SEATTLE – Archbishop Paul D. Etienne has announced pastoral appointments in the Archdiocese of Seattle, effective July 1, 2023, unless otherwise noted. Additional appointments are forthcoming.  

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT 

  • Bishop Eusebio L. Elizondo, M.Sp.S., appointed Regional Bishop for the Northern, Snohomish, Olympic, Eastside and North Seattle deaneries while continuing responsibilities as Vicar General and Vicar for Hispanic Ministries.
  • Bishop Frank R. Schuster, appointed Regional Bishop for the South Seattle, South King, Pierce, South Sound and Southern deaneries while continuing responsibilities as Vicar General.
  • Father Gary F. Lazzeroni, appointed Vicar General, effective May 1, 2023, while continuing responsibilities as Vicar for Strategic Pastoral Planning and Priest Moderator of St. Joseph Parish in Vancouver.

PRIEST ADMINISTRATOR 

A priest appointed by the archbishop as a temporary leader of a particular parish with the same responsibilities as a pastor (CIC, c. 540 §1-3). This office may be held, for example, by seasoned, newly arrived priests or by newly ordained priests who require more experience and formation before being assigned as pastors. The archdiocese’s term of office for priest administrator is generally one to three years.

Priests appointed priest administrator and their parishes are:  

  • Father Marlo F. Abad, St. Francis Parish in Friday Harbor, Lopez Island Station on Lopez Island and Eastsound Station on Orcas Island.
  • Father John Patrick DePalma, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Federal Way.
  • Father Chad K. Hill, Christ the King Parish, Seattle.
  • Father Marc L. Powell, St. Benedict Parish and St. Catherine of Siena Parish, both in Seattle, effective March 13, 2023.

PASTORAL COORDINATOR 

A deacon, religious or lay ecclesial minister appointed by the archbishop under the supervision of a priest moderator and entrusted with the day-to-day leadership of a parish (CIC, c. 517 §2). The term of office for pastoral coordinator in the archdiocese is generally one to three years. 

Appointed pastoral coordinator is:

  •  Frances A. Farrell, St. Joseph Parish, Vancouver, effective May 1, 2023.

PRIEST MODERATOR 

A priest appointed by the archbishop with powers and faculties of a pastor of a parish. His role is to monitor and mentor the pastoral coordinator and parish priest and to act as canonical pastor to the parish community to whom a pastoral coordinator has been appointed. (CIC, c. 517 §2). The term of office for priest moderator in the Archdiocese of Seattle is generally one to three years. 

Appointed priest moderators and their parishes are:

  • Father Gary F. Lazzeroni, St. Joseph, Vancouver, effective May 1, 2023, while continuing responsibilities as Vicar General and Vicar for Strategic Pastoral Planning.
  • Father Hans M. Olson, St. Hubert, Langley, while continuing to serve as pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Everett and St. John Mission in Mukilteo.

PAROCHIAL VICAR 

A priest who renders service in pastoral ministry as a co-worker with the pastor, and sharing service in pastoral ministry through common counsel and effort and under his authority. (CIC, c. 545 §1-2). The term of office for parochial vicar in the archdiocese is generally one to three years. 

Priests appointed parochial vicars and their parishes are: 

  • Father Victor Raj Anas Dass, H.G.N., St. Charles, Burlington; Immaculate Conception, Mount Vernon; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sedro-Woolley; Sacred Heart, La Conner; and St. Catherine Mission, Concrete.
  • Father Thomas Selvaraj Anthony Muthu, H.G.N., St. Joseph, Chehalis; St. Mary, Centralia; St. Francis Xavier, Toledo; and St. Yves Mission, Harmony.
  • Father Patrick W. Freitag, St. Jude Parish, Redmond and Holy Innocents, Duvall.
  • Father Dean W. Mbuzi, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Bremerton, effective March 13, 2023.

The following parochial vicars are transitional deacons to be ordained to the priesthood on June 3, 2023: 

  • Father Sylvester M. Chanda, St. Anthony Parish, Renton.
  • Father John Paul Tomassi, St. Michael, Olympia.

PARISH PRIEST 

A priest appointed by the archbishop to provide priestly ministry in a particular parish in collaboration with the pastor or pastoral coordinator. The term of office for parish priest in the Archdiocese of Seattle is generally one to three years. 

  • Father Michael S. Bayard, S.J., St. Joseph, Vancouver, effective May 1, 2023.
  • Father James J. Mylet, M.M., St. Mary, Aberdeen; St. Joseph, Elma; Our Lady of Good Help, Hoquiam; St. Jerome, Ocean Shores; Our Lady of the Olympics Mission, Amanda Park; St. John Mission, Montesano; and St. Paul Mission, Westport.

SENIOR PRIEST

A priest who has been granted senior status in writing by the archbishop and either no longer has a continuous ministry assignment in service to the archdiocese or has less than a half-time assignment from the archbishop.

Granted senior status is:

  • Father Richard J. Spicer

Read the official document here.