Bishop announces pastoral appointments

Published: April 9, 2018

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments for the Diocese of Little Rock on Friday, April 6, 2018.

Effective May 31: 

• Rev. Pius Ajunwa Iwu, relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith and Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow to become senior priest and reside at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith.

Effective June 13:

• Dc. Patrick R. Friend, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 26, appointed chaplain at Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock, with residence in the House of Formation in Little Rock.
• Dc. L. Tuyen Ngoc Do, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 26, appointed associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. J. Lucas Womack, appointed administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Bay and St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Clinton. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Oliver Ochieze, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Bay and St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Clinton to return to his home Diocese of Orlu, Nigeria.
• Rev. Kevin Atunzu, relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Stephen Church in Bentonville and administrator of St. John the Evangelist Church in Huntsville to become senior priest.
• Rev. Andrew Hart, appointed to assist with the liturgical schedule at St. Mary Church in Siloam Springs and Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Fayetteville and his service in the Tribunal of the Diocese of Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Lincoln.
• Rev. Jason Sharbaugh, appointed to assist with the liturgical schedule at St. Mary Church in Siloam Springs and Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor and director of faith formation of St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Fayetteville. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Lincoln.
• Rev. Jason Tyler, STL, appointed pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Lincoln and St. John the Evangelist Church in Huntsville. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville.
• Rev. Jules Norbert Njopmo, appointed associate pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Lincoln and St. John the Evangelist Church in Huntsville. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville.
• Rev. Alfhones Perikala, appointed associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville, Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Lincoln and St. John the Evangelist Church in Huntsville. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway.
• Rev. John K. Antony, JCL, relieved of responsibilities as chaplain of Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith. He remains pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith and administrator of Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith.
• Dc. Stephen J. Elser, to be ordained to the priesthood on June 2, appointed associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith and chaplain of Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith.
• Dc. Joseph L. de Orbegozo, to be ordained to the priesthood on June 2, appointed part-time associate pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock and part-time teacher at the House of Formation in Little Rock. He will reside at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock.
• Dc. Keith A. Higginbotham, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 26, appointed part-time chaplain at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock and part-time associate pastor at St. Edward Church in Little Rock. He will reside at St. Edward Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Juan Manjarrez, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Barbara Church in De Queen and St. Juan Diego Church in Wickes to attend summer studies at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is appointed pastor of St. Edward Church in Little Rock and to serve part-time in the Tribunal of the Diocese of Little Rock, effective Aug. 8.
• Rev. Ramsés A. Mendieta Lacayo, appointed administrator of St. Barbara Church in De Queen and St. Juan Diego Church in Wickes. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Dc. Saulo Daniel Ramos Hernández, to be ordained to the priesthood on June 2, appointed associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Rev. Theophilus Okpara, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Village, Holy Cross Church in Crossett and Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg to go on sabbatical.
• Msgr. Jack D. Harris, appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Village, Holy Cross Church in Crossett and Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton and St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge.
• Rev. Robert Cigainero, appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Louis Church in Camden and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Magnolia.
• Rev. Aby Abraham, IMS, appointed from associate pastor to pastor of St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton.
• Rev. William Burmester, appointed administrator of St. Louis Church in Camden and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Magnolia. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Rev. Rajasekhar Chittem, appointed associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway.
• Dc. Michael L. Johns II, to be ordained to the priesthood on June 2, appointed from ministering as deacon to associate pastor of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Hot Springs.
• Rev. Jonathan M. Miskin, to be ordained a transitional deacon on May 23, appointed from studying at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana to serve as deacon at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marché) until the end of August 2018, with Rev. Rubén Quinteros as his mentor.
• Rev. Mariadass Vallapaneni, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Pocahontas, St. Joseph the Worker Church in Corning and St. John the Baptist Church in Engelberg.
• Rev. John Miranda, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Ignatius Church in Scranton, Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Morrison Bluff and St. Meinrad Church in Prairie View.
• Rev. Mario Jacobo, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Boniface Church in Fort Smith.
• Rev. Juan J. Guido, appointed from administrator to pastor of Christ the King Church in Fort Smith.
• Rev. Stephen J. Gadberry, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Mary Church in Batesville and St. Cecilia Church in Newport.
• Rev. Balaraju Desam, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Peter Church in Wynne and St. Mary Church in McCrory.
• Rev. Chanda Pillai PJ, IMS, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Albert Church in Heber Springs.
• Rev. Amal Raju Punganoor Lourduswamy, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Michael Church in Cherokee Village and St. Mary of the Mount Church in Horseshoe Bend.

Effective July 1:

• Dc. Jeffrey P. Hebert, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 26, appointed associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway.

Effective Aug. 8:

• Rev. R. Taryn Whittington, appointed part-time associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, and part-time teacher at the House of Formation in Little Rock with residence at Christ the King Church in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as prefect of the House of Formation in Little Rock.
• Rev. Gregory T. Luyet, JCL, appointed prefect of the House of Formation in Little Rock with residence at the House of Formation. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as judicial vicar of the Diocese of Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Edward Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Juan Manjarrez, appointed pastor of St. Edward Church in Little Rock and to serve part-time in the Tribunal of the Diocese of Little Rock.