Photo by Julianna Leopold

SMYRNA–Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv., of Atlanta, conveys the following additional announcements regarding priestly ministry in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, effective July 1, 2026:

Pastors and administrators

• Father Israel J. Rodriguez, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston, is appointed pastor of St. Paul of the Cross Church, Atlanta.
• Father Dominic Tran is appointed administrator of Our Lady of La Vang Mission, Marietta.
• Father Cong Nguyen, administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Blairsville, is appointed pastor.

Parochial vicars

• Father Abel Guerrero Orta is appointed parochial vicar at St. Andrew Church, Roswell.
• Father Jose Enrique Quintero, a priest in residence at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Atlanta, is appointed parochial vicar of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Special assignments

• Father Ben Thomsen is appointed to the faculty of Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans.

Varia

• Father Bradley Starr is appointed priest in residence at Emory University Catholic Campus Ministry Rectory.
• Father Carl Jean, chaplain to the Haitian Catholics of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, is appointed priest in residence at Our Lady of Lourdes Rectory, Atlanta.

The archbishop expresses his gratitude to the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (CP) in founding the parish of St. Paul of the Cross in 1954 and for faithfully providing pastoral care for more than 70 years. The archbishop thanks Father Patrick Daugherty, CP, and Father Luis Lopez Galarza, CP, for their lasting commitment to the parish.

This is an update from the first round of assignments published May 15 by The Georgia Bulletin. Read the full story here.