July 2021 New Priest Appointments and Appointment Changes

The following appointments are effective July 1, 2021 unless otherwise noted.

CENTRAL DEANERY

• Very Reverend Jesus Belmontes, appointed Rector, The Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Dallas. 
  Formerly Pastor, St. Juan Diego, Dallas.
• Reverend Stephen Bierschenk, appointed Chaplain. St. Jude Chapel, Dallas. 
  Formerly Rector, The Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Dallas.
• * Reverend Adam Musielak, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Patrick, Dallas. 
  Father Musielak is a newly ordained Priest for the Diocese of Dallas.  He was ordained on June 5, 2021.
• Reverend Jonathan Austin is taking a leave of absence.
  Formerly, Chaplain, St. Jude Chapel, Dallas.

EASTERN DEANERY

• Reverend Robert Williams is retiring.
  Formerly Pastor, St. William, Greenville and Our Lady of Fatima Quasi Parish, Quinlan.
• Reverend Henry Erazo, appointed Pastoral Administrator, St. Ann, Kaufman. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Mark the Evangelist, Plano.
• Reverend Javier Diaz, appointed Pastoral Administrator, St. William, Greenville and Our Lady of Fatima Quasi Parish, Quinlan. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Michael the Archangel, McKinney and Holy Family Quasi Parish, Van Alstyne.

NORTH CENTRAL DEANERY

• Reverend Monsignor Henry Petter is retiring. 
  Formerly Pastor, St. Ann, Coppell.
• Reverend Vincent Anyama, appointed Vice-Rector, Holy Trinity Seminary. 
  Father Anyama has been serving as Vice-Rector, St. Mary Seminary, Houston.
• Reverend Paul Bechter, appointed Diocesan Director of Vocations with residence at St. Ann, Coppell. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Ann, Coppell.
• Reverend Edwin Leonard, appointed Pastoral Administrator, St. Ann, Coppell. 
  Formerly Pastoral Administrator, St. Michael the Archangel, McKinney and Holy Family Quasi Parish, Van Alstyne and Diocesan Director of Vocations.
• Reverend Alfonse Nazzaro, appointed Pastoral Administrator, Mary Immaculate, Farmers Branch. 
  Formerly Pastoral Administrator, All Saints, Dallas.
• Reverend Jovita Okoli, appointed Pastoral Administrator, All Saints, Dallas. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, All Saints, Dallas.
• Reverend Daniel Rendon, appointed Pastoral Administrator, St. Juan Diego, Dallas. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Cecilia, Dallas.
• Reverend Ramiro Alvarez, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Ann, Coppell. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Anthony, Wylie.
• Reverend Garrett Bockman, appointed Parochial Vicar, All Saints, Dallas. 
  Father Bockman been working toward completing his STL Degree at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. since his ordination in 2020. 
• * Reverend Samuel Martinez, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Ann, Coppell. 
  Father Martinez is a newly ordained Priest for the Diocese of Dallas.  He was ordained on June 5, 2021.
• * Reverend Juan Torres, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Juan Diego, Dallas. 
  Father Torres is a newly ordained Priest for the Diocese of Dallas.  He was ordained on June 5, 2021.
• * Reverend Felipe Vives, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph, Richardson. 
  Father Vives is a newly ordained Priest for the Diocese of Dallas.  He was ordained on June 5, 2021.

NORTHEASTERN DEANERY

• Reverend Luca Simbula, until now Pastoral Administrator, was installed as Pastor of St. Augustine Catholic Church on May 2, 2021.
• Reverend Robinson Agbadugo, appointed Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, Rowlett.
  Father Agbadugo is a priest of the Diocese of Ekwulobia in the Anambra State, Nigeria.
• Reverend Abraham Thomas, appointed Pastor, St. Mary Malankara, Mesquite by his Bishop. 
  Father Thomas will be residing at Divine Mercy of Our Lord, Mesquite.  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Jude, Allen.
• Reverend Thinh Ba Doan, C.Ss.R., assigned Parochial Vicar of Mother of Perpetual Help Vietnamese Parish, Dallas by his Religious Superior.
  Father Doan will be new to the Diocese.
• Reverend Steven Son Tran, C.Ss.R., has been assigned outside the Diocese of Dallas by his Religious Superior. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar of Mother of Perpetual Help Vietnamese Parish, Dallas.

NORTHERN DEANERY

• Reverend Martin Castaneda, until now Pastoral Administrator, is being installed as Pastor of St. Mary, Sherman and St. Francis of Assisi Quasi Parish, Whitesboro on June 10, 2021.
• Reverend Thomas Cloherty is retiring. 
  Formerly Pastor, Prince of Peace, Plano.
• Reverend Michael Forge, appointed Pastor, Prince of Peace, Plano. 
  Formerly Pastor, Mary Immaculate, Farmers Branch.
• Reverend Jet Garcia appointed Pastoral Administrator, St. Michael the Archangel, McKinney and Holy Family Quasi Parish, Van Alstyne.
  Formerly Pastoral Administrator, St. Ann, Kaufman.
• Reverend Simeon Nwankwo, assigned Parochial Vicar, St. Jude, Allen.
  Father Nwankwo is a priest of the Diocese of Ekwulobia in the Anambra State, Nigeria.
• Reverend Francisco Orozco, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Anthony, Wylie. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Ann, Coppell.
• Reverend Robert Brawanski, S.V.D., appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Francis of Assisi, Frisco. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Edward, Dallas.
• Reverend Joe Lee appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Francis of Assisi, Frisco. 
  Formerly on leave of absence.
• * Reverend Desmond Ndikum, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Michael the Archangel, McKinney and Holy Family Quasi, Van Alstyne. 
  Father Ndikum is a newly ordained Priest for the Diocese of Dallas.  He was ordained on June 5, 2021.
• * Reverend Ricardo Regalado, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Mark the Evangelist, Plano. 
  Father Regalado is a newly ordained Priest for the Diocese of Dallas.  He was ordained on June 5, 2021.

SOUTHEASTERN DEANERY

• Fray Luis Arraiza, O.F.M.Cap., Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church reassigned outside of Dallas Diocese by his Religious Superior, effective July 15, 2021.
• Reverend Pedro Romero Gutierrez, O.F.M.Cap., assigned Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and Sacramental Minister of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos, by his Religious Superior, effective July 15, 2021.
  Father Gutierrez is new to the Diocese.
• Reverend Roberto Vivero Rosales, O.F.M.Cap., assigned Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and Sacramental Minister of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos - St. Theresa Quasi Parish, Dallas, by his Religious Superior, effective July 15, 2021. 
  Father Rosales is new to the Diocese.
• Reverend Artemio Patino, appointed Parochial Vicar, Santa Clara of Assisi, Dallas. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Francis of Assisi, Frisco.
• Reverend Ignacio Olvera, appointed Parochial Vicar, St. Cecilia, Dallas. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, St. Patrick, Dallas. 
• Reverend Angel Torres is returning to the Archdiocese of Mexico City, his home diocese. 
  Formerly Parochial Vicar, Santa Clara of Assisi, Dallas.

SOUTHWESTERN DEANERY

• Reverend Juan Carlos Marin, until now Pastoral Administrator, was installed as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Corsicana on June 6, 2021. 
• Reverend Jorge Rativa, O.P., appointed Sacramental Minister, Corpus Christi, Ferris; Adjunct Spiritual Director, Holy Trinity Seminary with residence at St. Albert Dominican Priory, Irving.