[Catholic Saskatoon News] – Bishop Mark Hagemoen announced a number of updates regarding clergy appointments in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon in a memo circulated to parishes and diocesan leadership Aug. 23, 2019. It was a follow-up to an earlier, more extensive announcement in early June.

“Please offer a warm welcome to the priests joining our diocese as you have an opportunity to meet them,” wrote Bishop Hagemoen.

“We also pray for those clergy departing our diocese for other assignments, and let us commit to remembering them in our prayers.”

Among the priests leaving the diocese of Saskatoon are Fr. Emmanuel Banahene, who was serving parishes in the Wadena region, who is pursuing studies elsewhere, and Fr. Douglas Jefrey, OMI, who has been assigned to parish ministry in the Prince Albert diocese.

Bishop Hagemoen’s Aug. 23 memo:  UPDATE

First round of appointments were announced June 5: PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS

 

Pastors:

Fr. Santhosh Thekkekulam, VC, will serve as Pastor at St. James, Wilkie, SK; Our Lady of the Assumption (St. Mary), Handel, SK; and St. Paschal, Leipzig, SK. Fr. Santhosh is from Marymatha Provincial House in India. Fr. Santhosh has been ordained for 11 years.  Fr. Santhosh arrived on Aug. 16 and began his ministry in our diocese on Aug. 18.   (Please note that in an earlier announcement, his given name and surname were inadvertently reversed, therefore the correction is Fr. Santhosh Thekkekulam, VC.)

 

Fr. Francis Appiah-Kubi will serve as Pastor at St. Mary, Fox Valley, SK; St. Michael, Burstall, SK; and St. Mary, Richmound, SK. Fr. Francis is from the diocese of Kumasi, Ghana. Fr. Francis arrived on July 17 and his appointment was effective Aug. 1, 2019.

 

Fr. Jerome Ogunleye will serve as pastor at St. Mary, Wadena, SK; St. Joseph, Kelvington, SK;  St. Theresa, Lintlaw, SK; St. Athanasius, Perigord, SK; and Mary Queen of Poland, Fosston. Fr. Ogunleye is from Oyo, Nigeria and has been ordained for 19 years. Fr. Ogunleye arrived on July 28 with his appointment effective Sept. 2, 2019.

Associate Pastors:

 

Fr. Paul Oshin will serve as Associate Pastor at St. Paul’s Co-Cathedral, Saskatoon, where he joins Pastor Fr. Stefano Penna. He will also serve part-time in Hospital Chaplaincy. Fr. Oshin is from Oyo, Nigeria and has been ordained for 14 years.  Fr. Oshin arrived on July 28, with his appointment effective immediately.

 

Fr. Prosper Abotsi has started serving as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Humboldt, SK; St. Scholastica, Burr, SK; Holy Trinity, Pilger, SK; and Assumption of our Lady, Marysburg, SK, joining Pastor Fr. Joseph Salihu.  Fr. Prosper is from the diocese of Jasikan, Ghana and his appointment is effective Aug. 1, 2019.

Chaplain:

Fr. Peter Mulomole will serve as part time Chaplain at St. Thomas More on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, and will assist at St. Anne’s Parish in Saskatoon.  Fr. Mulomole is from the diocese of Zomba, Malawi, on a one year sabbatical; he has been ordained for 35 years.  (Fr. Mulomole’s arrival and start date is to be confirmed.)

Clergy Updates:

Fr. Greg Smith-Windsor  is undertaking studies towards a Master’s degree in Philosophy at St. Thomas More College. He will carry out his studies while continuing as Pastor at St. Mary Parish, Lanigan, and Holy Rosary Parish, LeRoy.

Fr. Matthew Ramsay is undertaking studies towards a Master’s degree in Psychology through the Divine Mercy University. He will carry out his studies while continuing as Pastor at St. Anne Parish in Saskatoon.

Fr. Emmanuel Banahene, who was serving in the parishes at Wadena, Kelvington, Fosston, Perigord and Lintlaw, is departing our Diocese to pursue further studies.

Fr. Douglas Jeffrey, OMI, has been in the diocese for the last few years – living in Wilkie and doing retreat and parish replacement work.  As of the end of July, he has been assigned to parish ministry in the Prince Albert diocese.

 

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