Four Priests Named Pastors, Three Appointed Administrators

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Four priests have been assigned as pastors of parishes in the archdiocese and three others have been named administrators, including one on a temporary basis, and another has been appointed to serve as a parochial vicar, the Cardinal’s Office has announced.

Also, six other priests have received assignments to serve in seminary posts, as high school chaplains or faculty, or to undertake further study. Additionally, two priests are now on sabbatical.

The appointments all became effective from Aug. 1 to Sept. 1, except for Father Richard Veras’ appointment to St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, which took effect July 1.

Pastors

Father Vladimir Chripko, C.O., who had served as a parochial vicar at a parish in Trenton, N.J., since 2002, has been named pastor of St. Paul-St. Ann in Congers. In the archdiocese, he was chaplain at Rockland Psychiatric Center, Orangeburg, 2004-2011, and assisted at other parishes. He was ordained in 1995 in his native Slovakia. In 2007 he joined the New York Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Tappan.

Father John Knapp, who had served as parochial vicar of St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus parish, the Bronx, since Aug. 1, has been named pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption-St. Mary Star of the Sea, the Bronx. He was pastor of two Bronx parishes, St. Gabriel’s, 2007-2015, and Our Lady of Solace, 1995-2007, where he previously served as administrator for two years. He served as parochial vicar at St. Columba’s, Hopewell Junction; St. Denis-St. Columba, Hopewell Junction; and Our Lady of Refuge, the Bronx. He was ordained in 1986.

Father David Powers, Sch.P., who had served as parochial vicar of St. Helena’s parish, the Bronx, since June, has been named pastor there. He previously had taught for 30 years at schools in Kentucky and Pennsylvania conducted by the Piarist Fathers. He was ordained for the Piarists in 1985.

Father Luis Vera, O.S.A., who had served as prior of St. Thomas Monastery in Villanova, Pa., and as a provincial councilor with the Order of St. Augustine, or Augustinians, since last year, has been named pastor of St. Nicholas of Tolentine parish, the Bronx. He was prior of a friary in Chicago and at Augustinian College in Washington, D.C, and held formation positions in both places. In the archdiocese he served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel parish, Staten Island, 1996-1999. He was ordained for the Augustinians in 1996.

Administrators

Father Pablo Gonzalez Maestre, who had served as administrator of St. Rita of Cascia parish, the Bronx, since 2012, and previously was parochial vicar there for a year, has been named administrator of St. Rita-St. Pius V parish. A native of Spain, he was ordained for the Archdiocese of Madrid in 2007. 

Father Sean Harlow, O. Carm., who has served as administrator of St. Paul’s, Bullville, since 2012, has been assigned as temporary administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, Middletown, while continuing at St. Paul’s. He was pastor of two other parishes in Manhattan, St. John the Martyr, 2007-2012, and Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen, 2001-2007. He was pastor of a parish in Brooklyn, 1996-2001. He also served at St. Paul’s, 1991-1996, when he was director of novices for the Carmelites’ North American Province of St. Elias. He was ordained for the Carmelites in 1969.

Father Thomas Kunnel, C.O., who served most recently at St. Catharine’s parish, Blauvelt, and executive producer of Hallel Communications in Sparkill, has been assigned as administrator of St. John the Baptist, Piermont. A native of Kerala, India, he was ordained for the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1983. He served as a missioner to Northeast India for 15 years and then set up media production and youth ministry centers in Kenya, Africa, for 12 years. In 2010, he joined the New York Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Tappan.

Parochial Vicar

Father Anthony Mizzi-Gili, who had served as administrator of St. Eugene’s parish, Yonkers, since last year, has been assigned to St. Barnabas, the Bronx. He also served at St. Anthony’s, Nanuet, 2012-2014, and Our Lady of the Assumption, the Bronx, 2009-2012. He was ordained in 2009.

Other Assignments

Father Andrew Florez, who had served as administrator of Sacred Heart parish, Mount Vernon, since 2013, has been assigned to the faculty of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers. He was pastor of St. Peter’s, Rosendale, 2001-2013. He also served at St. Mary’s, Washingtonville, 1995-2001, and St. Frances de Chantal, the Bronx, 1993-1995. He was ordained in 1993.

Father Brian Graebe, who had served as parochial vicar of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Shrub Oak, since last year, will study dogmatic theology at Pontifical North American College in Rome. He also served at St. Kateri Tekakwitha, LaGrangeville, 2011-2014. He was ordained in 2011.

Father George Sears, who had served as pastor of St. Mary’s, Poughkeepsie, since 2012, and previously was administrator there for a year, has been assigned as vice rector and dean of students at Cathedral Seminary House of Formation, Douglaston, Queens. He also served at St. Rose of Lima-Our Lady of Esperanza, Manhattan, 2006-2011, and Our Lady of the Angels, the Bronx, 2005-2006. He was ordained in 2005.

Father Brian Taylor, who had served as parochial vicar of St. Benedict’s, the Bronx, since 2011, will study canon law at Pontifical North American College in Rome. He also served at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Staten Island, 2010-2011, and St. Joseph’s, Bronxville, 2006-2010. He was ordained in 2006.

Father Richard Veras, who had served as chaplain and faculty member at Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Poughkeepsie, since last year, has been assigned as director of pastoral formation and a faculty member of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. He was pastor of St. Rita’s, Staten Island, 2008-2014. He was on the faculty of Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, 2004-2008. He also served at St. Joseph-St. Thomas, Staten Island, 1997-2004, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Bronx, 1996-1997. He was ordained in 1996.

Father Timothy Wiggins, who had served as administrator of Our Lady of Mercy, Port Chester, since 2013, has been assigned as chaplain of Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains. He also served at St. John the Evangelist, White Plains, 2003-2013, and St. Peter’s, Monticello, 2002-2003. He was ordained in 2002.

Sabbatical

Father Lino Gonsalves, who had served as administrator of St. Joseph and St. James, Manhattan, since 2011, is on sabbatical in Peru for Spanish language study. He served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine at St. Bernard’s, Manhattan, 2004-2011; Our Lady Help of Christians, Staten Island, 2004; and St. John the Baptist, Yonkers, 2001-2004. Ordained in his native India in 1986, he was incardinated in 2009.

Father Michael McLoughlin, who is pastor of St. Columba’s parish, Hopewell Junction, is taking a four-month sabbatical at the Institute for Continuing Theological Education program at Pontifical North American College in Rome. He became pastor of St. Columba’s Aug. 1 after having served as administrator there since last year. He has been pastor of St. Stephen’s, Warwick, and Sacred Heart of Jesus, Highland Falls. He served as administrator and parochial vicar of St. John the Baptist, Yonkers. He also served at St. Peter’s, Rosendale, and St. Rita’s, Staten Island. He also was vocations director for the Staten Island Vicariate. He was ordained in 1981.