Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre has made the following new appointments, effective July 1, 2026, except where noted. All parish assignments are in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Vicar for Priests
Reverend John J. Stoltz has been appointed the vicar for priests while remaining pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley.
Father Stoltz, a native of Louisville, attended St. Pius X Seminary in Erlanger, Ky., and Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. He was ordained on June 2, 1990.
He has served as pastor of Christ the Healer Church in Edmonton and St. Gabriel Church. He served as administrator of Christ the King Church in Tompkinsville and as a parochial vicar of St. Barnabas Church. He also served as chaplain of Assumption High School and as presbyteral moderator of St. Joseph Church in Butchertown.
Pastors
Reverend Robert D. Barnell has been appointed to serve as pastor of St. Ignatius Martyr Church while remaining pastor of St. Bartholomew Church.
Father Barnell, born in Louisville, was ordained on May 26, 2018. He attended major seminary at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology in Cincinnati.
Previously, Father Barnell served as pastor of the Church of the Ascension and Immaculate Conception Church in La Grange, Ky. He has also been assigned to the following parishes in the Archdiocese of Louisville: St. Augustine in Lebanon, Holy Name of Mary in Calvary, St. Bartholomew and St. Edward, where he served the Hispanic community.
Reverend L. Wilfredo Fernandez has been appointed pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Church. This will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities as parochial vicar of St. Patrick Church.
Father Fernandez, born in Tarija, Bolivia, was ordained on May 28, 2016. He attended Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Hales Corners, Wisconsin.
Father Fernandez has previously served as pastor of Christ the Healer Church in Edmonton, Ky.; Christ the King Church in Tompkinsville, Ky.; and St. Joseph Church in Butchertown. Since his ordination, he has also been assigned to the following parishes in the archdiocese: St. Aloysius in Pewee Valley, St Edward, the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, St. Michael in Fairfield, Holy Trinity and Holy Name.
Reverend Dustin S. Hungerford has been appointed pastor of St. Stephen Martyr Church, effective Aug. 1. He has been in graduate studies of canon law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., since August of 2024.
Father Hungerford, a native of Louisville, attended Bellarmine University and St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind., for major seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 2022.
Since ordination, Father Hungerford has served as associate pastor of St. Margaret Mary and St. William churches, as administrator pro-tempore of St. Lawrence Church and as chaplain for Assumption and DeSales high schools.
Reverend M. Casey Sanders has been appointed pastor of St. Brigid and St. James churches in the Highlands. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities as administrator of St. John Paul II Church.
Father Sanders, born in Louisville and raised in Leavenworth, Ind., studied at the University of Evansville and attended major seminary at Theological College in Washington, D.C., and The Pontifical North American College in Rome. He was ordained on May 27, 2017.
He completed post-graduate studies at Theological College, Catholic University of America. He is also a canon lawyer, having studied canon law at Catholic University.
Since ordination, Father Sanders has served as parochial vicar of the following parishes: St. James in Elizabethtown, Ky., Holy Trinity and Holy Name. He has also worked part-time in the Metropolitan Tribunal as a defender of the bond.
Very Rev. Jinto Thomas, C.M.I., has been appointed pastor of Emmanuel Church in Albany and Holy Cross Church in Burkesville. He is also assigned to serve as presbyteral moderator of St. Bernard in Clementsville and Sacred Heart in Liberty, while remaining dean of Deanery 8. He previously served as administrator and then pastor of St. Bernard and Sacred Heart.
Father Thomas, born in Snehagiri, Kerala, India, was ordained a priest on Dec. 28, 2011. He attended major seminary at Dharmaram College in Bangalore, India.
Prior to his arrival in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served as a pastor, educator, chaplain and confessor for religious communities in India.
Since his arrival in the archdiocese, he has also served as parochial vicar of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon and Holy Name of Mary Church in Calvary.
Reverend Saju M. Vadakumpadan, C.M.I., has been appointed pastor of St. John Paul II Church. This coincides with the termination of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Church.
Father Vadakumpadan, born in Kanjirappilly, India, studied at Christ University in Bangalore and attended major seminary at Dharmaram College, a Carmelite Pontifical Major Seminary, in Bangalore. He was ordained on Dec. 29, 1992.
Before arriving in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served as a pastor in Grand Bahama and India. He also served as a youth coordinator and as an educator in India.
In the Archdiocese of Louisville, he previously served as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Campbellsville, Our Lady of the Hills Church in Finley and Our Lady of Fatima Church in Phillipsburg. He also has served as parochial vicar of St. Gabriel Church.
Reverend Minh D. Vu has been appointed pastor of St. Thomas More Church, while remaining pastor of St. John Vianney Church.
Father Vu was born in Xuan My, Nghi Dong, Nghi Loc Nghe An, Vietnam. He attended major seminary at St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Ind. He was ordained on May 26, 2018.
He previously served as pastor of St. Athanasius Church and parochial vicar of the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, Ky.
Reverend Troy D. Overton will remain pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, while his responsibilities as pastor of St. Thomas More Church will conclude.
Pastor Assignments (previously Administrators)
Reverend Brito Cardenas has been appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church in Butchertown. He currently serves as the parish’s administrator.
Father Cardenas, who is from Cuba, attended San Carlos y San Ambrosio Seminary in Havana, Cuba, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained on Dec. 21, 2003.
Father Cardenas has previously served in the Archdiocese of Louisville as parochial vicar at St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley and St. Edward Church.
Reverend Matthew H. Millay has been appointed pastor of the Church of the Ascension and director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Vocation Office. He currently serves as Ascension’s administrator.
Father Millay, who is from Guston, Ky., attended St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 1, 2024.
He previously served as associate pastor of Holy Spirit and St. Leonard churches.
Reverend Charles C. Mungai, F.M.H., a Franciscan Missionary of Hope, will serve as pastor of St. Gregory Church in Samuels, where he currently serves as administrator.
Father Mungai, who is from Kenya, attended the Apostles of Jesus Major Seminary in Nairobi, Kenya. He was ordained to the priesthood on Oct. 20, 2017.
He has previously served in the Archdiocese of Louisville as a parochial vicar of St. Rose Church and Holy Rosary Church, both in Springfield.
Reverend M. Quan Nguyen will serve as pastor of All Saints Church in Taylorsville and St. Michael Church in Fairfield, where he currently serves as administrator.
Father Nguyen, a native of Quynh Luu on Vietnam’s North Central Coast, attended St. Francis Xavier University in Vinh, Vietnam, and St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind. He was ordained on May 29, 2021.
He previously served as parochial vicar of St. James Church in Elizabethtown and St. Patrick Church.
Reverend Daniel Whelan will serve as pastor of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon and Holy Name of Mary Church in Calvary, where he currently serves as administrator.
Father Whelan, who grew up in Flaherty, Ky., attended the University of Louisville, St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Ind., and Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. He was ordained on May 22, 2004.
He previously served as administrator of Emmanuel Church in Albany and Holy Cross in Burkesville. He served as pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Ft. Wayne, Ind.. He also served as a parochial vicar of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon, Holy Name of Mary Church in Calvary, Immaculate Conception Church in La Grange, and Holy Spirit Church.
Administrators
Reverend Benito Martinez has been appointed as administrator of St. Bernard Church in Clementsville and Sacred Heart Church in Liberty.
This coincides with the termination of his responsibilities as coordinator of Hispanic Ministry for the following parishes: Emmanuel in Albany, Holy Cross in Burkesville, St. Bernard in Clementsville, Sacred Heart in Liberty, Christ the Healer in Edmonton and Christ the King in Tompkinsville.
Reverend Cole McDowell has been appointed as administrator of St. Martha Church. This coincides with the termination of his responsibilities as parochial vicar of St. James Church in Elizabethtown.
Reverend Benedict J. Brown will continue as administrator of St. Ambrose Church in Cecilia and St. Ignatius Church in White Mills, along with the care of St. Clare Oratory in Colesburg.
Parochial Vicars
The title, parochial vicar, will now be used instead of associate pastor in all documentation in accordance with canon law.
Reverend Augustine Joseph, C.M.I., has been appointed as a parochial vicar of St. Bernadette Church in Prospect.
Reverend Shaji Joseph, C.P., has been appointed as a parochial vicar of St. Margaret Mary Church.
Reverend Mister Evrard Muhoza has been appointed to serve as a parochial vicar of St. Patrick Church. Diocesan faculties will be granted upon his priestly ordination, which is set for May 30.
Reverend Kenny Nauert has been appointed as a parochial vicar of St. James Church in Elizabethtown.
Reverend Michael Schultz has been appointed as a parochial vicar of the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown and as chaplain for Bethlehem High School in Bardstown.
Reverend Van Tran has been appointed as a parochial vicar of Holy Spirit Church and St. Leonard Church.
Reverend Yen Tran has been appointed as a parochial vicar of St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley.
Reverend Titus Sanchez, O.P., has been appointed as a parochial vicar of St. Louis Bertrand Church, effective June 1.
Presbyteral Moderators
Very Reverend Anthony L. Chandler, KCHS, has been appointed presbyteral moderator of St. Martha Church, while continuing as pastor of Holy Spirit and St. Leonard churches. This coincides with the termination of his responsibilities as vicar for priests.
Very Reverend Jinto Thomas, C.M.I., has been appointed presbyteral moderator of St. Bernard in Clementsville and Sacred Heart in Liberty.
Retirements
Very Reverend Martin A. Linebach, KHS, will retire as the vicar for vocations.
Reverend Gary T. Padgett will retire as pastor of St. Brigid Church and St. James Church in the Highlands.
Other
Reverend David J. Farrell has been granted a leave of absence effective May 1, 2026.
