Rector named to St. Anthony Oratory; priests granted faculties

Bishop Michael W. Fisher has made the following clergy appointments:

Father Augustine Hoa Trung Tran has been appointed rector of St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, Buffalo, effective March 25. Bishop Fisher established St. Anthony of Padua an oratory on Feb. 4, to minister to the traditional Latin Mass and the Roman Catholic Italian speaking communities.

Father Mario O. Racho has been appointed parish administrator of Family #35 (St. John de LaSalle Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, and Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph Parish, all in Niagara Falls), effective March 15. 

Father Michael O. Ashibuogwu has been granted faculties in the Diocese of Buffalo, effective March 11, while he is participating in the Clinical Pastoral Care Program at Sisters’ Hospital, Buffalo. 

Father Louis R. Lougen, OMI, has been granted faculties in the Diocese of Buffalo, effective March 17. With the approval of Bishop Fisher, Father Lougen has been assigned by his provincial as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Buffalo.

Father Gerard Skrzynski has been appointed senior parochial vicar of Family #7 (Fourteen Holy Helpers Parish, West Seneca; Queen of Heaven Parish, West Seneca; St. John XXIII, West Seneca; St. Gabriel, Elma; & St. John Vianney, Orchard Park), effective May 1.

Father Bernard U. Nowak, vicar forane of the Genesee/Wyoming Vicariate, has been appointed the additional responsibility as parish administrator of Family #6 (Immaculate Conception Parish, East Aurora; Annunciation Parish, Elma; St. George Parish, West Falls; St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Springbrook; & St. Joseph Parish, Holland), effective May 1.

Father Paul Sae-Wan Oh has retired and returned to the Archdiocese of Omaha, effective Feb. 28. He had been serving as chaplain of St. Andrew Kim Korean Catholic Mission, Tonawanda.

Father Alfons M. Osiander and Father Sebastian C. Pierro retired April 30.