Scottish Catholic Observer

The newly ordained priests in Motherwell Diocese have been issued with appointments: Fr Charles Coyle will serve as assistant priest in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, East Kilbride, from September; Fr Kieran Hamilton will serve in St Patrick’s and St Thomas’ Churches, Wishaw, from August, and Fr Mark O’Donnell will serve in Joseph’s and St John Ogilvie’s Churches, Blantyre, from September.

Fr Damien Gilhooley will retire as parish priest at St James the Greater Church, Coatbridge, residing at St Bernard’s Church, Shawhead.

Administration of St James’ will be taken over by Fr Kenny Campbell alongside his own parish of St Barbara’s Church, Muirhead, where he will assisted by the soon-to-be-ordained Kevin Lawrie in August.

Returning home

Fr Bernard Zulu will return to Zambia, and Fr Ghislain Mulumanzi will assume administration of St Monica’s Church, Kirkwood.

Fr Jim Thompson will leave his role as parish priest of St Mary’s Church, Lanark, St Isadore’s Church, Biggar, and St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Forth, to take over Fr Mulumanzi’s parish, St John Bosco’s Church, Easterhouse.

Fr Thomas Doyle will leave St Bride’s Church, Bothwell, to take over Fr Thompson’s current post; Frs Brian Lamb and John Paul McShane will assume administration of St Bride’s, with Fr McShane being based at the Bothwell parish.

Two priests ordained last summer, Frs Bruce McPhail and Paul Denny, will assist Fr Des Keegan in St Andrew’s Church, Airdrie, and Fr Gerard Chromy at Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral, Motherwell, respectively.

Fr McPhail will also be the main chaplain at Monklands Hospital, while Kevin Lawrie will also serve in Monklands.

Argyll and the Isles

Bishop Brian McGee of Argyll and the Isles Diocese also announced diocesan clergy changes from Monday August 12.

Fr Roddy Johnston will leave Our Holy Redeemer Church, Stornoway, to be parish priest at both St Mun’s Church, Ballachulish and the Visitation Church, Taynuilt, as Canon William Fraser retires from the Visitation Church. Fr Johnston will also be chaplain to the Craig Lodge Community.

Fr William MacLean, parish priest of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Skye, moves to Fr Johnston’s old parish; Fr Roddy McAuley will become parish priest of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and St Mun’s Church, Dunoon, moving from St John the Evangelist Church, Caol.

Lochaber

Fr David Connor leaves his role as parish priest of St Margaret’s Church, Lochgilphead, to be parish priest of the Lochaber cluster: Immaculate Conception Church, Fort William, St John the Evangelist Church, Caol, St Mary and St Finnan’s Church, Glenfinnan, and Our Lady of the Angels Church, Mingarry.

Mgr James MacNeil will become administrator of St Margaret’s, while remaining in his current role at St Columba’s Cathedral, Oban.

Fr Noel Ugoagwu MSP will leave his temporary role at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and St Mun’s to be administrator of Our Lady of the Assumption, Skye.

Fr Emmanuel Alagbaoso, assistant priest at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Castlebay, and St Barr’s Church , Northbay, will move to be assistant priest of the Lochaber cluster.

Fr Ronald Campbell has been appointed assistant priest to St Margaret’s, and Deacon Thomas Wynne will also minister within the Lochaber cluster.