Pastoral appointments announced April 22

Published: April 25, 2022

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments, April 22, 2022, for the Diocese of Little Rock.

Effective July 1, 2022:

• Rev. John Connell, VG, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Tontitown. He remains pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale and vicar general of the Diocese of Little Rock.
• Rev. Omar Galván, relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Tontitown. He remains associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Rev. Arokiasamy Madhichettyirudayaraj, appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church in Tontitown and Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Mary Church in Arkadelphia and St. John the Baptist Church in Malvern.
• Rev. Mark Wood, appointed pastor of St. Mary Church in Arkadelphia and St. John the Baptist Church in Malvern. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Stephen Gadberry, appointed pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Mary Church in Batesville and St. Cecilia Church in Newport.
• Rev. Jon Miskin, appointed administrator of St. Mary Church in Batesville and St. Cecilia Church in Newport. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale and St. Joseph Church in Tontitown.
• Dc. Daniel Wendel, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 2022, appointed associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Rev. Joseph de Orbegozo, PhL, appointed from administrator to rector of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. He remains part-time instructor at the House of Formation in Little Rock.
• Nathan Ashburn, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 25, 2022, appointed to serve as deacon at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marché) and St. Mary Church in North Little Rock during the summer 2022.
• John Paul Hartnedy, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 19, 2022, appointed to serve as deacon at Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro during the summer 2022.
• Msgr. Jack D. Harris, appointed pastor of St. Elizabeth Church in Oppelo. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton, St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge and Catholic Campus Ministry in Conway.
• Rev. Joseph Friend, appointed associate pastor of St. Elizabeth Church in Oppelo. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton, St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge and associate minister of Catholic Campus Ministry in Conway.
• Rev. Polycarp Ssebbowa, appointed associate pastor of St. Stephen Church in Bentonville. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. James Church in Searcy and St. Richard Church in Bald Knob.
• Rev. Nelson Rubio, appointed administrator of St. James Church in Searcy and St. Richard Church in Bald Knob. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock.
• Dc. Jaime Nieto, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 2022, appointed associate pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Bhaskararao Malapolu, appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Chanda Pillai PJ, IMS, appointed associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Little Italy. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Albert Church in Heber Springs.
• Rev. Paul F. Worm, appointed pastor of St. Albert Church in Heber Springs. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton.
• Rev. Luke Womack, appointed pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Bay and St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Clinton and Spanish language ministry at St. Albert Church in Heber Springs.
• Rev. Thomas J. Hart, appointed pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Bay and St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Clinton. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Boniface Church in New Dixie, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Little Italy and St. Elizabeth Church in Oppelo.
• Rev. Anthony Robbins, appointed pastor of St. Boniface Church in New Dixie. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway and St. Oscar Romero Catholic Community in Greenbrier.
• Rev. Balaraju Desam, appointed associate pastor St. Boniface Church in New Dixie. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway and St. Oscar Romero Catholic Community in Greenbrier.
• Rev. Brian Cundall, appointed associate pastor of St. Boniface Church in New Dixie. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway, and St. Oscar Romero Catholic Community in Greenbrier.
• Rev. John Marconi, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock to become senior priest.
• Rev. Daniel Velasco, appointed administrator of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock, director of spiritual direction formation for the Diocese of Little Rock, and director of spiritual formation for the House of Formation in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith and chaplain of Trinity Catholic School in Fort Smith.
• Rev. Balaraju Akkala, appointed associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith and chaplain of Trinity Catholic School in Fort Smith. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Stephen Church in Bentonville and administrator of Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur.
• Rev. Erik Pohlmeier, appointed pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Little Italy. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock and director of continuing education of the clergy. He is relieved of his responsibilities as diocesan director of faith formation, and diocesan director of permanent diaconate formation.
• Rev. Taryn Whittington, appointed associate pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Little Italy. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock and part-time instructor at the House of Formation in Little Rock.
• Jeff Hines, appointed from associate director to director of faith formation for the Diocese of Little Rock.
• Dc. Mark Verkamp, appointed from associate director to director of permanent diaconate formation for the Diocese of Little Rock.
• Sr. M. Cecilia Nguyen, OSB, a religious sister of the Congregation of Olivetan Benedictines at Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, appointed minister to religious for the Diocese of Little Rock.
• Rev. Michael Johns, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Louis Church in Camden and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Magnolia.