diocese of orange priest assignments 2021

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

See new priest assignments from Diocese impacting Orange County and more

Published 12:46 pm Monday, May 2, 2022

By Orange Leader

The Rev. David L. Toups, after meeting with the Clergy Personnel Board, announced the following clergy appointments, effective July 1:

• Father Joseph P. Daleo, currently pastor of St. Mary, Orange, retires from active ministry.

• Father Antony Paulose, C.M.I., from pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption, Beaumont, to pastor of St. Mary, Orange.

• Father Ross E. Waggoner from pastor of Our Lady of Victory, Sour Lake, and Our Lady of Sorrows, China, to pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Vidor.

Others across the Diocese of Beaumont include:

Father Kevin L. Badeaux from pastor of St Joseph, Port Arthur, to pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption, Beaumont.

ather Joseph R. Sigur from parochial vicar of St. Michael, Jasper, and Our Lady of the Pines, Woodville, to pastor of St Joseph, Port Arthur.

Father Eugen Nkardzeze, priest of the Diocese of Kumbo (Cameroon), to parochial vicar, St. Charles Borromeo, Nederland.

Father Polycarp Otieno, F.M.H., from parochial vicar of St. Jude Thaddeus, Beaumont, to pastor of Our Lady of Victory, Sour Lake, and Our Lady of Sorrows, China.

Father Michael J. Minifie currently parochial administrator of Cristo Rey, Beaumont, is appointed pastor of the same parish.

Father Phillip H. Tran, priest of the Archdiocese of Miami, currently parochial administrator of St. Louis, Winnie, and Our Lady of Light, Anahuac, is appointed pastor of both parishes.

Father Alain Millien, priest of the Diocese of Hinche (Haiti), to parochial vicar, Cristo Rey, Beaumont.

Father David Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, M.S., priest of the Missionaries of La Salette in Myanmar, to parochial vicar of St. Michael, Jasper and Our Lady of the Pines, Woodville.

Deacon Senovio Sarabia Jr. currently serving at St Joseph, Port Arthur, is assigned to Our Lady of Assumption, Beaumont.

Orange County firefighters battle several fires; blaze fought with hand tools, authorities said

15,000 pounds of litter collected by Orange County volunteers

Orange County students exposed to engineering opportunities

Interstate 10 lane closures in Orange County detailed for Wednesday and Thursday evenings

Special sections, calendar of events.

• Classifieds
• Small Business
• Subscriptions
• Terms of Use
• Submit a News Tip
• Submit a Photo
• © 2024, Orange Leader

• Jun 10, 2023

Updates on the Diocese of Orange Priests Assignment

As a service to all FFRGOC members/officers and parishioners here is a link showing the changes of where your/our priests are assigned in the Diocese of Orange . Please follow the link provided below as conferred with our FFRGOC President Helen Alonso.

This change is effective July 1, 2023 as released by Bishop Vann of the Diocese of Orange.

https://www.rcbo.org/newsroom-archive/summary-of-2023-priest-assignment-changes-for-the-diocese-of-orange/

Most parishes have issued this information on their own bulletins and websites but here is the summary.

Recent Posts

Induction of FFRGOC Board of Officers/Directors 2024 - 2025

Election of FFRGOC Board of Officers/Directors 2024 - 2025

FFRGOC tribute to Joseph (Joe) Arevalo, third and eight Past President (1999-2002, 2002-2003;2014-2017)

Priest Assignment Changes -July 2021

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.

Reverend Kenneth Koster , from Pastor of Holy Rosary, Kranzburg, and St John, Castlewood, to Senior Priest.

Reverend Michael Schneider , from Pastor of Holy Trinity, Huron, to Retirement.

Reverend Andrew Swietochowski , from Pastor of St. James, Chamberlain, and St. Margaret, Kimball, to Senior Priest.

Reverend James Zimmer , from Chaplain Sanford Hospital and Health System to Senior Priest.

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.

Reverend Cesar Valencia, PES , to Pastor of the parishes of Holy Family and Holy Spirit in Mitchell.

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.

Reverend Andrew Dickinson , in addition to his current role as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen, to Pastor of St. Mary, Aberdeen, and Priest Director of St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen, and Temporary Parish Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Westport.

Reverend Michael Griffin , from Pastor of St. Mary, Aberdeen, and Administrator of Sacred Heart, Westport, to Pastor of St. Joseph, Mobridge, St. Michael, Herreid, St. Anthony, Selby, and St. Joseph, Eureka.

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 Mark Lichter , in addition to his current role as Pastor of St. Wenceslaus, Tabor, and St. John the Baptist, Lesterville/Sigel, to Pastor of St. George, Scotland, and St. Boniface, Idylwilde/Mayfield.

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.

Reverend Kristopher Cowles , from Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls, to Priest Director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion.

Reverend Thomas Fitzpatrick , from Pastor of St. Nicholas, Tea, and St. Christina, Parker, to Pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls.

Reverend William Hamak , from Pastor of St. Joseph, Mobridge, to Pastor of St. Margaret, Kimball, and St. James, Chamberlain.

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.

Reverend John Helmueller , from Pastor of St. Mary, Clear Lake, St. Peter, Gary, and St. Francis de Sales, Estelline, to Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls.

Reverend Steven Jones , from Priest Director, St. Thomas More Newman Center, to Pastor of St. Mary, Salem, and St. Patrick, Montrose.

Reverend DeWayne Kayser , from Pastor of St Mary, Salem, to Chaplain Sanford USD Medical Center & Hospital, Sioux Falls.

Reverend Paul King , in addition to his current role as Pastor of St. George, Hartford, to Pastor of St. Ann Parish, Humboldt.

Reverend Robert Krantz , from Pastor of St. Patrick, Montrose, and St. Ann, Humboldt, to Pastor of St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria, St. Martin, Emery, and St. Stephen, Bridgewater.

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.

Reverend Ken Lulf , from Pastor of Holy Family and Holy Spirit, Mitchell, St. Martin, Emery, St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria, and St. Stephen, Bridgewater, to Pastor of Sacred Heart, Eden, and St. Joseph, Grenville.

Reverend Tyler Mattson , from Parochial Vicar, Christ the King, Sioux Falls, Chaplain at O’Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, and Associate Vocations Director for the Diocese to Pastor St. Nicholas, Tea, and St. Christina, Parker, and Campus Ministry Coordinator in Sioux Falls.

Reverend Randy Phillips , from Pastor of St. George, Scotland, and St. Boniface, Idylwilde/Mayfield, to Pastor of St. Thomas, Faulkton, and St. Liborius. Polo.

Reverend Larry Regynski , from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Yankton, to Pastor of Holy Trinity, Huron.

Reverend Brian Simon , from Parochial Administrator of Sacred Heart, Eden, and St. Joseph, Grenville, to Parochial Administrator of Sacred Heart, Gettysburg, and St. Pius X, Onida.

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

Reverend Gregory Tschakert , from Pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls, to Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton, and St. Joseph, Turton.

Reverend Terry Weber , from Pastor of St. Michael, Sioux Falls, to Pastor of St. John, Plankinton, St. Peter, White Lake, and St. Mary, Stickney.

Reverend Andrew Young , effective May 1, 2021, after having completed his service to the United States Air Force, to Vicar General and Pastor of Risen Savior, Brandon. Fr. Young will share in the duties of vicar general with Fr. Cimpl (the current vicar general) for a time in order to facilitate a smooth transition.

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. Luke’s Hospital and Sacramental Minister at St. Mary, Aberdeen, to Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph, Mobridge, St. Michael, Herreid, St. Anthony, Selby, and St. Joseph, Eureka.

Reverend Timothy Cone , from Parochial Vicar, Holy Family and Holy Spirit, Mitchell, to to Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart and St. Mary in Aberdeen.

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 Michael Kapperman , in addition to his current role as Parochial Vicar, Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen, to Parochial Vicar at St. Mary Parish in Aberdeen.

Reverend Anthony Klein , in addition to his current role as Parochial Vicar, Holy Spirit Parish, Sioux Falls, to Chaplain, O’Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls.

Reverend Robert Lacey , effective April 12, 2021, from Pastor of St. John. Plankinton, St. Mary, Stickney, and St. Peter, White Lake, to Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart and St. Benedict, Yankton.

Reverend Monsignor Charles Mangan , from Parochial Vicar in the parishes of St. Martin, Emery, St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria, and St. Stephen, Bridgewater, and Chaplain to the Our Mother of Mercy and St. Joseph Monastery, Alexandria, at the invitation of its rector, to Spiritual Director and Faculty Member at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Reverend Jeffrey Norfolk , effective May 1, 2021, while remaining Chaplain to the South Dakota State Penitentiary, from Pastor of Risen Savior, Brandon, to Parochial Vicar of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Sioux Falls.

Reverend Robert Wullweber , effective April 12, 2021, from Parochial Vicar of St. Lambert, Sioux Falls, to Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart and St. Benedict, Yankton.

Additional priest assignments, including those for candidates for priestly ordination, will be announced when they have been decreed.

Thank you for holding each of these priests in prayer as they undergo these transitions in their ministry.

[icon name=”file-pdf-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]View Printable Official Statement

[icon name=”file-pdf-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””]Message to the Catholic Faithful Explaining the Rationale of New Priest Assignments

The Catholic Diocese of Tyler

Priest Assignments: September 2021

Aug 16, 2021 | Assignments

After due consultation and prayerful reflection, and in order to provide for the proper care of souls entrusted to him, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland is pleased to announce the following pastoral assignments and appointments for the Diocese of Tyler.

All assignments are effective September 1, 2021, unless otherwise noted.

Very Rev. Francis O’Dowd assigned as pastor of St. Theresa in Gladewater and administrator of Our Lady Queen of Angels Mission in Overton (from pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Daingerfield).

PAROCHIAL ADMINISTRATOR

Rev. Roselio Fuentes assigned as parochial administrator of Our Lady of Grace Mission in Hallsville (from parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler).

Rev. Eugene Tillekeratne, SSS assigned as parochial administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Daingerfield (from administrator of Our Lady of Grace in Hallsville)

PRIEST-IN-RESIDENCE

Rev. Juan Pedro Gonzalez assigned as priest-in-residence at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler while completing studies in canon law (from full-time studies at the Pontifical University of Mexico).

Rev. John Robison Thason, an extern priest in service in the diocese, will be joining the clinical pastoral education program at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital (from administrator of St. Theresa in Gladewater and administrator of Our Lady Queen of Angels Mission in Overton), effective August 15.

Recent News

• Holy Week Invitation from Bishop Vásquez
• Relic of St. Jude coming to Tyler, April 8th
• Qué Pasa? – March 1, 2024
• Prayer for Our New Bishop
• Young missionary strives to follow Christ’s model for evangelization
• Assignments
• Catholic Charities
• Catholic East Texas
• CET: Ask a Priest
• CET: Book Reviews
• CET: Commentary
• CET: En Español
• CET: Family Life
• CET: From the Bishop
• CET: Learning the Faith
• CET: Liturgy
• CET: Living the Faith
• CET: Marriage
• CET: Priests and Seminarians
• CET: St. Philip Institute
• CET: Teens & Youth Ministry
• CET: Theology 101
• CET: Witness Stories
• CET: Year of Baptism
• CET: Year of Mary and the Eucharist
• CET: Young Adult
• Development
• Ethics and Integrity
• Faith Formation
• Official Announcement
• Sanctity of Life

Upcoming Events

VIRTUS Training (Spanish)

Rooted & Rising: Youth Ministers Formation Day

Virtus training (english), virtus training session (english).

BishopAccountability.org

Former deacon excommunicated after his son is sexually abused by a priest.

March 24, 2024

By Emily Schmall

A Louisiana priest was convicted in the sexual abuse of the ex-deacon’s son. What followed was a lawsuit and now the Catholic Church’s highest censure.

A Catholic priest who sexually assaulted an altar boy in Louisiana is in prison, and a diocese has paid a settlement to the victim’s family. Now the diocese’s bishop has punished the victim’s father, a former deacon, with the Church’s highest censure: excommunication.

It was the latest turn in a yearslong battle pitting the former deacon, Scott Peyton, and his family against the Diocese of Lafayette.

The Peytons and the diocese have found themselves on opposing sides of a state law that gave childhood sexual abuse victims more time to file lawsuits.

The law, which was passed in the State Legislature in 2021 but  struck down  on Friday by the state’s highest court, did not apply exclusively to victims of clergy abuse. However, the law prompted new civil suits against Louisiana churches and clergy members who worked for them.

The battle has its roots in 2018, when Mr. Peyton’s son Oliver  accused the parish priest  at St. Peter Catholic Church in Morrow of sexually assaulting him three years earlier, when he was 16. Scott Peyton served the same priest, Father Michael Guidry, as a deacon.

While the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the allegations, Father Guidry was suspended from his church duties and later confessed to the assault, according to court records.

In a deposition, Father Guidry said that the abuse occurred when Oliver Peyton came to the rectory for “spiritual counseling.”

“Even though the priest confessed, we were shunned by members of our community,” Mr. Peyton said, adding that he and his family felt compelled to move to another church in the diocese.

In April 2019, Father Guidry was sentenced to seven years in prison for molesting a juvenile and prohibited from having any contact with the Peytons or with anyone under the age of 18, according to court records.

The diocese said in 2019 that Father Guidry had been “removed from ministry,” but it was not immediately clear whether he was defrocked. In March 2021, the Peytons won a settlement for an undisclosed sum in a lawsuit against Father Guidry and the Diocese of Lafayette.

Mr. Peyton, who was ordained a deacon in 2012, resigned from the diaconate on Dec. 4, 2023. Mr. Peyton also informed the bishop, J. Douglas Deshotel, that the Peyton family was leaving the Catholic Church.

The bishop responded a day later, wishing Mr. Peyton well and saying that, sacramentally, he would remain a deacon. But on March 13, the bishop wrote Mr. Peyton to say he had been excommunicated.

“I am aware that your family has suffered a trauma, but the answer does not lie in leaving the Most Holy Eucharist,” Bishop Deshotel wrote.

Mr. Peyton said that he would not appeal the decree, which prohibits him from receiving holy communion and otherwise participating in the Catholic Church. “We’ve endured enough,” he said.

“What he did to my family with this excommunication proves the point of why I left,” he added, referring to the bishop. “It’s an institution that wants to punish those that speak out against it.”

Many Catholics believe that those who are excommunicated die in a state of sin.

“He’s basically condemned me to go to hell,” said Mr. Peyton, who with his family, has joined an Anglican church about an hour from where they live.

Bishop Deshotel and a lawyer for the diocese, Gilbert Dozier, could not be reached for comment.

As for why he did not resign immediately after the sexual abuse allegations first surfaced, Mr. Peyton said he saw that being a deacon as his vocation. The Peytons ultimately decided that, to move on and heal, they’d need to leave the Catholic Church for good.

“We bounced around from one church to the next, trying to find that home, but you become that stigma,” Mr. Peyton’s wife, Letitia, said.

In April 2019,  Bishop Deshotel published a list  of dozens of clergy members who had been employed in the diocese and who had been “credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor or a vulnerable adult” in the past century.

Among those on the list was Gilbert Gauthe, a priest who pleaded guilty in the 1980s to sexually abusing at least 37 children.  The church defrocked him  and paid more than $10 million to settle lawsuits brought by victims.

Mr. Peyton said, that to the best of his knowledge, none of the clergy members in the Diocese of Lafayette who were accused of sexual abuse have been excommunicated.

During the criminal case against Father Guidry and the lawsuit, the Peytons became vocal supporters of a state law that allowed childhood sex abuse victims to pursue civil damages regardless of how long ago the offenses occurred.

Letitia Peyton testified in favor of the law before state lawmakers. She and her husband founded TentMakers, a nonprofit to support survivors of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy.

Their activism likely encouraged other abuse victims to come forward, said Kristi Schubert, the lawyer in their civil case. She said she also represented at least five people with sexual abuse claims against the diocese.

Mr. Peyton’s excommunication could have a chilling effect, Ms. Schubert said.

“Excommunicating Scott Peyton sends a message to abuse survivors that speaking out against child sex abusers is not safe to do,” she said.

In January, the Diocese of Lafayette  challenged the so-called lookback law  in Louisiana’s highest court, which on Friday said the law violated constitutional due process rights.

If it had been upheld, the Diocese of New Orleans, which has been in bankruptcy for nearly four years, in seeking protection from dozens of lawsuits related to sexual abuse claims,  would have been potentially open  to millions of dollars in additional claims.

Ms. Schubert said that the Diocese of Lafayette’s appeal was likely strategic and meant to discourage other victims from coming forward.

“The Diocese of Lafayette stood to lose millions and millions of dollars,” she said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/24/us/catholic-deacon-excommunicated-louisiana.html

Indiana priest sues diocese for defamation

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on WhatsApp
• Share via Email

An Indiana priest filed suit on Friday, alleging that when officials in the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana said he was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor, they violated diocesan policy, and committed both fraud and defamation along the way. 

The lawsuit was filed by Fr. James DeOreo, ordained in 2018, who alleges that his diocese was not honest when it said in March 2022 that he had been accused of a “possible violation of the sixth commandment by a cleric with a minor.”

The suit also alleges that Lafayette’s diocesan vicar general committed fraud, by helping to convince a former parishioner to allege falsely that DeOreo had “groomed him.”

Before he sued his diocese, DeOreo in 2022 took his accuser to court, asking a judge to declare that the man’s allegations against him were unsubstantiated. The case was dismissed this month, with DeOreo and the man settling the matter in an out-of-court mediation.

While DeOreo’s current lawsuit against his diocese asks for $10 million in damages, the priest has said that he is eager to reach a settlement, if Bishop Tim Doherty, 73, will speak publicly on his behalf.

“If at any moment the bishop proclaims [that] … there is not a single instance or piece of evidence which shows any misconduct or wrongdoing, I will happily enter negotiations with the Bishop and the diocese to bring litigation to an immediate conclusion,” DeOreo wrote last week in a letter to supporters.

Leave a comment

— The story that prompted DeOreo’s lawsuit against the diocese is complicated.

It begins in January 2021. 

In that month, a parishioner at St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish in Zionsville, Indiana, complained to the Lafayette diocese that a few years earlier — when he was in high school — DeOreo had encouraged him to participate in the Exodus 90 program of spiritual discipline, and that the priest’s encouragement of regular fasting had “quickly spiraled into a vicious eating disorder.”

The parishioner told the diocese that he was “burdened with undue pressure” to fast by DeOreo, and “I believed the only way I could love God was by [fasting.]”

In response to the parishioner’s letter, the diocese briefly investigated the matter, instructing DeOreo not to engage in ministry during the investigation. 

But in February 2021, according to the lawsuit, a diocesan investigator found the parishioner’s allegation unsubstantiated, concluding that the priest had not caused the eating disorder. DeOreo resumed priestly ministry. 

Nevertheless, according to DeOreo’s lawsuit, the Lafayette diocese agreed to pay for the parishioner’s therapy, apparently to address his sense of having been harmed by DeOreo.

That kind of agreement is not especially unusual, U.S. dioceses frequently offer to pay for therapeutic sessions by people who claim to have been harmed by priests, even if their allegations are not substantiated.

But according to the lawsuit, Lafayette’s offer had an unusual stipulation: That Fr. Theodore Dudzinsky, who is diocesan vicar general and supervises the diocesan victim assistance program, could attend the therapy sessions.

“Dudzinski claimed a right, ostensibly on behalf of the Diocese, to sit in on Complainer’s therapy sessions between February and September, 2021,” the lawsuit said.

That’s where the lawsuit alleges even more unusual conduct — claiming that the diocesan vicar general encouraged the parishioner to make new allegations against DeOreo. 

According to the lawsuit, during therapy sessions, “Dudzinski informed Complainer and his therapist that the Diocese would be inclined to either reopen the investigation, or initiate a new investigation if Complainer’s allegations were of a sexual nature.”

The lawsuit charges that in August and September 2021, Dudzinski worked “with Complainer…to create the false impression in Complainer that DeOreo would be held responsible and punished for allegations of sexual abuse made by Complainer and that the Diocese would tender compensation to Complainer, regardless of the veracity of those allegations, and preyed upon Complainer’s desire for vengeance and blame for his eating disorder.”

In October 2021, the parishioner sent a new letter to the Lafayette diocese, alleging sexual misconduct on DeOreo’s part. 

“My therapist and I have been working with the Diocese to provide greater clarity to the situation. As I have gone through counseling, I have been able to come to terms with aspects of the abuse that I had previously been unable to; namely sexual harassment and grooming on the part of Fr. DeOreo,” the parishioner wrote.

The parishioner claimed that DeOreo had committed psychological abuse, with the priest “grooming me toward sexual assault.” 

The parishioner identified three instances of alleged grooming: 

that DeOreo had allegedly told a lewd and off-color joke, which, the parishioner said, “made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe.” DeOreo denied that had occurred.

that DeOreo had once said in the presence of the parishioner, “I’m feeling really tempted right now.” DeOreo denied that had occurred.

that when the parishioner, other young people, and adult chaperones were visiting the rectory, DeOreo encouraged the parishioner to enter his bedroom, in order to view a painting hanging on the wall. While the parishioner said that he was alone in the bedroom — that DeOreo was not present — he told the diocese he was “deeply uncomfortable” to have been permitted in the priest’s bedroom. DeOreo said the retelling was inaccurate, but that he had permitted a group of young people to enter his bedroom together, while he was in another room and adult chaperones were present, to view a painting.

The parishioner’s letter to the diocese insisted that the allegations were of grooming, not sexual contact.

“I would like to be clear from the start, at no point was there any sexual contact; it was all through verbal communication and innuendo,” he wrote.

The diocese initiated an investigation into the allegation, and DeOreo was placed on leave from his assignment — but not prohibited from ministry, he said.

According to DeOreo’s lawsuit, the diocesan review board interviewed the parishioner in late October 2021. 

Several weeks later, on Nov. 19, Lafayette’s Bishop Doherty issued a decree stating that the priest had committed “a possible violation of the sixth commandment by a cleric with a minor,” and initiating a preliminary canonical investigation. 

At the same time, according to the lawsuit, the diocese entered negotiations with the parishioner regarding a possible settlement of his claim. 

DeOreo alleges that as that negotiation got underway, Dudzinski, the vicar general, incorrectly told the parishioner that DeOreo had been forbidden from all contact with minors, and was entirely suspended.

According to the suit, little happened after that, for months — until March 7, 2022, when the parishioner complained to the diocese that DeOreo had attended a high school swim meet with a parishioner family who had invited him. 

Four days later, according to the lawsuit, DeOreo was suspended from all public ministry, prohibited from wearing clerical garb, and told to vacate the rectory where he was living.

The next Sunday, the diocese announced publicly that DeOreo had been suspended from ministry for “allegations of inappropriate conduct with a minor,” urging parishioners to contact Child Protective Services if they were concerned.

DeOreo’s lawsuit charges that the diocesan announcement was defamatory and unfair — that it suspended him from ministry not because some new or credible evidence showed he had acted inappropriately with minors, but because the parishioner complained that the priest had violated a diocesan decree by going to the swim meet. 

The priest insists he hadn’t violated any decree, and that the diocesan explanation of his situation was untruthful — misrepresenting the allegations against him, and how far they had gotten in the canonical process. 

DeOreo said that while the diocese had suggested it had issued new prohibitions because it was beginning a formal penal process, it hadn’t actually even concluded its preliminary investigation.

The diocese was “falsely … representing that an investigation had occurred and that substantial evidence pointed toward DeOreo’s misconduct, guilt, and/or culpability,” the lawsuit alleges.

This was, DeOreo claims, an “untruth.”

Now, the priest claims, for more than a year, he’s been in a canonical limbo, with no investigation happening, while “the diocese has refused to retract the statement or otherwise clarify that DeOreo was not suspended for sexual misconduct with a minor, instead allowing the misinformation [it] created … to persist.”

upgrade your subscription

— The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana has not yet responded to the lawsuit in court, and told The Pillar Monday that it did not yet have a comment on the case.

But the suit comes at a challenging time for the Indiana diocese.

Doherty has faced pushback in recent months against a parish reorganization plan that would cut by effectively half the number of “pastorates,” or clustered parishes, across the diocese.

Priests of the diocese have told The Pillar that the process has mostly been designed centrally and by outside consultants, with little consultation of priests or practicing Catholics across the diocese. 

“Morale among the presbyterate is very low,” one priest told The Pillar , because of management issues which have surfaced in the planning process for the parish mergers, he said.

“None of the priests have been allowed to even have information about all of this. We just get very tightly controlled dispersals of information — and it seems like they don’t trust us even to know, let alone for us to be consulted.”

According to several sources in the Lafayette diocese, priests and laity of the diocese have raised concern to the apostolic nuncio about the planning process for consolidation, but have not yet received a response.

Nevertheless, a lawsuit filed by a priest against his diocese is unusual, even among priests who argue that they have not received adequate due process when faced with allegations.

Michael Einterz, DeOreo’s lawyer, told The Pillar this week that it is novel for a priest to sue his diocese in civil court. But he said DeOreo’s circumstances warranted it.

“It is also not very common for the leadership of a diocese to publicly make statements about their priests that could be interpreted as false statements,” the lawyer argued.

The priest could not be reached by The Pillar for comment.

Subscribe now

Comments 58

What happened at the rome-germany talks, catholic schools and an ‘integrated life of faith’, starting seven: march 25, 2024, bonus: baseball, bonding and buffets.

• Fully Alive Campaign
• Promise to Protect
• Stewardship
• Acts of Service
• Evangelization
• Spiritual Renewal
• Catholic Schools
• Communications
• Development and Planned Giving
• Faith Formation
• Hispanic Ministries
• Human Resources
• Marriage and Family Life
• Ministry with Persons with Disabilities
• Respect Life and Social Justice
• Safe Environment
• Vicar General
• Vietnamese Ministry
• Archives and Chancellor
• Development
• Hispanic Ministry
• Marriage & Family Life
• Respect Life & Social Justice

ACTS OF SERVICE

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

2021 Priest Assignments

Please keep all our priests in your prayers. Changes will go into effect July 1, 2021.

© 2024 Catholic Diocese of Wichita

424 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 269-3900

Priest Assignments for 2021

The priest assignments for 2021 are listed below. Please keep our priests and those they serve in prayer as these changes take place. 

Parish Pastor

Buckman, Rev. Thomas, Pastor, St. Mary Parish in Franklin and Christ the King Parish in Scottsville.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Kulathumkal, Rev. Babu, Pastor, St. Pius X Parish in Owensboro.  Effective June 8, 2021.

McCarty, Rev. Joshua, Pastor, St. Leo Parish in Murray.  Chaplain and Director of Catholic Newman Center, Murray State University. Effective June 8, 2021

Thomas, Rev. John, Pastor, St. Stephen Cathedral and Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Owensboro.  Effective July 13, 2021

Thomas, Rev. Shaiju, Pastor, St. Anthony Parish in Axtel and St. Mary of the Woods Parish in McQuady.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Thompson, Rev. William, Pastor, St. Joseph Parish in Central City.  Continuing with ministry in the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal.   Effective June 8, 2021.

Vadakumkara, Rev. Shijo, Pastor, St. William Parish in Knottsville and St. Lawrence parish in Saint Lawrence.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Valomchalil, Rev. Augusty, Pastor, St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Sorgho.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Williams, Rev. Brandon, Pastor, St. Anthony Parish in Peonia, St. Augustine Parish in Grayson Springs and St. Benedict Parish in Wax.  Continuing as Co-Director of Office of Worship.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Parochial Vicar

Abiero, Rev. Michael Charles, Parochial Vicar, St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Az Cuc, Rev. Basilio, Parochial Vicar, St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Bremer, Rev. Al, Parochial Vicar, Sacred Heart Parish in Russellville and Sacramental Minister at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Guthrie.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Bruns, Rev. Corey, Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph Parish in Bowling Green.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Dillard, Rev. Daniel, Parochial Vicar, Sts. Joseph & Paul Parish in Owensboro, Chaplain at Owensboro Catholic High School, and Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Owensboro.  Effective June 8, 2021.

Pynadath, Rev. Sinoj, Parochial Vicar, Sts. Peter & Paul Parish in Hopkinsville. Effective June 8, 2021.

Williams, Rev. Mike, Parochial Vicar, Sts. Joseph & Paul Parish in Owensboro, Chaplain at Brescia University.  Effective June 8, 2021.

McClure, Rev. Jason, Chaplain and Director of St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Bowling Green, Kentucky and ministry to Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp and Retreat Center while continuing as Vicar for Clergy effective June 8, 2021.

©2024 Diocese of Owensboro - All Rights Reserved

Red Pixel Studios

Christ Cathedral

• OC Catholic Sports League
• EWTN Live Stream
• Athlete Profiles
• OC Catholic TV
• Health & Wellness
• From the Bishop

Sign Up for Our Newsletter!

Sign-Up to receive updated stories from OC Catholic. *

Latest Stories

• LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP

As more than 500 Friars filled J.W. Marriott’s banquet hall on March 2, the mood was one part class reunion... 

• LISTENING AND DISCERNING TOGETHER: A FRUITFUL EVENING IN FULLERTON

As readers of these pages will recall from last week’s article on the Synod on Synodality, we are truly blessed... 

LENTEN FISH FRIES BRING PARISH FAMILIES TOGETHER

Friday evening fish fries during Lent have become a staple for many Catholic parishes. A VOLUNTEER READIES DINNER FOR GUESTS... 

YOUNG ADULTS ASK, “WHAT IS GOD’S WILL FOR ME?”

With the support of the Office of Youth and Young Adults, the Diocese of Orange’s Vocations team hosted a discernment... 

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF ORANGE COUNTY HOSTS MARDI GRAS GALA

Catholic Charities of  Orange County (CCOC) recently hosted a successful night of fun, celebration and fellowship. Following a four-year hiatus,... 

RECENT STORIES

• SOUNDS FROM THE SANCTUARY – ORGAN & CHOIR FESTIVAL IN MEMORY OF DR FRED SWANN PT. 2

OC CATHOLIC AFAR

• MSGR. STEPHEN DOKTORCZYK BEGINS PRESTIGIOUS ASSIGNMENT IN NATION’S CAPITAL
• MYSTERY OF SUFFERING
• 40 DAYS OF LENT
• RECIPE SWAP
• IN LOVING SERVICE
• MAKE WAY FOR THE KING

Patty Baer reads an OC Catholic article on Jan. 20 while at the 10th annual OneLife LA Walk. —Patty is…

CARRYING OUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES TAUGHT AT CORNELIA CONNELLY

For almost 60 years, Cornelia Connelly High School (CCHS) in Anaheim educated and inspired young women to learn, grow spiritually…

Araceli Arenas-Rosas and Monica Ruiz caught up on their OC Catholic reading during Los Angeles Religious Education Congress held Feb….

POONG HESUS NAZARENO

Viva Poong Hesus Nazareno! They came with personal intentions and petitions for themselves and others. Some sought miracles of healing,…

IN SEARCH OF HEALING

For this year’s World Day of the Sick Mass, Christ Cathedral pews were filled with the faithful of all ages,…

CELEBRATING FRED SWANN

Dr. Fred Swann was of the world’s most renowned church and concert organists, who sat at the console of  one…

THREE’S A CHARM

It’s been a season of “threepeats” for the JSerra girls cross country team. At the CIF State Cross Country Championships…

MONARCHS TAKE STATE

More than a year before the start of the 2023 volleyball season, Mater Dei volleyball coach Dan O’Dell felt that…

TACKLING A NEW ROLE

Taking over as head coach of a nationally heralded high school football program where your predecessor held the post for…

Local Headlines

CONNECTING GIRL SCOUTS WITH OUR CATHOLIC FAITH Girl Scout Gold Award winner Kathleen Hue literally learned the value of recycling at her mother’s knee. When she was...

OC CATHOLIC AFAR Corina Rodriguez, Maria Gutierrez, Nancy Shanafelt and Archie Gutierrez all of Christ Cathedral parish at the end of their Camino...

VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY WELCOMES YEAR OF THE DRAGON The Vietnamese community ushered in the Lunar New Year last month, and the faithful at St. Columban in Garden Grove...

Opinion Headlines

GOD IS LOVE! February, the month of love, not only brings us the popular Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) but also World Marriage Day...

“ARE WE CATHOLIC ENOUGH?”: BLACK HISTORY IS CATHOLIC HISTORY In her groundbreaking historical account “Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle,” Dr. Shannen Dee...

UNITED IN FAITH AND COMMUNITY: CELEBRATING THE IMPACT OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, it is important to reflect on the significance of Catholic education in our Diocese...

FILM LETS DEVOTEES PROVIDE VISUAL, EMOTIONAL SUBSTANCE OF LOURDES’ STORY

NEW YORK (CNS) — In the documentary “Lourdes” (Distrib Films), filmmakers Alban Teurlai and Thierry Demaiziere present a moving portrait…

MIAMI CATHOLIC PARISH SAYS 10 OF ITS FAMILIES STILL MISSING AFTER COLLAPSE

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (CNS) — It is an understatement to say the people and staff of St. Joseph Parish will…

U.S. BISHOPS WILL GATHER VIRTUALLY FOR THEIR JUNE 16-18 SPRING ASSEMBLY

WASHINGTON (CNS) — When they gather virtually for their annual spring assembly June 16-18, the U.S. bishops will be asked…

National Headlines

PHILADELPHIA ARCHBISHOP: ‘NOTHING COMPARES’ TO BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT SUNDAY MASS Washington D.C., May 25, 2021 / 04:01 pm (CNA) - The Archbishop of Philadelphia this week invited Catholics back to Sunday Mass, emphasizing the importance of in-person attendance. 

GRAD STUDENTS LIFT ELDERLY PARISHIONERS’ SPIRITS ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME SAN DIEGO (CNS) — In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Wendell Callahan became aware of two demographic...

ST. JOSEPH’S DAY CAN HAVE ITS CAKE — AND MEAT WITH IT TOO WASHINGTON (CNS) — St. Patrick’s Day has its corned beef and cabbage and St. Joseph’s Day has zeppoles — Italian...

CATHOLIC HEALTH CARE OFFICIALS AIM TO GET COVID-19 VACCINE TO EVERYONE WASHINGTON (CNS) — To make sure COVID-19 vaccines reach everyone, Catholic health care officials are working to overcome hurdles of...

CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK

Christian Unity Week begins on Jan. 18 and continues through Jan. 25. During this time, the Church observes the Week…

POPE BENEDICT: EIGHT YEARS AS POPE CAPPED LONG MINISTRY AS TEACHER OF FAITH

VATICAN CITY (CNS) —Retired Pope Benedict XVI, who had an impressive record as a teacher and defender of the basics…

POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI DIES AT AGE 95

The Diocese of Orange has released a statement regarding the recent passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The former head…

World Headlines

CATHOLIC NEWS AROUND THE WORLD BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops approved their statement on the Eucharist with 222 “yes” votes Nov. 17, the second...

AFGHANISTAN: POPE LAUNCHES APPEAL FOR FASTING, PRAYERS FOR GOD’S MERCY VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With increased violence unfolding in Afghanistan, Pope Francis appealed to all Christians to fast and intensify...

AS BISHOPS BEGIN LIFTING DISPENSATION, CATHOLICS RETURN TO IN-PERSON MASS INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) — As Catholic parishes across the country are loosening pandemic Mass restrictions and several bishops are lifting the...

Vatican’s electric vehicle fleet now includes a Leaf VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Marking World Environment Day and preparations for a major global meeting on climate change in November,...

WHY I BECAME A CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHER

I began my teaching  career as a public middle school English teacher in 1995. Fast forward six years, and it…

SERVING WITHOUT DISTINCTION

Each year, sophomores at Rosary Academy are asked to participate in a class-wide outreach in the community. GUESTS OF ROSARY…

JOY TO THE WORLD!

As neighbors, family,  children dressed in festive pajamas and several miniature horses celebrated the Christmas season, the St. Cecilia Catholic…

Education Headlines

REUNITED! For a group of graduates from Mater Dei High School’s Class of 1974, planning for the 50-year reunion has been...

“IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK” Mission San Juan Capistrano has unveiled a new audio tour program — just in time for back to school. NATHAN...

SCHOLARSHIPS MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO GIVE BACK Growing up, Lilly Ruiz spent countless hours in religion classes and sitting with friends in the back pews at St....

ST. ANNE SCHOOL MAKES MUSIC AT MARIACHI NATIONALS Students from St. Anne School’s bourgeoning mariachi program sharpened their skills and had fun while doing so during their recent...