Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory has announced the appointment of priests who will serve three-year terms as Deans of three of the Deaneries of the archdiocese.

Archbishop Gregory has appointed them after consulting with the priests of each of the Deaneries. It is the first time the process has been used in which priests of the Deanery proposed candidates for Dean and elected a priest, whose name was then given to the archbishop as a recommendation.

Archbishop Gregory noted that his appointment of the priests comes with the endorsement of their brother priests.

Father Albert Jowdy, pastor of St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville, was appointed Dean of the Northeast Metro Deanery.

Father Frank McNamee, pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell, and director of priest personnel and vicar for clergy, was appointed Dean of the Northwest Metro Deanery.

Msgr. Terry Young, administrator of St. Mary Mission, Jackson, was appointed Dean of the South Deanery.

The appointments were effective Jan. 3, 2006, for a period of three years providing the priest continues to reside in and be assigned within the Deanery where he has been chosen as Dean. Deans automatically serve as members of the Council of Priests.

They arrange meetings of the priests in their Deanery at least three times a year and make a canonical visit to the parishes in their Deanery once a year. They may bring matters of concern from priests in the Deanery to the attention of the archbishop and may assist the archbishop by bringing topics to the Deanery level to be addressed or in other capacities as requested by the archbishop. By canon law Deans are heard by the archbishop when judging the suitability of appointing a pastor to a vacant parish and may be consulted in appointments of parochial vicars.

There are six Deaneries in the archdiocese. Terms of Deans expire on a staggered schedule.