Monday afternoon, Bishop Mark Seitz announced the new pastoral assignments for various clergy serving the Catholic Diocese of El Paso.
The new parish assignments will be effective on September 18, 2020.
San Francisco Xavier Parish (South Central El Paso)
Priests from the religious community of the Augustinians of the Assumption will begin serving the Diocese for the first time, and will will assume pastoral leadership of San Francisco Xavier Parish in South Central El Paso. The parish will house three priests of the Order, who will serve this parish as well as focusing their pastoral attention on the increasing needs of migrant refugees along the El Paso-Juárez border.
Three priests will be assigned to the parish: the Pastor, Fr. Peter Precourt, AA; Fr. Ron Sibugan, AA; and a third Augustinian of the
Assumption priest to be announced.
“I trust that the assignment of the Augustinians of the Assumption to St. Francis Xavier will invigorate this wonderful parish community and also strengthen all of our service to migrant refugees along the U.S.-Mexico Border,” Bishop Seitz said. “It is in keeping with Pope Francis’ wishes to be a Church for all God’s people with special attention to those brothers and sisters on the peripheries of society,” he added.
The Order of the Augustinians of the Assumption was founded in 1845 in Mimes, France, by Rev. Emmanual D’Alzon. The order’s provincial office in the United States is located in Brighton, Massachusetts.
Santo Niño de Atocha Parish & Our Lady of the Light Parish – (South Central El Paso)
The neighboring parishes of Santo Niño de Atocha and Our Lady of the Light in South Central El Paso will receive the experienced pastoral leadership of their new Pastor, Fr. Wilson Cuevas.
Ordained in 1981, Fr. Cuevas has served in the Diocese of El Paso for 24 years in various ministries, including as Pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in the Mission Valley. He recently served the Diocese as Pastor of St. Pius X Parish and as the Vicar Forane for the Vicariate of St. Paul in Central El Paso.
Along with the pastoral leadership of Fr. Cuevas, the parishes will be sacramentally served by Priest-in-Residence, Fr. German Alzate. Fr. Antonio Lasheras, who is 81 years old, will also continue to assist the two parishes as Parochial Vicar. Deacon Bobby Saucedo will return to his home parish of Our Lady of the Light after his years of service as the Administrator of Holy Family Parish in Sunset Heights.
St. Patrick Parish (Canutillo) & Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission (Westway)
Maryknoll Fathers have long served this parish and mission and, thanks be to God, their dedicated service will continue. These senior priests that Maryknoll is able to send will now be able to focus on providing pastoral and sacramental care under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Hector Chicas, who will serve as the Parish Administrator.
Gratefully, Deacon Ignacio Torres, who has provided administrative assistance in recent years, will continue now as the deacon serving these communities. Fr. William Donnelly, MM, will continue his service at the parish and will soon be joined by a second Maryknoll priest.
St. Patrick Cathedral & Holy Family Parish – (Downtown El Paso)
Fr. Trini Fuentes will continue his service as Rector of St. Patrick Cathedral and has also been named Pastor of Holy Family Parish. Grateful for the dedicated service that Deacon Bobby Saucedo has provided as Parish Administrator over these past 4 years, Holy Family will now benefit from the ministry of an experienced priest-Pastor. While both parishes will remain distinct and self-sustaining, they will benefit from efficiencies created by their mutual cooperation. Fr. Miguel Perez has been assigned the parochial vicar for both St. Patrick Cathedral and Holy Family Parish
Cristo Rey Parish – (Mission Valley)
Fr. Jose Vera has been appointed Pastor of Cristo Rey Parish in the Mission Valley. “I am very grateful for the nine years of dedicated service as a lay Parish Administrator provided by Mr. Manny Barrios, who will continue to serve the parish as Business Administrator,” Bishop Seitz said. “They will find in Fr. Jose Vera a humble holy pastor who will work alongside Fr. Esteban Sescon, Parochial Vicar, and Deacon Joe Zaragoza to serve this dynamic community,” he said.
St. Pius X Parish & San Juan Bautista Parish – (East Central El Paso)
Fr. Edilberto “Beto” Lopez has been appointed Pastor of St. Pius X and San Juan Bautista parishes. Fr. Lopez has served as Pastor in various parishes around the diocese over the last 15 years, and most recently served as pastor of Our Lady of Peace in Alpine, Texas. Fr. Lopez will be joined by Fr. Charles Rajan Michael as parochial vicar. He previously served as the Parochial Vicar at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish in East El Paso.
Corpus Christi Parish – (Mission Valley)
Fr. Ralph Solis has been appointed Pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in the Mission Valley. Fr. Solis served most recently as Pastor of San Felipe de Jesus Parish in Socorro, Texas, and at various other parishes in El Paso County and in the other nine counties of the diocese in West Texas. Fr. Solis will be joined by Fr. Antonio Jovino Martinez, who will serve as Parochial Vicar. Fr. Martinez most recently served as Parochial Vicar at San Judas Tadeo Parish in West El Paso.
St. Paul the Apostle Parish (Mission Valley)
Fr. Apolinar Samboni has been appointed Pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in the Mission Valley of El Paso. Fr. Samboni will take on his third pastoral assignment at St. Paul the Apostle, after most recently serving as Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Van Horn, Texas and the rural mission of Our Lady of Miracles in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
San Felipe De Jesus Parish (Socorro)
Fr. Antonio Mena, another long-standing priest, has been appointed Pastor of San Felipe de Jesus Parish in Socorro, Texas. Fr. Mena has served the Diocese of El Paso for almost 30 years as a priest in various pastoral ministries, most recently as Pastor at Corpus Christi Parish in the Mission Valley of El Paso.
Our Lady of Peace (Alpine)
Fr. Pablo Matta has been appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Alpine, Texas. A native of Pecos, Texas, Fr. Matta comes to Alpine having served in various ministries throughout the Diocese of El Paso, most recently as Pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in the Mission Valley of El Paso. As Pastor, Fr. Matta will be tasked with serving the faithful of Alpine, Texas, and St. Joseph Mission in Fort Davis, Texas and St. Mary Mission in Marathon, Texas.
Our Lady of Fatima (Van Horn)
Fr. Frank Hernandez will take on his third pastoral assignment as Administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Van Horn, Texas. Fr. Hernandez serve the people of Van Horn and the rural mission of Our Lady of Miracles in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
Vocations Director (Diocese-wide)
Helping young men to recognize God’s call to give themselves in a special way to serve as deacons and priests, and guiding women and men to hear God’s call to the religious life are essential works of the Church and a key to the Church’s continued life and growth.
To carry out this work in the Diocese of El Paso, Bishop Seitz is pleased to announce the assignment of a new full-time Director of Vocations: Fr. German Alzate, STL.
“The appointment of a full-time Director of Vocations signals the importance that this work has for the future of the Church in the Diocese of El Paso, as well as the commitment that the entire Diocese should have to grow future vocations to the priesthood, permanent diaconate, and religious life,” Bishop Seitz said.
Parochial Vicars (Diocese-wide)
Fr. Ivan Montelongo, ordained a priest this summer, has been appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Raphael Parish in East El Paso. Fr. Montelongo will continue his studies in canon law while serving the faithful of St. Raphael Parish.
Fr. Cong Vo has been appointed Parochial Vicar at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish in East El Paso. Fr. Vo, who most recently served as Parochial Vicar at St. Pius X Parish in East Central El Paso, will also continue his studies in canon law while serving the faithful of Mother Cabrini Parish.
Fr. Victorino Loresca has been appointed Parochial Vicar at San Judas Tadeo Parish in West El Paso. Fr. Loresca most recently served as Parochial Vicar at St. Raphael Parish in East El Paso.
Fr. Michael Lewis, STL, has been appointed Parochial Vicar at St. Mark Parish in East El Paso. Fr. Lewis, who recently earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelien, Illinois, most recently served as Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick Cathedral.
Fr. Roberto Alvarado will serve as the new Parochial Vicar at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Northeast El Paso. Fr. Alvarado most recently served as Parochial Vicar of Corpus Christi Parish in the Mission Valley of El Paso.
Seminarians
Seminarians Loyd Divinagracia, Jose William and Edroud Jean have completed their seminary studies and will have parish assignments prior to their Ordination, which we are hopeful will take place next year. Loyd Divinagarcia has been assigned to Corpus Christi, Jose William has been appointed to St. Patrick Cathedral, and Edroud Jean has been appointed to Mother Cabrini.
New Pastoral Assignments for the Diocese of El Paso Effective September 18, 2020
San Francisco Xavier:
Order of the Augustinian of the Assumption Priests
Pastor: Rev. Peter Precourt, AA, D.Min
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Ronald Sibugan, AA
Parochial Vicar: TBA
Santo Niño de Atocha / Our Lady of the Light
Pastor: Rev. Wilson Cuevas
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Antonio Lasheras
Priest in Residence: Rev. German Alzate, STL
Assisting Deacon: Deacon Bobby Saucedo
St. Patrick (Canutillo) / Immaculate Heart of Mary (Westway)
Parish Administrator: Rev. Hector Chicas
Assisting Deacon: Ignacio Torres
Assisting Sacramental Administrators: Maryknoll Priest TBA
St. Pius X / San Juan Bautista
Pastor: Rev. Edilberto “Beto” Lopez
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Charles Rajan Michael
Cristo Rey
Pastor: Rev. Jose Vera, O.F.M.
Business Administrator: Manny Barrios
Preist in Residence: Rev. Estban Sescon
St. Paul the Apostle
Pastor: Rev. Apolinar Samboni
Corpus Christi
Pastor: Rev. Ralph Solis
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Antonio Martinez
San Felipe De Jesus
Pastor: Rev. Antonio Mena
Our Lady of Peace (Alpine, Texas)
Pastor: Rev. Pablo Matta
Our Lady of Fatima (Van Horn)
Administrator: Rev. Frank Hernandez
Vocations Director
Rev. German Alzate, STL
New Assignments for Parochial Vicars
St. Patrick Cathedral / Holy Family
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Miguel Perez
San Judas Tadeo
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Victorino Loresca
St. Mark
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Michael Lewis, STL
St. Raphael
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Ivan Montelongo (Student in Canon Law)
Blessed Sacrament
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Roberto Alvarado
Mother Cabrini
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Cong Vo (Student in Canon Law)
