Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre has made the following appointments, effective July 1, unless otherwise noted. Current addresses for priests and deacons can be found at: www.archlou.org/about-the-archdiocese/. All appointments are in the Archdiocese of Louisville, unless otherwise noted.
Pastor Appointments:
Reverend A. Biju Chathely, C.M.I., a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, has been appointed to serve as pastor of St. Catherine Church in New Haven, Immaculate Conception Church in Culvertown and St. Vincent de Paul Church in New Hope. He previously served as administrator at these parishes.
Father Chathely, born in Thazheakad, Kerala, India, studied at St. Aloysius College and attended major seminary at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram: Pontifical Athenaeum of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law in India. He was ordained on Jan. 2, 2005.
Father Chathely has also served as associate pastor of St. Bernadette Church in Prospect. Prior to his arrival in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served in pastoral ministry, chaplaincy, finance and education in the United Kingdom and Kenya.
Reverend Sheejan George, C.M.I. PhD, a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, has been appointed to serve as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Campbellsville, Our Lady of Fatima Church in Phillipsburg and Our Lady of the Hills Church in Finley.
Father George, born in Muriyad, Kerala, India, studied at Jai Hind College and N M University in India and attended major seminary at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram in India. He was ordained on Jan. 5, 2008.
Prior to his arrival in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served in pastoral ministry, missionary work, as a regional superior and education in India.
Reverend Thomason A. Jose, C.M.I., a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, has been appointed to serve as pastor of St. Martin of Tours Church in Flaherty.
Father Jose, born in Chalakudy, Kerala, India, studied at St. Aloysius College and Christ University of Bangalore in India and the East Asian Pastoral Institute and Atheneo De Manila University in the Philippines. He attended major seminary at Dharmaram College in India. He was ordained on Dec. 27, 2000.
Prior to his arrival in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served in pastoral ministry, chaplaincy and education.
Reverend Jeffrey S. Nicolas has been appointed to serve as pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Mount Washington and chaplain of Bethlehem High School in Bardstown. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities at St. Bernadette Church in Prospect.
Father Nicolas, born in Louisville, attended major seminary at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind. He was ordained on Aug. 7, 1993, and completed graduate studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School, earning a master’s in homiletics and Aquinas Institute, earning a doctorate in homiletics.
Father Nicolas has also served as a pastor of the following parishes: St. Lawrence, Epiphany, Cathedral of the Assumption and St. Bernadette. He also served as an associate pastor of: St. Barnabas and St. James in Elizabethtown, as a co-chaplain of Assumption High School and as a chaplain of the Boy Scouts of America. He has also served as presbyteral moderator of St. Boniface, Immaculate Conception in LaGrange, All Saints in Taylorsville, St. Michael in Fairfield, St. Catherine in New Haven, Immaculate Conception in Culvertown and St. Vincent de Paul in New Hope.
Father Nicolas also served as a Navy Chaplain and as an Air Guard Major.
Reverend Kirby B. Rust will serve as pastor of St. Bernadette Church in Prospect. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities at All Saints Church in Taylorsville and St. Michael Church in Fairfield, and chaplain of Bethlehem High School in Bardstown.
Father Rust, born in Louisville, attended minor seminary at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, major seminary at the Pontifical North American College in Rome and Mount Saint Mary’s of the West in Cincinnati. He was ordained on May 25, 2019, and completed postgraduate studies in moral theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
Father Rust has also served as pastor of All Saints in Taylorsville and St. Michael in Fairfield and as an associate pastor of St. James Church in Elizabethtown.
Reverend Joseph Thomas, C.M.I., a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, has been appointed to serve as pastor of Christ the Healer Church in Edmonton and Christ the King Church in Tompkinsville.
Father Thomas was born in Nedumudy, India, studied at Darsana Institute of Philosophy in Wardha and Osmania University in Hyderabad, and attended major seminary at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram in Bangalore, India. He was ordained on Dec. 30, 1998.
Previously in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served as pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Columbia, Holy Redeemer Church in Greensburg and Holy Spirit Church in Jamestown. He previously served as administrator of these parishes.
Prior to his arrival in the Archdiocese of Louisville, he served in pastoral ministry.
Administrator Appointments:
Reverend William P. Burks Jr. will serve as administrator of Most Blessed Sacrament Church and Sts. Simon and Jude Church.
Reverend Brito Cardenas will serve as administrator of St. Joseph Church. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities at St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley and St. Edward Church.
Reverend Charles C. Mungai, F.M.H., a Franciscan Missionary of Hope, will serve as administrator of St. Gregory Church in Samuels, effective June 15. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities at St. Rose Church and Holy Rosary Church, both in Springfield.
Reverend M. Quan Nguyen will serve as administrator of All Saints Church in Taylorsville and St. Michael Church in Fairfield. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities at St. James Church in Elizabethtown.
Reverend Daniel Whelan will serve as administrator of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon and Holy Name of Mary Church in Calvary.
Associate Pastor Appointments:
Reverend L. Wilfredo Fernandez will serve as associate pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley and St. Edward Church while residing at St. Aloysius. This appointment will coincide with the termination of his responsibilities at St. Joseph Church.
Reverend Mister Cole McDowell will serve as associate pastor of St. James Church in Elizabethtown. Diocesan faculties will be granted upon his priestly ordination.
Other Official Appointments:
Very Reverend Anthony L. Chandler, KCHS, will serve as presbyteral moderator of St. Gregory Church in Samuels. This assignment will coincide with his responsibilities at Holy Spirit Church and St. Leonard Church, as well as Vicar for Priests and director of Priest Personnel.
Reverend Hillary Chumo, F.M.H., a Franciscan Missionary of Hope, will serve as associate pastor of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon and Holy Name of Mary Church in Calvary. This appointment coincides with the termination of his responsibilities at All Saints Church in Taylorsville and St. Michael Church in Fairfield.
Reverend Robert Dale Cieslik will retire as pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Mount Washington. He will continue to serve as historian for the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Reverend Peter Q. Do will serve as presbyteral moderator of All Saints Church in Taylorsville and St. Michael Church in Fairfield. This appointment will coincide with his responsibilities at St. Michael Church in Louisville.
Reverend Mark M. Hamilton is being granted time to address health concerns and will be assigned after this.
Reverend Kenneth B. Nauert Jr. will reside this summer at St. Bartholomew Church, while serving its Hispanic community and working in the Metropolitan Tribunal Office. This appointment is effective upon the completion of the 2025 spring term at Catholic University of America and will end when the 2025 fall term begins.
Reverend Kien T. Nguyen will return to the Diocese of Vinh in Vietnam on June 15.
Reverend John J. Stoltz will serve as presbyteral moderator of St. Joseph Church. This appointment will coincide with his responsibilities at St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley.Very Reverend Scott J. Wimsett, V.F., will serve as presbyteral moderator of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon and Holy Name of Mary Church in Calvary. This appointment will coincide with his responsibilities at St. Francis Xavier in Raywick and St. Charles in St. Mary, and as dean of Deanery 7.
