2016-2017 Pastoral Assignments, Round 2

2016-2017 Pastoral Assignments: Round 2

This afternoon (May 13), Fr. Tim Zak, vice provincial, published a letter with a short list of pastoral assignments for the coming year (2016-2017).

Fr. Dominic Tran

We'll have a change in our vocation office in Orange, N.J.  Fr. Dominic Tran, outgoing director of the community there, will take up his old job again as the province's chief "recruiter."

Fr. Jim Berning

Fr. Jim Berning, v.d. for the last 3 years, will move up to Etobicoke, Ont. (a Toronto suburb), to do vocations work in Canada and also to contribute to the province's youth ministry program.  (For Salesians, vocation discernment is an aspect of YM.)



Fr. Mario Villaraza
 

With Fr. Mike Pace moving from Etobicoke to Orange as Fr. Dominic's replacement as director, Fr. Mario Villaraza will become pastor of St. Benedict Parish.  Fr. Mike was pastor for 9 years.  Fr. Mario has been parochial vicar for the last year after moving east from Surrey, B.C.

Fr. Tom Dunne

At the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw, N.Y., Fr. Tom Dunne, back from a sabbatical (after 6 years as provincial), will take up 2 province responsibilities (and presumably continue to assist with retreat activities): province delegate for the Salesian Family and director of the Province Ministerial Formation Program.  In the former job he succeeds Fr. John Puntino, who served for 6 years (and remains in Etobicoke as director of the SDB community).  In the latter job, he takes up a task called for by our recent provincial chapter, namely, to prepare lay people for ministry in Salesian contexts or with a Salesian style (in some other context)--something he had been working at before he was made provincial in 2009 but that didn't get much follow-up subsequently.

Also at the Marian Shrine, Fr. Tom Ruekert will become coordinator of activities at the Shrine (distinct from the retreat house).  He's been on the retreat staff for several years already and has been helping at the Shrine too.  He succeeds Fr. Armand Quinto, who has been ill.

Fr. Joe Santa Bibiana

Fr. Joe Santa Bibiana, finishing a term as director in Champaign, Ill., will move back to Belle Glade, Fla., as parochial vicar of St. Philip Benizi Parish, where he served as pastor earlier.  He's looking forward to sunshine and warm temperatures again, and to continuing to minister to Spanish-speaking people.

Fr. Mike Eguino

Fr. Michael Eguino, already teaching and ministering at Abp. Shaw HS in Marrero, has been designated assistant coordinator of youth ministry there.  The CYM is Bro. Jerry Meegan.

Bro. John Langan

Bro. John Langan, one of our young Salesians has completed his practical training and will depart from Abp. Shaw HS to undertake theological studies at the Ratisbonne Institute in Jerusalem (which is affiliated with the Salesian Pontifical University), aiming at eventual priestly ordination.

Bro. Rafael Vargas will start his practical training at Abp. Shaw HS.


Bro. Rafi Vargas with his mom and dad
on the day of his first profession, 2014

Photos by your humble blogger except the one of Fr. Tom Dunne, which was taken by Fr. Dennis Donovan.