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Catholic News Herald

Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina

2023 priest assignments announced

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CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter J. Jugis announces the following priest assignments, effective July 11, 2023, unless otherwise noted:

  • Father Darren Balkey, parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem, will become parochial vicar of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte.
  • Father Brian Becker, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa, will become the new director of the Propaedeutic Stage of Formation at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly. He will continue serving as promoter of vocations for the Diocese of Charlotte.

  • Father Oscar Benavides has been appointed as parochial vicar at St. Gabriel Parish in Charlotte and will be helping on Saturdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte, effective Oct. 1.

  • Newly ordained Father Christopher Brock will become parochial vicar at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville.

  • Redemptorist Father Blas Caceres will serve as pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Kannapolis, effective Aug. 16, 2023, succeeding Redemptorist Father Fabio Marin Morales.

  • Redemptorist Father Jerome Chavarria, pastor of St. James Parish in Concord, and Redemptorist Father Charles Donovan, parochial vicar, are being reassigned by their order, effective Aug. 16, 2023.

  • Father Christian Cook, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville, will become pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa.
  • Father Alfonso Gamez, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Mercy Parish and Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Winston-Salem, will become parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Charlotte.
  • Father José Enrique Gonzalez Gaytán, parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Charlotte, will become pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lenoir.
  • Father Andres F. Gutierrez, a new priest to the Diocese of Charlotte, will become pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville.
  • Father Stephen Hoyt, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lenoir, will become the chaplain to Maryfield at Pennybyrn in High Point.

  • Father Aaron Huber, a parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Huntersville, will become the full-time chaplain at Christ the King Catholic High School in Huntersville while being in residence at the rectory at St. Mark Church.

  • Father Thomas J. Kessler, a parochial vicar at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte and former pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville, will become parochial vicar at St. Luke Parish in Mint Hill, effective Aug. 25.
  • Vincentian Father Bruce J. Krause is appointed parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte, effective June 29, 2023.

  • Father Hosup Kwon of the Diocese of Daegu in Korea will replace Father Hyosuk Lee as the priest in ministry to St. Peter Yu Catholic Community in Greensboro, effective July 28, 2023. Father Lee will return to the Daegu diocese Aug. 5, 2023.

  • Missionary Society of St. Paul Father Anthony Mbanefo will serve as parochial administrator of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Mars Hill and Sacred Heart Mission in Burnsville, effective Oct. 16, following the retirement of pastor Father Frederick M. Werth Jr. on Oct. 13.

  • Father Jacob Mlakar, parochial vicar of Holy Cross Parish and assistant chaplain at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, will be assigned to full-time studies at the Angelicum in Rome to complete his degree in Spiritual Theology.

  • Redemptorist Father Fabio Marin Morales, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Kannapolis, is being reassigned by his order, effective Aug. 16, 2023.

  • Vincentian Father Hugo Medellin, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte, is being reassigned by his order, effective Aug. 1, 2023.

  • Vincentian Father Marvin A. Navas will serve as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte, effective Aug. 1, 2023.

  • Father Felix Nkafu, parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem, will return to the Diocese of Buea in Cameroon, effective Aug. 28, 2023.

  • Newly ordained Father Chinonso Nnebe-Agumadu will become a parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Huntersville.

  • Father David F. O’Connor will serve as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville as of Sept. 19, 2023. He is coming to the Diocese of Charlotte from the Diocese of Huancané, Peru.

  • Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Father Patrick O’Connor, will serve as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in High Point, effective Sept. 1, 2023.

  • Father Bernard Oleru, of the Missionaries of St. Paul of Nigeria, will become pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville. He served as parochial vicar at St. Therese Parish in Mooresville and most recently is returning to the Diocese of Charlotte from an extended Spanish immersion course.

  • Redemptorist Father Glenn Parker, parochial vicar at St. James Parish in Concord, will become pastor effective Aug. 16, 2023. He will be joined by two new parochial vicars: Redemptorist Father Luyen Dau and Redemptorist Father Oscar Rojas.

  • Newly ordained Father Peter Rusciolelli will become parochial vicar at St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem.

  • Father Juan Miguel Sanchez, parochial vicar of St. Matthew Parish and part-time assistant chaplain at Charlotte Catholic High School in Charlotte, will become parochial vicar of Our Lady of Mercy Parish and Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Winston-Salem.
  • Father Philip Scarcella, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Charlotte, announces his retirement from active ministry as of Dec. 31, 2023. He will continue to assist at the parish until a new pastor is appointed, expected in February 2024.

  • Father Ramiro Tijerino has been appointed to Hispanic Ministry at Our Lady of the Assumption and St. John Neumann parishes in Charlotte, effective Aug. 1.

  • Father Jonathan Torres, a parochial vicar at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte, will become the full-time chaplain at Charlotte Catholic High School while being in residence at the rectory at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte.

  • Father Henry Tutuwan, pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem and Good Shepherd Mission in King, will return to the Diocese of Buea in Cameroon.

  • Father Melchesideck Yumo, a parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Huntersville, will become the parochial administrator for St. Benedict the Moor Parish in Winston-Salem and Good Shepherd Mission in King.

— Catholic News Herald