Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre has made the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Pastor Appointment:
Rev. Leo Payyappilly, OFM Conv., will serve as pastor of St. Paul Church, while continuing as pastor of Incarnation Church. He succeeds Father Shaju Puthussery, OFM Conv., who has returned to India. This appointment was effective Dec. 25, 2025.
Father Payyappilly is a member of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Province of Conventual Franciscan Friars in India.
Father Payyappilly, born in Kerala, India, was ordained to the priesthood on Feb. 6, 2003. He attended St. Joseph Pontifical Seminary and St. Dominic’s College in Kerala and earned a bachelor’s degree from Mahathma Gandhi University in Kottayam and a master’s degree in theology at Vienna University in Vienna, Austria, in 2002.
He previously served as associate pastor of St. Paul and Incarnation.
Associate Pastor Appointment:
Rev. Dais Theemballangattu, OFM, Conv., will serve as associate pastor of St. Paul and Incarnation churches, effective Feb. 9.
Parochial Vicar Appointment:
Rev. Thomas Petri, O.P., was appointed to serve as parochial vicar of St. Louis Bertrand Church, effective Nov. 28, 2025.
Other Appointments:
Rev. Silvio Fonseca Martinez is in residence at St. Bartholomew Church, effective Jan. 3. This coincides with his duties ending as associate pastor of Holy Spirit Church in Jamestown, Holy Redeemer Church in Greensburg and Good Shepherd Church in Columbia.
Deacon Evrard Muhoza will serve in a temporary assignment at Church of the Ascension, effective Jan. 5, until his priesthood ordination in the spring of 2026.
Current Addresses for Priests and Deacons can be found at www.archlou.org/about-the-archdiocese/.
