His Excellency, Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert, has announced new clergy assignments in the Diocese of Allentown.

Each year, Bishop Schlert works with the Priest Personnel Board to make decisions on new assignments. The board is an advisory body made up of experienced priests who are representative of the Diocese and its many regions and ministries.

New assignments are designed to meet the needs of the faithful in the Diocese’s 78 parishes, as well as fulfilling pastoral needs at college campuses, at hospitals, at diocesan high schools, and at prisons and nursing homes.

Pastors

• The Rev. Eric J. Gruber, Pastor, Saint Joseph Parish, Summit Hill, to Pastor, Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Catasauqua and Saint John Fisher Parish, Catasauqua.

• The Rev. Abraham Ha, Parochial Administrator, Saint Nicholas Parish, Walnutport, to Pastor, Saint Nicholas Parish, Walnutport.

The Rev. Christopher M. Zelonis, Pastor, Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Lehighton, to Pastor, Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, Ashland, and Pastor, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Frackville.

Parochial Administrators

Diocesan policy states that a Priest being entrusted with the pastoral care of a Parish for the first time be appointed a Parochial Administrator for at least one year.

• The Rev. Thomas Osei Gyau, Parochial Vicar, Saint Ambrose Parish, Schuylkill Haven, Pastoral Ministry, Geisinger – Saint Luke’s Hospital, Orwigsburg and Health Care Ministry, South Schuylkill Deanery to Parochial Administrator, Saint Joseph Parish, Summit Hill, and Rector,Shrine of Saint Therese of Lisieux, Nesquehoning.

• The Rev. Philip J. Maas, Parochial Vicar, Saint Thomas More Parish, Allentown, and Chaplain, Allentown Central Catholic High School, Allentown, to Parochial Administrator, Saints Peter and

Paul Parish, Lehighton.

Canonical Pastor

Exercises the pastoral care of the local community committed to him under the authority of the Diocesan Bishop in whose ministry of Christ he has been called to share, by means of the supervision of a Parish Life Collaborator.

• The Rev. Monsignor William F. Glosser, V.F., Pastor, Saint Clare of Assisi Parish, Saint Clair, Pastor, Holy Cross Parish, New Philadelphia, and Vicar Forane, Schuylkill Deanery also to Canonical Pastor, Saint John XXIII Parish, Tamaqua.

Parish Life Collaborator

Diocesan Policy allows for the appointment of a Parish Life Collaborator to assist a Canonical Pastor who is already serving multiple parishes with sacramental and administrative tasks not reserved to a Priest.

• Deacon Edward J. Girard, Permanent Deacon, Saint John XXIII Parish, Tamaqua, and Saint Richard Parish, Barnesville, to Parish Life Collaborator, Saint John XXIII Parish, Tamaqua, while remaining Permanent Deacon, Saint John XXIII Parish, Tamaqua.

Parochial Vicars

Assists the Pastor in the entire parochial ministry by reason of his office. A Parochial Vicar is commonly referred to as an Assistant Pastor.

Reverend Guency Isaac, Parochial Administrator, Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, Ashland and Parochial Administrator, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Frackville, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Ignatius Loyola Parish, Sinking Spring.

Reverend Aaron R. Scheidel, Parochial Vicar, Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena Parish, Allentown, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield.

Specialized Ministry

A Priest to whom is entrusted in a stable manner the pastoral care, at least in part, of some community or particular group of the Christian Faithful; or a Deacon to whom an ecclesiastical office is entrusted in a stable manner.

• The Rev. Nikolai R. Brelinsky, Parochial Vicar, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield to Chaplain, Allentown Central Catholic High School, Allentown, part -time Graduate Studies, School of Canon Law, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and Auditor, Diocesan Tribunal while remaining in residence at Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield.

• The Rev. Monsignor Victor F. Finelli, Pastor, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield, also to Judge, Diocesan Tribunal.

• Very Reverend Eugene P. Ritz, Judicial Vicar and Vicar for Clergy, also to Weekend Assistance at Saint John XXIII Parish, Tamaqua, while remaining in residence at Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield.