Priests take on new roles in city and suburbs

Bishop Michael W. Fisher has made the following appointments.

Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel, longtime pastor of St. Leo the Great in Amherst, and St. Benedict in Eggertsville, is now the temporary administrator of those parishes. This is in addition to his responsibilities as vicar forane of the Northern Erie Vicariate.

Father William J. Weiksnar, OFM, has been named senior parochial vicar of Family #21, which includes St. Lawrence, St. Martin de Porres, Blessed Trinity, and SS. Columba & Brigid Parishes in Buffalo. This was effective Feb. 1, for a term through October 2023 or until a subsequent appointment. 

Father Jay McGinnis, who has been serving as the temporary administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, will retire from active ministry on Feb. 20.

Father Felix Nyambe, OMI, has been named pastor of Family #23 (Our Lady of Hope, Holy Cross, and Coronation Parishes in West Buffalo) effective Feb. 15, for a term of three years or a subsequent appointment. 

Bishop Fisher has accepted the retirement of Father Joseph A. Gullo, effective Feb. 1. Father Gullo had been serving as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Arcade and East Arcade.

Father Sebastian C. Pierro will become temporary parish administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Tonawanda on Feb. 20. This is in addition to his responsibilities as pastor of St. Amelia Parish in Tonawanda.

Father Stephen Soares, a native of India and formerly a Missionary of St. Francis de Sales, has been incardinated as a secular priest of the Diocese of Buffalo. Father Soares has been working in the diocese since December 2019, serving Our Lady of the Lake in Barker and Lyndonville as a parochial vicar. Prior to that, he had worked in the Dioceses of Alexandria, Louisiana and St. Augustine, Florida.