Priest appointments announced
The upcoming departure of a priest who has been serving in the Catholic Diocese of Marquette has led to a new round of clergy appointments, according to Loreene Zeno Koskey, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Marquette.
In a press release issued today, Koskey says Father John Boyle, 55, will be relieved as pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Gwinn and St. Joseph Mission in Northland, effective Oct. 20, for service as Director of the Archdiocesan Tribunal in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. He came to the Diocese of Marquette in 2010 on sabbatical from the Archdiocese of Southwark in England. Fr. Boyle holds a licentiate degree in canon law from the Angelicum University in Rome, where he attended school with the former bishop of Marquette, Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland.
The release continues, saying Father Allen Mott, 39, will become the parochial administrator at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Gwinn and the Mission of St. Joseph in Northland, effective Nov. 12. In between Fr. Boyle’s departure and Fr. Mott’s arrival, Father Allan Mayotte, a senior priest of the diocese, will preside at Masses at the Gwinn and Northland churches the weekends of Oct. 26/27, Nov. 2/3 and Nov. 9/10.
Born in Escanaba, Fr. Mott was ordained a priest on June 6, 2003 at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette by Bishop James Garland. He first served as associate pastor of St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette and St. Mary Mission in Big Bay before moving on to St. Francis Xavier Parish in Brimley, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Mission in Bay Mills, Holy Name of Mary Parish in Sault Ste. Marie and Sacred Heart Mission on Sugar Island. Fr. Mott was then appointed pastor of St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in St. Ignace and Immaculate Conception Parish in Moran. In 2009, he became the pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish in Houghton and St. Anne Parish in Chassell.
The administrator of the Diocese of Marquette, Father Francis Dobrzenski, announced Fr. Mott’s new assignment, as well as the following clergy appointments, all of which will take effect on Nov. 12.
Father Benjamin Hasse, 35, will succeed Fr. Mott and serve as parochial administrator of the parishes of St. Albert the Great in Houghton and St. Anne in Chassell. Fr. Hasse grew up in Kingsford and was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 2009 by Bishop Alexander Sample at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette. His first priestly assignment was as associate pastor of St. Michael Parish in Marquette. Fr. Hasse then spent a year at Mundelein Seminary in Ill., earning a licentiate in Sacred Theology. He began his first pastorate just over a year ago at St. Sebastian Parish in Bessemer, Immaculate Conception Parish in Wakefield and St. Catherine Mission in Marenisco.
Taking over as parochial administrator of the parishes in Bessemer and Wakefield and the mission in Marenisco will be Father Antony Lukka (LOO-ka), 47. Fr. Lukka is relieved as pastor of the parishes of St. John the Baptist in Garden, St. Andrew in Nahma and St. Mary Magdalene in Cooks after spending just over a year there. Before that, he served as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in L’Anse, St. Ann Parish in Baraga and The Most Holy Name of Jesus-St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Assinins. A diocesan priest from India, Fr. Lukka was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1995. In addition to his ministry as an assistant pastor and pastor of parishes in his native country, he also served as a post-graduate teacher in chemistry, vice principal and principal of St. Antony’s Public School and Junior College in India.
In addition to serving as Director of Marygrove Retreat Center in Garden, Father Brian Gerber, 32, has been appointed parochial administrator of the parishes in Garden, Nahma and Cooks. Prior to beginning his new assignment at Marygrove this past July, Fr. Gerber had been serving as pastor of Resurrection Parish in Hancock and St. Francis of Assisi Mission in Dollar Bay. Born in Ironwood but growing up in Bruce Crossing, Fr. Gerber was ordained a priest on June 6, 2008 by Bishop Alexander Sample at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette. After his ordination, he served as associate pastor of the parishes on the Garden peninsula that he is now heading. He then became the associate pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in L’Anse, St. Ann Parish in Baraga and The Most Holy Name of Jesus-St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Assinins.
Father Mariusz Sierhart, 43, will reside at Marygrove Retreat Center with Fr. Gerber and assist him by serving as associate pastor of the parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. Andrew and St. Mary Magdalene. A diocesan priest from Poland, Fr. Sierhart came to the Diocese of Marquette in May and has been serving as associate pastor of St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette and St. Mary Mission in Big Bay since July. He was ordained a priest on May 22, 2004 and served as associate pastor of three parishes in Poland.
Father Michael Chenier, 32, has been appointed sacramental minister of St. Peter Cathedral and the mission of St. Mary, while continuing to serve as associate pastor of St. Michael Parish in Marquette. A native of Flat Rock, Fr. Chenier was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 2009 by Bishop Alexander Sample at St. Peter Cathedral. Prior to beginning his ministry at St. Michael Parish this summer, he had been serving as associate pastor of the parishes of Holy Spirit and Resurrection in Menominee. He also briefly served Holy Redeemer Parish of Menominee (Birch Creek) in 2010.