Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory has announced the following new assignments of priests. All appointments are effective July 7, 2010, unless otherwise noted.

Father Rafael Castaño Fernandez, currently pastor of St. Bernadette Church, Cedartown, has been assigned as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Hartwell, effective Aug. 1.

Father Mark F. Fischer, a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter who is currently pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church, Mableton, has been assigned as pastor of St. Mary Mother of God Church, Jackson.

Archbishop Gregory has confirmed the recommendations of Very Reverend James E. McCurry, OFM Conv., minister provincial of the Conventual Franciscans St. Anthony of Padua Province USA, and made the following assignments of Conventual Franciscan priests:

Father Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv., currently pastor of St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro, has been assigned as pastor of St. John Vianney Church, Lithia Springs.

Father John Koziol, OFM Conv., currently parochial vicar at St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro, has been assigned to his first pastorate as pastor of St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro.

Father Carl Zdancewicz, OFM Conv., currently pastor of St. John Vianney Church, Lithia Springs, has been assigned as pastor of St. Matthew Church, Tyrone.

Archbishop Gregory, with the approval of Very Reverend Joseph G. Bachand, MS, provincial superior of the Missionaries of LaSalette, has assigned Father Leo Holleran, MS, as pastor of St. Matthew Church, Winder.

Archbishop Gregory has confirmed the recommendation of Very Reverend Emiliano Zapata, OP, socius and vicar provincial of the Order of Preachers (Dominican Friars) Province of St. Martin de Porres, and assigned Father Jeffery Ott, OP, as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Atlanta, effective Aug. 7. Our Lady of Lourdes Church, which has been under the spiritual care of the priests of the archdiocese, will now be under the spiritual care of the Dominican Friars. Father Ott has been serving as university chaplain at Xavier University of Louisiana.

Archbishop Gregory has confirmed the recommendation of Father Eric Flood, North American district superior of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, and assigned Father Howard Venette as pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church, Mableton.

Father José Luis Hernández-Ayala, who has served as administrator of St. Joseph Church, Dalton, has been assigned to his first pastorate as pastor of St. Mark Church, Clarkesville, and administrator of its mission of St. Helena, Clayton.

Father Brian J. Higgins, currently serving as parochial vicar at All Saints Church, Dunwoody, has been assigned to his first pastorate as pastor of Christ Redeemer Church, Dawsonville.

Father José Refugio Onate-Melendez, currently administrator of St. Patrick Church, Norcross, has been assigned to his first pastorate as pastor of St. Patrick Church, Norcross.

Father Alvaro D. Avendaño, who has been serving as parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Church, Cumming, and assisting with Mass in Spanish at St. Luke Church, Dahlonega, has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta.

Father Nicholas Azar, who has been completing graduate studies at North American College in Rome, Italy, has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. Michael Church, Gainesville.

Father Carlos-Mario Bustamante, who has been serving as parochial vicar at St. Benedict Church, Johns Creek, has been assigned as parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Americas Mission, Lilburn.

Father Abel Guerrero Orta, who has been serving as pastor of St. Mark Church, Clarkesville, and administrator of St. Helena Church, Clayton, has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. John Neumann Church, Lilburn, effective Oct. 21, 2010.

Father William T. Hao, who has been serving as parochial vicar at St. Theresa Church, Douglasville, has been assigned as parochial vicar at All Saints Church, Dunwoody.

Father Roberto Herrera Castañeda, who has been serving as parochial vicar at St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville, has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. Michael the Archangel Church, Woodstock.

Archbishop Gregory has confirmed the recommendation of Very Reverend James E. McCurry, OFM Conv., minister provincial of the Conventual Franciscans of the St. Anthony of Padua Province USA, and assigned Father Michael Kolodziej, OFM Conv., as parochial vicar at St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro.

Father Ignacio Morales, who has been serving as parochial vicar at Prince of Peace Church, Flowery Branch, has been assigned as parochial vicar part-time at Church of the Good Shepherd, Cumming, and parochial vicar part-time at St. Luke Church, Dahlonega. He will be in residence at Church of the Good Shepherd.

Father Joseph Mullakkara, a member of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. Benedict Church, Johns Creek.

Father Kizito Okeke, who has been serving as parochial vicar at St. Michael Church, Gainesville, has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. Theresa Church, Douglasville.

Archbishop Gregory has confirmed the recommendation of Very Reverend John P. McGarry, SJ, provincial of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, and assigned Father Tan Robert Pham, SJ, as parochial vicar at Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Mission, Norcross, effective Aug. 1.

Father Carlos Quintero has been assigned as parochial vicar at St. Benedict Church, Johns Creek, and Divino Niño Jesús Mission, Duluth.

Father Terence A. Kane, who has been serving as pastor at Sacred Heart Church, Hartwell, will retire.

Msgr. Terry W. Young, who has been serving as pastor of St. Mary Mother of God Church, Jackson, will retire.

Msgr. Richard Lopez has been assigned as chaplain of St. Pius X High School, Atlanta.

Father Fabio A. Sotelo Pena has been granted a leave of absence from July 1 to Dec. 31.

Father Augustine Tran, who teaches at Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, and has been in residence at St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell, will now reside at St. Monica Church, Duluth, and for canonical status has been appointed as parochial vicar at St. Monica Church.