Priest assignments announced for Diocese of Knoxville Moves will affect more than a dozen priests and parishes across East Tennessee as well as key ministries
By Bill Brewer
B
ishop Richard F. Stika has announced new pastoral assignments for nine diocesan priests and four transitional deacons who will be ordained as priests on June 27. The assignments will be effective July 1 unless otherwise noted. Father Brent Shelton, who currently is pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend, will become pastor of St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. Father Mike Creson, who currently is associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga, will become pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette and Christ the King Church in Tazewell. Father Joe Campbell, currently pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette and Christ the King Church in Tazewell, will become pastor of St. Henry Church in Rogersville and St. James the Apostle Church in Sneedville. Father Jerry Daniels, who has been chaplain at the diocese’s Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center near Benton, will be parochial administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend. Father Bede Aboh, currently pastor of St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge, will become chaplain of the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University. Father Antonio Giraldo, currently associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City, will become associate pastor of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Church in Maynardville and St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. He will be in-residence at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City. Father Adam Kane, currently associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will become associate pastor at All The East Tennessee Catholic
Fr. Shelton
Fr. Creson
Fr. Campbell
Fr. Daniels
Fr. Aboh
Fr. Giraldo
Fr. Kane
Fr. Blatchford
Fr. Cardona
Dcn. Russell
Dcn. Powell
Dcn. Hendershott
Fr. Kiyimba
Fr. Torres
Fr. Vélez-Cardona
Fr. Mathis
Saints Church in Knoxville. Father Colin Blatchford, currently associate pastor at All Saints Church, will become associate pastor at the Dcn. Guerrero Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga and sacramental minister to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Catholic Center. Father Julian Cardona, who currently is associate pastor at St. Mary Church in Johnson City, will become associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Among the seminarians who will be ordained as priests this month, Deacon Scott Russell will become chaplain of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga and parttime associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul as well as associate vocations director for the diocese. Deacon Raymond Powell will become associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga. Deacon Michael Hendershott will become associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Je-
sus, part-time teacher of religion at Knoxville Catholic High School, and also associate vocations director. Deacon Jesús Guerrero Rodriguez will become an associate pastor of St. Mary Church in Johnson City. In other announcements by Bishop Stika regarding priests, the bishop has appointed Father Pontian Kiyimba, associate pastor at All Saints Church, to assist with the diocese’s Hispanic Jail Ministry. The appointment, which was effective May 1, calls for Father Kiyimba to celebrate monthly Mass in either the minimum or maximum security men’s jail. Bishop Stika has appointed Father Arthur Torres Barona, associate pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral, as moderator of the Hispanic Marriage Encounter Ecclesial
The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee
Movement. The appointment was effective May 1. As moderator, Father Torres will participate in the Hispanic Marriage Encounter weekends sponsored by the diocese. And the bishop has appointed Father Miguel Vélez-Cardona, associate pastor of All Saints Church, as moderator of Charismatic Movements for Hispanics for the diocese. His appointment also was effective May 1. As moderator, Father Vélez-Cardona will monitor the Charismatic Ecclesial Movements that have arisen in the diocese within the Hispanic community. Father Christian Mathis, who has been serving as chaplain of the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, has requested and has been granted a leave of absence in order to have time for discernment. ■ June 7, 2015 3