Diocese of Orlando

Bishop John Noonan and the Diocese of Orlando have announced the following round of appointments:

Effective August 1, 2011:

• Rev. Longin Buhake is appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Timothy

Effective August 9, 2011:

• Father Jesus Arroyave is appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Ann Catholic Church in Haines City
• Father Juan Daniel Petrino is appointed Parochial Vicar of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Orlando

Effective August 20, 2011:

• Father Eugeiusz Grytner, SDS is appointed Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Bartow

Effective September 1, 2011:

• Father Jean Aland, CICM is appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Teresa Catholic Church in Titusville
• Father Augusto Cadavid is appointed Parochial Vicar of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Clermont and will tend to the Spanish community of Santo Toribio Romo Mission
• Father Ralph Duwell is appointed parochial administrator of Nativity Catholic Church in Longwood
• Father John Kudiyiruppil, M.S.T. is appointed Parochial Vicar of Nativity Catholic Church in Longwood

This afternoon, the Diocese of Orlando announced the following appointments by Bishop John Noonan:

• Resignation accepted for Fr. John Ryan effective August 1st.
• Father Thomas Barrett is appointed Pastor of St. Brendan Catholic Church in Ormond Beach effective September 1st.
• Father Jesus Arroyave is appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. John Vianney in Orlando effective August 9th.
• Father Thomas Hurtado is appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Francis of Assisi in Apopka effective August 9th.
• Father Lionel Pacheco is appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas of Aquinas in St. Cloud effective August 1st.
• Father Richard Tuttle is appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Rose of Lima in Kissimmee effective July 7th.
• Father Peter J. Walsh is appointed as Associate Pastor of St. John Evangelist in Viera effective August 21st. St. John the Evangelist is served by the Congregation of the Most Holy Cross.

The Diocese also announced the following appointments for the Orlando Presbyteral Council:

For all of my friends in the Diocese of Orlando, as we have been expecting for quite some time, Bishop John Noonan made the following appointments today:

• 

  Chancery of the Diocese of Orlando

  Father Charles Deeney is appointed Parochial Administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Apopka, effective August 1.

• Father Percival DeVera is appointed Parochial Vicar of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kissimmee, effective August 1.
• Father Christopher Hoffman is appointed Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church in Port Orange, effective August 1.
• Father Gabriel Ipasu is appointed Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in Deltona, effective July 1.
• Father Timothy LaBo is appointed Parochial Administrator of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kissimmee, effective August 1.
• Father Kiskana Lemor, C.S.Sp. is appointed Parochial Vicar of Church of Our Saviour in Cocoa Beach, effective July 1.
• Father John Murray,C.SS.R., is appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in New Smyrna Beach, effective August 1.
• Father Stephen Ogonwa is appointed Parochial Vicar of Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Ormond Beach, effective August 1.
• Father Rodolfo Ramon is appointed Parochial Vicar of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kissimmee, effective August 1.
• Father Hector Vazquez is appointed Parochial Vicar of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Oviedo, effective August 1.
• Father Kent Walker is appointed Parochial Administrator of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Cloud, effective July 1.

Bishop Noonan has also accepted the retirement of Monsignor Fabian Gimeno, who has served as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Cloud since July 1, 1982.

Chancery of the Diocese of Orlando

This morning, the Diocese of Orlando announced that Bishop John Noonan had made the following priestly assignment changes within the diocese:

• Bishop Noonan has accepted the resignation of Monsignor Patrick Caverly, former Vicar General of the Diocese and current pastor of Annunciation Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs. Msgr. Caverly will remain as pastor emeritus at Annunciation.
• Fr. Stephen Parkes has been appointed Parochial Administrator of Annunciation Catholic Church. Fr. Parkes has served as Parochial Administrator of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church since its foundation in April 2005.
• Fr. Scott Circe, current Director of Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations for the Diocese of Orlando, has been appointed Parochial Administrator of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Oviedo.
• Soon-to-be Fr. Nicholas Tocco, who will be ordained to the priesthood on May 28th, has been appointed Parochial Vicar of the Cathedral of St. James.

Diocese of Orlando Chancery

Late this afternoon, the Diocese of Orlando released an email statement to Central Florida Catholics informing us that Robert Schaefer, director of music at St. James Cathedral, had been fired because of allegations of sexual abuse.

Reported to the diocese in a letter earlier today, the abuse occurred in Milwaukee during the early 1980s. According to the diocesan statement, the allegations were reported to local authorities at the time but no charges were ever filed against Mr. Schaefer, who has admitted to having an inappropriate relationship.

In accordance with diocesan policy, Bishop John Noonan immediately met with Mr. Schaefer to discuss the situation.

Robert Schaefer has been employed by the Diocese of Orlando since 1985 and has repeatedly passed numerous FBI and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) background checks. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has been notified.

The official statement released by Carol Brinati, Chancellor for Administration, quoted Bishop John Noonan: “That this allegation of abuse occurred in another Diocese almost 30 years ago does not lessen the harm caused to the victim. We pray for all those involved in this situation.”

The diocese is asking anyone aware of sexual misconduct by any employee to report the offenses to the local authorities and to the Diocese of Orlando Victim Assistance Coordinator.

UPDATE: Below is the release by The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP):

SNAP has recently learned that a former choir director from Milwaukee, WI who is accused of sexually abusing an eleven year old boy is now working at St. James Cathedral in Orlando. Music Director Bob Schafer recently wrote a letter of apology to the victim who still lives in Milwaukee where the abuse occurred over 20 years ago.

Schafer worked as the choir director at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Milwaukee when he asked the victim…then 11 yrs old…to babysit. Schafer molested him that evening, and continued to do so for the next two years…The abuse occurred at least 25 times in Schafer’s home, his car and at the church.

Note: I am withholding the victim’s name.

For now, let’s continue to keep all those who have been affected by sexual abuse in our prayers.