Archdiocese of Omaha announces 2023 priest assignments

The Archdiocese of Omaha announced the following assignments for clergy and tribunal members. All assignments are effective July 1. 

 

Archdiocese of Omaha 

Clergy and Tribunal Assignments 2023 

 

Retirements 

Fr. Frank Baumert, senior associate pastor, St. Thomas More Parish, Omaha, and St. Joan of Arc Parish, Omaha. (Ordained 1978.)  

Fr. Michael Grewe, vicar general and pastor of St. Cecilia Cathedral. (Ordained 1979.)  

Fr. Daniel Kampschneider, pastor, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Omaha. (Ordained 1979.) 

 

Fr. Gerald Leise, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Pender, Sacred Heart Parish, Emerson, and St. Mary Parish, Hubbard. (Ordained 1974.)  

Fr. Carl Salanitro, pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Omaha. (Ordained 1970.) 

Fr. William Sanderson, pastor of St. Stanislaus Parish, Omaha, and Holy Ghost Parish, Omaha. (Ordained 1983) 

 

Urban Families of Parishes  

 

Urban Family A – Fremont, Hooper, North Bend, Scribner, Snyder 

Fr. Walter Nolte, pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Fremont, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, North Bend, St. Lawrence Parish, Scribner, and St. Rose of Lima Parish, Hooper, is reappointed as pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Fremont, for a six-year term.  

 

Urban Family B – Blair, Fort Calhoun, Tekamah 

Fr. Damien Wee, pastor, St. Francis Borgia, Blair, takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Tekamah.  

Urban Family C – St. Elizabeth Ann, St. James 

No change.   

 

Urban Family D – Holy Name, St. Philip Neri-Blessed Sacrament 

Fr. Anthony Weidner, pastor, St. Michael Parish, South Sioux City, to senior associate pastor in the parishes in Urban Family D.   

Fr. Damien Cook, pastor, St. Philip Neri-Blessed Sacrament Parish, Omaha, and pastor, Holy Name Parish, Omaha.

 

Urban Family E – Sacred Heart, St. Benedict the Moor, St. John 

Fr. David Korth, pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Omaha, is reappointed for a six-year term and takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Benedict the Moor Parish, Omaha.  

 

Urban Family F – St. Leo the Great, St. Pius X, St. Bernard 

Fr. Michael Gadache, associate pastor, St. Pius X Parish, Omaha, and chaplain, Our Lady of Africa Chaplaincy, to pastor, St. Bernard Parish, Omaha. The chaplaincy duties are amalgamated into the office of pastor.  

 

Urban Family G – Christ the King, St. Robert Bellarmine, St. John Paul II Newman Center 

No change.  

 

Urban Family H – St. Cecilia Cathedral, St. Margaret Mary 

Fr. Jeremy Hans, pastor, St. Ludger Parish, Creighton, St. Ignatius Mission, Brunswick, St. Paul Parish, Plainview, and administrator, St. Wenceslaus Parish, Verdigre, St. William Mission, Niobrara, and St. Andrew Parish, Bloomfield, to pastor, St. Cecilia Cathedral.  

Fr. Georges Sokpo, a priest of the Diocese of Aného in Togo, to associate pastor of the parishes of Urban Family H.  

 

Fr. Eliot Schwer, resident at St. Cecilia Cathedral, to associate pastor of the parishes of Urban Family H.  

 

Urban Family I – Our Lady of Lourdes-St. Adalbert, Holy Cross, St. Andrew Kim Taegon 

Fr. Vitalis Anyanike, pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes-St. Adalbert Parish, Omaha, takes on additional duties as pastor, Holy Cross Parish, Omaha.

Fr. James de Anda, judge of the Metropolitan Tribunal, will be in residence at Our Lady of Lourdes-St. Adalbert Parish, Omaha.   

 

Urban Family J – St. Peter, St. Joseph 

Fr. Joseph Broudou, on leave to the Diocese of Grand Island, to senior associate pastor, St. Peter Parish, Omaha, and St. Joseph Parish, Omaha.   

Urban Family K – St. Frances Cabrini, St. Mary Magdalene 

No change.  

Urban Family L – St. Thomas More, St. Joan of Arc 

No change.   

 

Urban Family M – St. Bridget-St. Rose, St. Francis of Assisi, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Stanislaus 

Fr. David Fulton, pastor, St. Michael Parish, Central City, St. Peter Parish, Clarks, and St. Peter Parish, Fullerton, to senior associate pastor in the parishes of Urban Family M.   

Fr. Bede Tam Van Nguyen and the community of Our Lady of Fatima Parish will relocate from St. Peter Parish, Omaha, to St. Stanislaus Parish, Omaha. This move will take place over the course of the summer. 

 

Fr. William Safranek, pastor, St. Bridget-St. Rose Parish, Omaha, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Omaha, is reappointed for a six-year term and takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Stanislaus Parish, Omaha.  

 

Urban Family N – Assumption-Guadalupe, Ss. Peter & Paul, St. Mary 

No change.   

 

Urban Family O – St. Bernadette, Holy Ghost 

Fr. Jeffrey Mollner, pastor, St. Bernadette Parish, Bellevue, with duties at Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School, Bellevue, takes on additional duties as pastor, Holy Ghost Parish, Omaha.   

 

Urban Family P – Bellevue: St. Mary, St. Matthew  

Fr. Joseph Kwasau, priest of the Archdiocese of Kaduna in Nigeria, to associate pastor, St. Mary Parish, Bellevue.   

 

Fr. Lydell Lape, pastor, St. Mary Parish, Bellevue, is reappointed to a six-year term.  

Fr. Leo Rigatuso, pastor, St. Matthew Parish, Bellevue, is reappointed to a six-year term.  

Fr. Michael Voithofer, pastor, St. Benedict the Moor Parish, Omaha, and Ablaze Ministries, with residence at the Ablaze House of Prayer, ceases in his role as pastor and takes on additional duties of sacramental supply at St. Matthew Parish, Bellevue.   

 

Urban Family Q – Papillion: St. Columbkille, Ralston: St. Gerald 

Fr. Mark Nolte, pastor, St. Gerald Parish, Ralston, is reappointed to a six-year term.  

 

Urban Family R – Gretna: St. Patrick, St. Charles Borromeo, Springfield: St. Joseph  

Fr. Jeffery Loseke, pastor, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Gretna, is reappointed to a six-year term.  

 

Urban Family S – Mary Our Queen, St. John Vianney 

Fr. Richard Reiser, pastor, St. John Vianney, to senior associate pastor in the parishes of Urban Family S.  

Fr. Marc Lim, pastor, Mary Our Queen, Omaha, to additional duties as pastor, St. John Vianney, Omaha.  

Fr. Tom Bauwens, from resident and sacramental supply, Mary Our Queen, Omaha, to senior associate pastor in the parishes of Urban Family S.  

 

Urban Family T – St. Wenceslaus, St. Stephen the Martyr, St. Vincent de Paul, Boys Town: Immaculate Conception 

Fr. David Belt, pastor, St. Stephen the Martyr Parish, Omaha, is reappointed to a six-year term.  

Fr. Tobias Letak, associate pastor, St. Margaret Mary Parish, Omaha, to associate pastor, St. Wenceslaus Parish, Omaha.   

Fr. Andrew Roza, associate pastor, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Omaha, to pastor of the same.   

Fr. Padraic Stack, associate pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Elkhorn, to associate pastor, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Omaha.  

 

Urban Family U – Elkhorn: St. Patrick, Valley: St. John the Evangelist 

Fr. Thomas Fangman, pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Elkhorn, is reappointed to a six-year term.  

Fr. An Duy Phan, associate pastor, All Saints Parish, Cedar County, Holy Family Parish, Cedar County, and St. Andrew Parish, Bloomfield, to senior associate pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Elkhorn.  

Specialized Ministry: Urban Families T & U 

Fr. Andrew Sohm, pastor, St. Peter Parish, Newcastle, St. Joseph Parish, Ponca, and St. Patrick Parish, Jackson, to hospital chaplaincy. This assignment is not yet finalized.   

 

Rural Families of Parishes  

Rural Family A – Amelia, Atkinson, Boyd County, O’Neill, Stuart 

No change.   

 

Rural Family B – Bloomfield, Brunswick, Cedar County, Crofton, Creighton, Niobrara, Verdigre 

Fr. James Keiter, pastor All Saints, Cedar County, Holy Family, Cedar County, and St. Andrew Parish, Bloomfield, takes on additional duties as pastor of the parishes in Rural Family B.   

Fr. Daniel Wittrock, pastor, St. Bernard Parish, Omaha, to senior associate pastor in the parishes of Rural Family B.   

Rural Family C – Coleridge, Hartington, Newcastle, Osmond, Plainview, Ponca, Randolph 

Fr. Owen Korte, pastor, Holy Trinity Parish, Hartington and St. Michael Parish, Coleridge, takes on additional duties as pastor of the parishes of Rural Family C.   

Fr. Kevin Vogel, administrator, St. Joseph Parish, Pierce, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Randolph, St. Mary of the Seven Dolors, Osmond, ceases as administrator, taking on duties as associate pastor of the parishes of Rural Family C.   

Rural Family D – Dixon, Laurel, Wayne 

Fr. Matthew Capadano, pastor, St. Mary Parish, Wayne, and administrator, St. Anne Parish, Dixon, and St. Mary Parish, Laurel, ceases as administrator and takes on duties as pastor of St. Anne Parish, Dixon, and St. Mary Parish, Laurel. 

 

Rural Family E – Bancroft, Decatur, Emerson, Homer, Hubbard, Jackson, Lyons, Macy, Pender, Walthill, South Sioux City, Winnebago 

Fr. Mark Beran, pastor, St. Augustine, Winnebago, St. Joseph, Walthill, St. Cornelius, Homer, and Our Lady of Fatima, Macy, is reappointed for a six-year term and takes on additional duties as pastor of the parishes of Rural Family E, not including St. Michael Parish, South Sioux City.   

Fr. Kevin Joyce, pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Tekamah, and Holy Family Parish, Decatur, and administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Lyons, and Holy Cross Parish, Bancroft, to senior associate pastor of the parishes of Rural Family E, not including St. Michael Parish, South Sioux City.  

Fr. Matthew Niggemeyer, associate pastor, St. Mary Parish, West Point, St. Aloysius Parish, Aloys, St. Boniface Parish, Monterey, and St. Anthony Parish, St. Charles, to pastor, St. Michael Parish, South Sioux City.   

Fr. Carl Zoucha, pastor, Holy Name Parish, Omaha, to senior associate pastor, St. Michael Parish, South Sioux City.   

Rural Family F – Aloys, Beemer, Dodge, Howells, Monterey, Olean, St. Charles, West Point, Wisner 

 

Fr. James Weeder, pastor, St. Mary Parish, West Point, St. Aloysius Parish, Aloys, St. Boniface Parish, Monterey, and St. Anthony Parish, St. Charles, takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Wenceslaus Parish, Dodge, Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Howells, and St. John Nepomucene Parish, Howells. 

Fr. Walter Jong-à-Kiem to senior associate pastor, St. Mary Parish, West Point, St. Aloysius Parish, Aloys, St. Boniface Parish, Monterey, and St. Anthony Parish, St. Charles, St. Wenceslaus Parish, Dodge, Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Howells, and St. John Nepomucene Parish, Howells.  

 

Rural Family G – Clarkson, Humphrey, Leigh, Lindsay, Tarnov 

Fr. Stanley Schmit, pastor, Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Howells, St. John Nepomucene Parish, Howells, and Holy Trinity Parish, Heun, to pastor of the parishes in Rural Family G.   

Fr. Matthew Gutowski, pastor St. Wenceslaus Parish, Dodge, Ss. Cyril & Methodius Parish, Clarkson, and Sacred Heart Parish, Olean, to senior associate pastor in the parishes of Rural Family G.  

 

Rural Family H – Heun, Schuyler 

Fr. Jairo Enrique Congote, pastor, Divine Mercy Parish, Schuyler, to additional duties as pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Heun.  

 

Rural Family I – Columbus, Duncan, Platte Center 

Fr. Joseph Miksch, pastor, St. Isidore Parish, Columbus, to additional duties as pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Platte Center.  

Fr. Patrick Harrison, pastor, St. Anthony Parish, Columbus and administrator, St. Bonaventure Parish, Columbus, to additional duties as pastor, St. Bonaventure Parish, Columbus, ceases as administrator and takes on duties as pastor, St. Bonaventure Parish, Columbus, and takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Stanislaus Parish, Duncan.  

Fr. Taylor Leffler, associate pastor, St. Wenceslaus Parish, Omaha, to associate pastor at St. Anthony Parish, Columbus, St. Bonaventure Parish, Columbus, and St. Stanislaus Parish, Duncan.   

Rural Family J – Albion, Cedar Rapids, Central City, Clarks, Fullerton, Genoa, Krakow, Silver Creek, St. Edward 

 

Fr. Mark Tomasiewicz, pastor, St. Michael Parish, Albion, and St. Anthony Parish, Cedar Rapids, to additional duties as pastor, St. Edward Parish, St. Edward.   

Fr. William L’Heureux, pastor, St. Edward Parish, St. Edward, St. Rose of Lima Parish, Genoa, St. Lawrence Parish, Silver Creek, and Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Krakow, ceases as pastor of St. Edward, and takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Peter Parish, Clarks, St. Peter Parish, Fullerton, & St. Michael Parish, Central City.   

 

Rural Family K – Clearwater, Deloit, Elgin, Ewing, Neligh, Petersburg, Raeville, Tilden 

No change.   

 

Rural Family L – Battle Creek, Madison, Norfolk, Pierce, Stanton 

Fr. Patrick McLaughlin, pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Norfolk, St. Leonard of Port Maurice Parish, Madison, St. Peter Parish, Stanton, and St. Patrick Parish, Battle Creek, takes on additional duties as pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Pierce. Fr. Gregory Carl and Fr. Brett Jamrog, associate pastors of the same, take on additional duties as associate pastors, St. Joseph Parish, Pierce.   

Ministers of the Metropolitan Tribunal 

The following are reappointed to three-year terms as judges of the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Omaha in both First and Second Instances: Deacon Ronald R. Ryan, Elizabeth A. Sondag, Fr. James R. de Anda, and Fr. Ryan P. Lewis.  

 

Vicar General 

Fr. Scott Hastings, pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Springfield, vicar for clergy, and judicial vicar, takes on additional duties as vicar general. The duties of the Office of the Vicar for Clergy are amalgamated into the Office of the Vicar General.  

 

Service outside the Archdiocese 

Fr. Eric Olsen, pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Parish Humphrey, Holy Family Parish in Lindsay, St. Mary Parish in Leigh, and St. Michael Parish in Tarnov, has been granted leave to serve in the Diocese of Fargo.   

 

 

Leave of Absence 

Fr. Steven Emanuel, associate pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Parish Humphrey, Holy Family Parish in Lindsay, St. Mary Parish in Leigh, and St. Michael Parish in Tarnov, has been granted a personal, voluntary leave of absence to care for his parents.  

 

Permanent Deacons 

The following deacons, ordained on May 6, are assigned as follows: 

 

Deacon Daniel Buck, to St. Gerald Parish, Ralston.  

Deacon Daniel DeLuca, to St. Peter Parish, Omaha.  

Deacon Patrick Dempsey, to St. Columbkille Parish, Papillion.  

Deacon Rafael Gutiérrez, to Holy Name Parish, Omaha.  

Deacon Craig Martin, to St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Omaha.  

Deacon Michael Masek, to St. Wenceslaus Parish, Omaha.  

Deacon Rolando Nicolas, to St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Omaha.  

Deacon Scott Tylski, to St. Stephen the Martyr Parish, Omaha.  

Deacon Steven Zach, to St. Isidore Parish, Columbus.