Bishop Announces
Appointments in Parishes, Tribunal
Bishop Edward U. Kmiec recently
announced several appointments in clergy and diocesan personnel. Some include first assignments for the newly
ordained priests and permanent deacons. Others
are new pastors, parochial vicars and administrative changes.
The following pastors will serve
their new parishes for a term of six years.
Father Joseph C. Gatto, former director of the Office of
Worship for the Diocese of Buffalo, has been named the new pastor of the
largest parish in the Diocese of Buffalo, St. Gregory the Great,
Williamsville. Ordained in 1983, Father Gatto previously served at
Leaving Orchard Park and heading
north east to Wyoming County, Father
Arthur E. Mattulke
has been named pastor of St. Cecilia Parish, Oakfield, and St. Patrick Parish, Wheatville. Ordained
in 1997, Father Mattulke had previously served as
parochial vicar at St. Gabriel, Elma; St. Margaret, Buffalo; and, most
recently, St. Bernadette, Orchard Park. At
St. Cecilia and St. Patrick, he takes over for Father John P. Mack who was
named pastor of St. Andrew Church, Kenmore, earlier this year.
Father Charles E. Slisz, former pastor St. Andrew Parish,
Kenmore, has been named the new pastor of St. Christopher Parish, Tonawanda,
replacing Father Francis G. Weldgen who recently
retired. A priest for 35 years, Father Slisz served as an assistant at several parishes, Holy
Spirit, Buffalo; St. Amelia, Tonawanda; St. Vincent de Paul, North Evans;
Immaculate Conception, East Aurora; and SS. Peter and Paul, Hamburg. His first position as a pastor was in 1985
at St. Mary Parish, Holley;
The new pastor for the parishes of
St. Joseph and St. Anthony in Lockport is Father
Daniel A. Young. Since his ordination in 1995, Father Young has
served as parochial vicar at Infant of Prague, Cheektowaga, and Nativity of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, Harris Hill. He
also served as administrator of St. Mary Parish, Pavilion, before his first
assignment as pastor, which was simultaneously at St. Thomas More Parish,
Ripley, and St. James Major Parish, Westfield.
At his new Lockport parishes, he took over for Father Joseph S. Rogliano who was named pastor of Fourteen Holy Helpers
Parish, West Seneca.
Father Joseph A. Zalacca, former parochial vicar at St. John
the Baptist Parish, Kenmore, was named administrator of Holy Family Parish, Machias, and St. Philomena Parish, Franklinville. The former pastor of St. Philomena, Father
Michael P. O’Hara, has retired, and the former pastor of Holy Family, Father Czeslaw M. Krysa, continues on as
pastor of his other parishes in Arcade, East Arcade and Delevan. Father Zalacca, a
native of LeRoy, was ordained in 2003.
Bishop Kmiec ordained two men to the
priesthood in May, Father F. Patrick Melfi and Father
Todd Remick.
Both men have been assigned to parishes as parochial vicars for a term
of three years. Father Melfi is at St. Christopher Parish, Tonawanda, and Father Remick is at St. John the Baptist, Kenmore.
Ordained in June, the newest
additions to the diocesan clergy have been assigned to their first positions as
permanent deacons, each for a term of three years. They are Deacon
David H. Harvey at St. Bridget, Newfane, and Our Lady of the Rosary,
Wilson; Deacon John D. Leardon at St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville, and
ministry of charity at
Sister Sandra Makowski, SSMN, JCL, has been reappointed
collegiate judge and defender of the bond in the Tribunal of the Diocese of
Buffalo for a term of one year. Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel,
pastor of
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