Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis:
Effective June 12, 2019
Reverend Allan Paul Eilen, appointed chaplain of Way of the Shepherd Catholic Montessori School in Blaine. This is in addition to his assignment as pastor of the Church of Saint Patrick in Oak Grove.
Effective July 1, 2019
Reverend Dennis Backer, appointed pastor of the Church of Saint Luke in Clearwater. Father Backer has been serving as parochial administrator of the same parish.
Reverend Albert Backmann, appointed Minister to Clergy for the Archdiocese. Father Backmann is a retired priest who previously has been serving as parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Patrick in Edina.
Reverend Michael Cassian DiRocco, appointed as parochial vicar of the Church of All Saints in Minneapolis. Father DiRocco is a candidate with the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.
Reverend Francis Fried, appointed sacramental minister of the Church of Saint Dominic in Northfield and the Church of the Annunciation in Hazelwood. Father Fried is a retired priest of the Archdiocese.
Reverend Paul Kubista, appointed chaplain to Regina Senior Living in Hastings, sacramental minister of the Church of Saint Joseph in Miesville and part-time to the Archdiocesan Catholic Center. This is a transfer from his previous assignment as parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi.
Reverend John Mitchell, appointed as canonical administrator of Saint Pascal Regional Catholic School in Saint Paul. This is in addition to his assignment as pastor of the Church of Saint Pascal Baylon in Saint Paul.
Reverend Thomas Niehaus, appointed as parochial administrator of the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Montgomery and the Church of Saint Patrick in Shieldsville. Father Niehaus is a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
Reverend Jimmy Mathew Puttananickal, CFIC, appointed parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Mary in Saint Paul. Father Puttananickal has been serving as parochial vicar of the same parish. He will continue in his assignment as chaplain to Regions Hospital in Saint Paul, but will no longer be serving at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Saint Paul. Father Puttananickal replaces Reverend Benny Mekkatt Varghese, CFIC, who will continue as pastor of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Saint Paul.
Effective July 6, 2019
Reverend Bruno Nwachukwu, appointed as sacramental minister of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Loretto and the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran. This is in addition to his assignments as chaplain of DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis and North Memorial Medical Center.
Effective August 1, 2019
Reverend Timothy Rudolphi, appointed parochial administrator of the Church of Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville. This is a temporary assignment until November while the pastor, Reverend James Perkl, is on sabbatical. Father Rudolphi has been serving as parochial vicar of the same parish.
