Christchurch diocese administrator Fr Rick Loughnan made the following clergy appointments last month. The changes take effect on the weekend of July 9 and 10, 2016. Fr Loughnan has advised the priests that as diocesan administrator he is unable to appoint priests as parish priests, but he can appoint assistant priests.
Administrator of the parish of St Patrick, Lincoln and administrator of the parish of St John the Evangelist, Leeston — Fr Job Thyikalamuriyil; Administrator of the parish of St Patrick and All Saints, MacKenzie — Fr Francis Fernandez; Administrator of the parish of St Therese of Lisieux, Chatham Islands — Fr Dan Doyle (Fr Doyle remains as parish priest of Stella Maris parish, Ferrymead); Administrator of the parish of St Mary, Hokitika — Fr Joselito Quinones; Administrator of the parish of St Mary MacKillop, Opihi — Fr Francis Joseph (Jolly); Assistant priest of the parish of St Augustine of Canterbury, Mid Canterbury — Fr Mathew Valloppallil, MCBS; Assistant priest of the parish of Christ the King, Burnside —
Fr Benito Velasco; Assistant priest of the parish of St Patrick, Greymouth — Fr Tien Cao; Assistant priest of the parish of St Peter Chanel, Waimakariri — Fr Do Nguyen; Assistant priest of the parish of St Joseph, Papanui — Fr Thanh Tran; Assistant priest of the parish of St Francis of Assisi, Mairehau — Fr Paul Tegin Avarez (to arrive from India); Assistant priest of
the parish of the cathedral (St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral) — Fr Edwin Colaco, SDB (to arrive from India).
Retirement: Frs John Morrison and Frank Kelly will both retire in July (Fr Morrison to continue as diocesan chaplain to the Catholic Women’s League and Fr Kelly to remain as priest chaplain to the prisons).
Leaving the diocese: Fr Chinnappa Thumma to return to India at the end of July.
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