of parish ministry in the Knoxville diocese, and to reevaluate the man's suitability for both ordination to priesthood and possible incardination in the diocese, according to diocesan records. Pastors and Administrators: Father Ignacio Morales is appointed pastor of Prince of Peace Church in Flowery Branch. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, has been named associate director of Courage International, a Roman Catholic apostolate for men and women who experience same-sex attractions that is based in Trumbull, Conn. He has been Pastor of Sacred Heart Lawrenceburg since 2008. Reverend Thomas Hartman, from Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton, and St. Joseph, Turton, and Sacramental Minister of the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen, to Pastor of St. Michael, Sioux Falls. Sister Peter Miriam also is a certified EMT. Volunteers from that group of priests took charge of writing the document, which was sent among the 12. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga and Chaplain of University of Tennessee Chattanooga Neumann Center (Sept. 9, 2020) Father Adam Kane Associate Pastor, Holy Ghost Church, Knoxville (Oct. 1, 2020) and temporary Parochial Administrator, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, LaFollette; Christ the King Church, Tazewell; St. Jude Church, Helenwood( Until Oct. 1, 2020) Father Moiss Moreno Associate Pastor, Basilica of Sts. Father Simpson was ordained on May 25, 2019. Reverend William Hamak, from Pastor of St. Joseph, Mobridge, to Pastor of St. Margaret, Kimball, and St. James, Chamberlain. Copyright 2023 Diocese of Knoxville. Those reports are expected to trigger an investigation into the bishops leadership of his Tennessee diocese. Bishop announces new priest assignments. Bishop Richard F. Stika recently announced new pastoral assignments for the Diocese of Knoxville and a priest retirement. Father Arthur Torres, who has served as associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus since his 2013 ordination to the priesthood, has been appointed pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga effective Oct. 1. Mary & Joseph Parish in Sugar Creek, Immaculate Conception Parish in Petersville and St. Patrick Parish in Delmar. He has previously served as Associate Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Murfreesboro, a hospital chaplain, and as chaplain at Father Ryan High School. Father Ron Franco, CSP, is returning to the Paulist motherhouse in his Native New York City at the end of 2020. Father Edward R. Kolla, Parochial Vicar, Christ the Good Shepherd, Vineland. He first studied for the priesthood with the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles and decided to become a diocesan priest in East Tennessee before his ordination. Connect with Tyler by emailing him at tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Im hoping that whatever comes of all of this, that we can go through a process of recovery as a presbyterate, because weve just been battered for years. Stikas alleged infatuations are not necessarily violations of the sixth and ninth commandment, but definitely boundary issues between the appropriate relationship of a bishop to a subject in his diocese, one senior diocesan priest toldThe Pillar. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. By Dan McWilliams. Reverend Thomas Fitzpatrick, from Pastor of St. Nicholas, Tea, and St. Christina, Parker, to Pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls. Reverend Paul King, in addition to his current role as Pastor of St. George, Hartford, to Pastor of St. Ann Parish, Humboldt. Father Blatchford, who was ordained to the priesthood in May 2014, also has served as sacramental minister to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Catholic Center and previously served as associate pastor at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Father Corey Close, 37, will begin advanced studies in canon law. Bishop Stika announces new priest assignments - Diocese of Knoxville Valentin Iurochkin, IVE Associate Pastor, Basilica of Sts. Father Sam Sturm will be the new pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in LaFollette, Christ the King Parish, and St. Jude Parish in Helenwood effective Oct. 1. He currently serves as pastor at Assumption & St. Patrick Parish in Charlotte, Ss. Not unlike the day of my ordination, Im in a complete daze this morning. Priest Personnel Appointments, May 2021 | Catholic Diocese of Pensacola Philip and James Parish in Grand Mound. Msgr. Father Michael Spiekermeier, 77, will retire. Father Gary Beckman, 62, will remain pastor at St. Wenceslaus Parish in Iowa City, but also serve as pastor at St. Bernadette Parish in West Branch. Lay and clerical sources say the bishop appeared to favor the employee and was seen frequently socializing with him. Father Ebulueme was ordained on July 22, 1995, in his native Nigeria. Father Zachary Griffith, who also was ordained to the priesthood Aug. 29 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, is the new associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga as of Sept. 9. Subscribe to the print and/or e-edition, or make aone-time donation, today! Does ChatGPT get Catholics? Father Mark Beckman is reappointed to an additional six-year term as Pastor of St. Henry Church in Nashville. He currently serves at Regina, St. Joseph in West Liberty and St. Bernadette Parish in West Branch. Sister Peter Miriam entered the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 2016. Father Jhon Mario Garcia, a priest of the Congregation of the Mission, Lazarists, Vincentians who joined the Diocese of Knoxville earlier this year, has been named associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus effective July 1. He previously served in this diocese as Associate Pastor at St. Joseph Church in Madison and Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Loretto and St. Joseph Church in St. Joseph. Several priests have accused Stika of impeding investigations into that seminarians conduct, a charge which Stika denies. Mar 22, 2021. He currently serves as a deacon at St. Andrew Parish in Blue Grass. She is scheduled to make her final vows in August. The priest assignments for 2021 are listed below. He succeeds Father Edward Steiner, whose tenure as Director of Ongoing Clergy Formation is concluding. Father Vick, a former dentist in private practice, was ordained to the priesthood in 1999. He also served at Assumption High School, St. Ambrose University and St. Anthony Parish in Davenport. Reverend Grant Lacey, from Pastor St. Peter the Apostle, Platte, and St. Ann Parish, Geddes, to University Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry at Mount Marty University and Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton. WELCOME. Through a spokesman, Stika said that in 2017 he said he considered the deacon for ministry in the Knoxville diocese, but the deacon was not ultimately accepted. Father Andrs Cano, who has been serving as associate pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, has been appointed coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Five Rivers Deanery and as sacramental minister to the Handmaids of the Precious Blood contemplative community at their Cor Jesu Monastery in New Market effective Sept. 9. A diocesan spokesman said that he travelled to Rome with a group that included Bishop Stika and other employees of the diocese during 2015, and that the bishop celebrated the employees wedding and considers him a friend. He also will lead the Hispanic communities in those parishes. And that was the first time my eyes were raised., Why was he so strongly in favor of this man?. Effective June 8, 2021. He was ordained in June 2008 at Our Lady of Carmel Church in Pereira, Colombia. Prior to St. Alphonsus, among Father Harveys assignments were as pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville and as associate pastor of St. John Neumann in Farragut, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga, Notre Dame, Good Shepherd in Newport, and St. Henry in Rogersville. Reverend Timothy Cone, from Parochial Vicar, Holy Family and Holy Spirit, Mitchell, to to Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart and St. Mary in Aberdeen. Succeeding Father ODonnell at St. John XXIII is Father Richard Whitney, CSP. Father Christiano Nunes da Silva, VF, is appointed Director of Ongoing Clergy Formation. The Diocese of Colorado Springs is partnering with the Catherine of Siena Institute (CSI) to offer the Called & Gifted charism discernment process to parishioners throughout our diocese.Click here to learn more about Called & Gifted.. Called & Gifted workshops will be offered on:. Copyright 2023 Diocese of Knoxville. Father Jacob Greiner, 39, will be relieved as sacramental minister at St. Andrew parish in Blue Grass. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Mrs. Wolaver said she is eager to serve the diverse Diocese of Knoxville community and accompany young adults on their journey of faith. Will Schmid has been appointed Director of Spirituality Year for our seminary. He currently serves as pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf. Father Moser has served in several assignments for the Diocese of Knoxville, including as associate pastor or pastor in locations ranging from South Pittsburg to Kingsport and from Chattanooga to Fairfield Glade. Father OConnell is retired from active priestly ministry. Copyright 2009-2023 The Catholic Messenger All rights reserved. We all care for him as a brother priest and as our bishop, and I believe that the most lovingChristian way that we can help him is to share our truth, the priest wrote. Saturday, March 4 at St. Gabriel Parish (Register here)Saturday, March 11 at Ave Maria Parish (Register here) Reverend Christopher Hughes, from Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton, and St. Liborius, Polo, to Pastor of St. Mary, Clear Lake, St. Peter, Gary, St. Francis de Sales, Estelline, Holy Rosary, Kranzburg, and St. John, Castlewood. Reverend DeWayne Kayser, from Pastor of St Mary, Salem, to Chaplain Sanford USD Medical Center & Hospital, Sioux Falls. Its a homecoming, Father ONeill said. You dont just automatically jump to the next level (of complaint). Father Mutajuka was ordained on July 26, 2014. Father Torres also has served as deanery coordinator for vocations and master of ceremonies for diocesan Masses and as moderator of the Hispanic Marriage Encounter Ecclesial Movement. Reverend Kristopher Cowles, from Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls, to Priest Director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion. Bishop Stika announces new priest - Diocese of Knoxville - Facebook Reverend Gregory Tschakert, from Pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls, to Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton, and St. Joseph, Turton. The Catholic Post New assignments are announced for 25 priests; Fr New assignments are announced for 25 priests; Fr. Her most recent service was in the Archdiocese of Seattle, where she served as the pastoral assistant for Faith Formation and Youth and as Young Adult minister for St. Mary Church in Anacortes, Wash., and St. Paul Church. Rev. Father Resen, 75, serves at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City and has been active in the pro-life ministry in East Tennessee. The diocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil Ministry has announced that Paola Bustos Wolaver has been named a full-time Young Adult Ministry coordinator. But the bishop has not heeded that advice, they said. Ordained in 2004, he has served at Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton, St. Mary Parish and Newman Catholic Student Center in Iowa City, and director of vocations and associate director of vocations for the diocese. Bishop Richard Stika reportedly intended to ordain the deacon a priest, despite objections from both Knoxvilles diocesan priests and psychological experts. The unusually strong letter, written in the fall of 2021, asked Archbishop Christophe Pierre at the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, D.C., to intervene. Reverend Shane Stevens, effective May 1, 2021, while remaining Pastor of St. Mary, Dell Rapids, from Temporary Administrator to Pastor of St. Rose of Lima, Garretson, and St. Joseph the Workman, Huntimer. He served as pastor of St. Catherine Labour from 2014 to 2019, when he was appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. In the Diocese of Davenport he has served at Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond, St. Mary Parish in Riverside and St. Joseph Parish in Wellman. Father Albert announced that he will be the new Chaplain of Ascension Living Alexian Village in Signal Mountain (Effective September 9, 2020). The alleged victim, John Doe, has since filed a lawsuit against the diocese and Stika. In this diocese, he previously served as Associate Pastor and Pastor of St. Philip Church in Franklin. Father John Burns, who was granted senior status on March 1, is pictured with gifts he received May 2 from members of the three parishes he served since 2005 -- St. John the Apostle in Woodhull, St. John the Evangelist in Galva, and St. John Vianney in Cambridge. Kulathumkal, Rev. Deacon Chris Kabat, while remaining a deacon at St. Wenceslaus Parish in Iowa City, also assigned as deacon at St. Bernadette Parish in West Branch. Bishop Stika announces priest assignments Home July2,2021 Link: https://etcatholic.org/2021/07/bishop-stika-announces-priest-assignments/ Connect The Chancery, Diocese of Knoxville 805 S. Northshore Drive Knoxville, TN 37919 Phone: 865-584-3307 Fax: 865-584-7538 Office hours: 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Subscribe to Dionotes Father Adam A. Zajac, pastor, St. Mark Parish, Cleveland, was appointed pastor of St. Mel Parish, Cleveland, effective July 1. Reverend Larry Regynski, from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Yankton, to Pastor of Holy Trinity, Huron. He will fill in when needed to celebrate Mass and assist in other priest duties. Knox News received an unsigned copy of the letter from a source. He remains vicar general and a consultor for the diocese. Effective July 1, 2021, (unless indicated differently) the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments to pastorates and chaplaincies: Reverend Thomas Clement, from Pastor of St. Michael, Herreid, St. Anthony, Selby, and St. Joseph, Eureka, to Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle, Platte, and St. Ann, Geddes. Bishop Stika announces priest assignments - East Tennessee Catholic Sister Peter Miriams love for Christ and His Church inspired her to serve a year with NET Ministries, where she traveled around the country facilitating retreats for Catholic youth, challenging them to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church. CATHOLIC PASTORAL CENTER 2800 MCGAVOCK PIKE | NASHVILLE, TN, 37214-1402. He was ordained in 1969 and has served at St. Patrick Parish and The Alverno in Clinton, Holy Family Parish and School in Davenport, Sacred Heart Parish and Mater Dei High School in Clinton, All Saints Parish in Keokuk and St. Paul the Apostle and St. Mary Parish in Davenport. There are a number of references to the former seminarian accused of raping a church employee. All but one of the assignments will become effective on Monday, June 28, 2021. Parishes announced the changes in May, and they took effect (unless noted otherwise below) on July 15. The letter alleges the bishop and the seminarian traveled together in the summer of 2021, evidenced by a video posted on Facebook. The Catholic Diocese of Knoxville has reached an out-of-court settlement with a Blount County man whose lawsuit alleged he was sexually abused as a child by two priests. Young will share in the duties of vicar general with Fr. He previously has served as Associate Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Cookeville and St. Joseph Church in Madison and as Administrator of Holy Rosary Church in Nashville. A signed copy was sent to the Apostolic Nuncio office. Required fields are marked *. His first assignment was at St. Jude. Effective July 1, 2021, at the recommendation of the Pro Ecclesia Sancta community and the endorsement of their religious superior, the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments: Reverend Yamato Icochea, PES to Parochial Vicar of the parishes of Holy Family and Holy Spirit in Mitchell. Knox News is not naming the victim because he says he is a victim of a sex crime. Church leaders conducted whats called an apostolic visit about a year later, in November 2022. Ordained in 2016, he has served at St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf, Assumption High School in Davenport, Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax and currently serves as pastor at St. Mary Parish in Grinnell. We do not wish, in hindsight, to be accused of remaining silent, or of not having done enough in the interests of justice and charity, they wrote. Father Sescon, who was ordained a priest in June 1986 in Cebu City in the Philippines, also has ministered to the Diocese of Knoxvilles Filipino Catholic community. East Tennessee Catholic | News from the Diocese of Knoxville Stika, through diocese spokesperson Jim Wogan, declined to comment or answer a list of questions from Knox News for this report. Father Vlez-Cardona also has been the diocesan moderator of the Charismatic Movements for Hispanics. It is unclear if the letter precipitated the apostolic visit last fall. He was ordained in 1977 and has served at Holy Family Parish and Assumption High School in Davenport, St. Mary Parish in Clinton, St. Mary Parish in Pella, St. Anthony Parish in Knoxville, Sacred Heart Parish in Melcher, Ss. He has served as pastor of Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission in Knoxville and sacramental minister at the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery. Father Jim Vick has been named pastor of St. Bridget beginning Oct. 1. In 2021 11 priests sent a letter to the highest reaches of the U.S. Catholic Church regarding the leadership of Bishop Richard Stika. The bishops behavior raised red flags, one priest toldThe Pillar. Im mourning the loss of many of our brothers who could not take it in this insanity. Mary & Mathias Parish in Muscatine Ss. Mark Spalding has announced new assignments for some priests serving in the Diocese of Nashville; seven churches will receive new pastors, administrators, or associate pastors. Father Alex Waraksa, who has been serving as an assisting priest and coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Five Rivers Deanery and has been in residence at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City, has been named associate pastor at St. Jude effective Sept. 9. A native of Greeneville, Father Collins was the 40th priest ordained for the diocese in 2012. Priest Assignments | Diocese of Lafayette | Lafayette, IN He was ordained in 1985 and has served at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Davenport, Sacred Heart Parish in Kinross, Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond, St. Joseph Parish in Wellman, St. Patrick Parish in Melrose, St. Patrick Parish in Georgetown and St. Peter Parish in Lovilia. Father Resen has relocated to El Paso, Texas, where his mother lived. Father Resens retirement was among several moves announced by Bishop Richard F. Stika in June that take effect this summer and will impact seven diocesan parishes. He previously served as associate pastor of the Paulists mother church, the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City. He wanted to give him more chances and he kept raising objections. Long before the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville received an investigative visit from high-ranking church leaders, a group of priests sent a blistering letter about Bishop Richard Stikas leadership to the highest levels of the Roman Catholic Church in America, Knox News has learned. The appointment is for a five-year term that began Sept. 8. Reverend Cesar Valencia, PES, to Pastor of the parishes of Holy Family and Holy Spirit in Mitchell. Father C. Andrew Forsythe is released from the offices of Associate Pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Gallatin and Chaplain of Pope John Paul II High School and is appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Lawrenceburg for a term of six years. They felt they had no other recourse. Effective July 1, 2021, the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments which relieve the following priests from assigned ministry and thus permit them to retire: Reverend Jerome Kopel, from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Gettysburg and St. Pius X, Onida, to Senior Priest.