Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre announced March 27 new appointments to the Archdiocese of Louisville curia. In a letter to priests announcing the appointments, Archbishop Fabre expressed his gratitude to the priests for their service and their willingness to serve in their new positions.
The appointments are effective July 1
Reverend Jeffrey P. Shooner will assume the position of Vicar General. The Vicar General assists the diocesan bishop in the governance of the entire diocese. Father Shooner will continue to serve as the pastor of St. Patrick and St. Boniface churches. Father Shooner was ordained to the priesthood Dec. 11, 2004. He was born March 7, 1971, in Covington, Ky. In the Archdiocese of Louisville, he attended St. Helen and St. Polycarp schools and, Holy Cross High School. He then attended the United States Air Force Academy. Following graduation in 1993, he served as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1998. He attended Theological College and the Catholic University of America for major seminary. He has served as pastor of St. Lawrence, St. Patrick and St. Boniface churches. He served as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in La Grange, Ky., St. James Church in Elizabethtown, Ky., and St. Ignatius Church in White Mills, Ky. He has also served as administrator pro-tempore at the following parishes: Good Shepherd, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Albert the Great, Annunciation in Shelbyville, Ky., and St. John Chrysostom in Eminence, Ky. He served as presbyteral moderator for St. William Church and St. Thomas and St. Monica churches, both in Bardstown. He also served as sacramental moderator for St. Boniface.
Father Shooner has served the archdiocese as director of vocations and associate director of vocations, as vicar for priests and director of the Priest Personnel Office. He has served as a consultor and member of the Priests’ Council. He also served as chairman of the board at Holy Cross High School.
Very Reverend Anthony L. Chandler will assume the position of Vicar for Priests. In this role, he will direct the Office of Priest Personnel and assist in the administration of priest personnel matters, including proposing appointments, fostering continuing education, and providing support for priests. He will also serve as rector of the Cathedral of the Assumption. Father Chandler was ordained a priest of the archdiocese on May 27, 1989.He was born April 15, 1961, in Louisville and was baptized at St. Augustine Church. He attended St. George School and Bishop David High School. He attended Western Kentucky University and St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology for college. He attended the Catholic University of America for major seminary. He also completed post-graduate studies, earning a master’s degree from the University of Louisville in 1985 and an MBA from the University of Maryland in 1993.
Father Chandler has served as pastor of Holy Family Church, St. Bartholomew Church, St. John the Apostle Church in Brandenburg, Ky., St. Martin of Tours Church in Flaherty, Ky., Immaculate Conception and St. Francis of Assisi Church.He served as associate pastor of St. Martha and as administrator pro-tempore at St. Martha, St. Raphael and St. Michael churches. He also served as co-chaplain for St. Xavier High School.Father Chandler has served the archdiocese as a consultor and president of the Priests’ Council. He has also served as director of the Vocation Office, defender of the bond, as a member of the Archdiocesan Planning Committee and the Catholic Schools Athletic Association.He has also served on several boards, including the One Church/One Child Adoption Board, the Holy Cross High School Board, the National Finance Committee-National Black and Indian Mission and the St. Meinrad Board of Overseers.
Outside the archdiocese, he has served as vice chancellor for the Archdiocese of Military Services and as president/CEO of Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Fort Worth, Texas.
Very Reverend Martin A. Linebach will assume the position of Vicar for Vocations and director of the Vocation Office. This newly expanded position will be full-time, allowing for additional emphasis on the promotion and support of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life. He will be in residence at St. Ignatius Martyr Church.
Father Linebach was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1987.He was born May 9, 1956, in Louisville and was baptized at St. Joseph Infirmary. He attended St. Margaret Mary and St. Edward schools and Eastern High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature with a minor in philosophy from Bellarmine University in 1978 and a Master of Divinity degree from the Theological College of the Catholic University of America in 1987. He was later assigned to graduate studies at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley — liturgical studies — from 1993-1994. He earned a Master of Science degree in organization development from Loyola University in Chicago in 2002.
Father Linebach has served as rector at the Cathedral of the Assumption and as pastor of St. Patrick, St. James, Elizabethtown, St. Ignatius, White Mills and St. Ambrose Church in Cecilia, Ky. He served as associate pastor of Mother of Good Counsel Church, Holy Trinity Church, St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley, Ky., the Cathedral of the Assumption and St. Boniface. He served as administrator pro-tempore at Mother of Good Counsel and St. Ignatius Martyr. He was presbyteral moderator at Holy Family.
Father Linebach has served the archdiocese as director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, vicar general and interim vocation director. He has also served as spiritual director for Separated/Divorced Ministry, on the Peace and Justice Commission and as a member of the Priests’ Council and as a Consultor.
