Effective April 22, 2025:
Fr. Rich Daise concludes his appointment as Vicar for Clergy, while retaining all his other canonical appointments.
Fr. Fred Gatschet concludes his appointment as Vicar General, while retaining all his other canonical appointments.
Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt appointed as Vicar General for the Diocese of Salina. This is in addition to his other canonical appointments.
Effective July 1, 2025:
Fr. James Alaya, with the concurrence of Most Reverend Gabriel J. Anokye, Archbishop of Kumasi (Ghana), appointed as Parochial Vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Hill City; St. Joseph Parish, Damar; Christ the King Parish, WaKeeney; and St. Michael Parish, Collyer, where Fr. Ernest Amoake-Opare serves as Pastor.
Fr. Kyle Berens appointed part-time priest support to St. John the Baptist Parish, Beloit, where Fr. Jarett Konrade serves as Pastor. This is in addition to his current canonical appointment as Chaplain of In Ipso.
Fr. Rafael Indave Campos appointed as Parochial Vicar of Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Manhattan, where Fr. Leo Blasi serves as Pastor.
Fr. Michael Elanjimattathil, CMI, with the concurrence of his superior, Reverend Biju John Vellakada, CMI, appointed as Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Salina. Fr. Elanjimattathil is being transferred from his current assignment as Pastor of St. Mary, Queen of Angels Parish, Russell and St. Mary Help of Christians Parish, Gorham.
Fr. Frederick Gruber, with the concurrence of Most Reverend David A. Zubik, Bishop of Pittsburgh, appointed as Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Parish, Colby; St. Joseph Parish, Oakley; and St. Paul Parish, Angelus where Fr. Brian Lager will serve as Pastor.
Fr. Steven Heina concludes his appointment as Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Clyde and St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Clifton. Fr. Heina will be appointed by the Diocese of Wichita as a Hospital Chaplain.
Fr. Vincent John, CMI, with the concurrence of his superior, Reverend Biju John Vellakada, CMI, appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Andrew Parish, Abilene; St. Francis Xavier Parish, Junction City; and St. Michael Parish, Chapman, where Fr. Peter O’Donnel serves as Pastor.
Fr. Joseph Kieffer is relieved from service as member of and Moderator of the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Edward Parish, Belleville; St. Isidore Parish, Cuba; St. George Parish, Munden; St. Theresa Parish, Mankato; and Sacred Heart Parish, Esbon. Fr. Kieffer will continue as Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Concordia and St. Peter Parish, Aurora.
Fr. Jarett Konrade is relieved from his service as pastor SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Cawker City. Fr. Konrade will continue as Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Beloit.
Fr. Brian Lager appointed as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Oakley and St. Paul Parish, Angelus in addition to his current canonical appointment as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Colby. Fr. Lager is also appointed member and Moderator of the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Hoxie and St. Martin of Tours Parish, Sequin. Fr. Lager is primarily serving at Sacred Heart Parish, Colby; St. Joseph Parish, Oakley; and St. Paul Parish, Angelus.
Fr. Simon Peter Luswata, with the concurrence of Reverend Jose Ricardo Cruel Angulo, Diocesan Administrator of Tumaco (Colombia), appointed as Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, Salina, where Fr. John Schmeidler serves as Pastor.
Fr. Ryan McCandless appointed as Pastor of St. Edward Parish, Belleville; St. Isidore Parish, Cuba; St. George Parish, Munden. Fr. McCandless is also appointed member and Moderator of the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Theresa Parish, Mankato and Sacred Heart Parish, Esbon; and St. Mary Parish, Smith Center. Fr. McCandless is primarily serving at St. Edward Parish, Belleville; St. Isidore Parish, Cuba; and St. George Parish, Munden.
Fr. Emmanuel Mensah, with the concurrence of Most Reverend John Baptist Attakruh, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi (Ghana), appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Boniface Parish, Tipton; St. Mary Parish, Downs; St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, Osborne; and SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Cawker City, where Fr. Luke Thielen will serve as Pastor.
Fr. Kade Megaffin appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Andrew Parish, Abilene; St. Francis Xavier Parish, Junction City; and St. Michael Parish, Chapman, where Fr. Peter O’Donnel serves as Pastor.
Fr. Kerry Ninemire is concluding his appointment as Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Junction City and granted full retirement.
Fr. John Paul Nti, with the concurrence of Most Reverend John Opoku-Agyemang, Bishop of Konongo-Mampong (Ghana), appointed as part-time Parochial Vicar of St. Isidore Catholic Student Center Parish, Manhattan where Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt serves as Pastor.
Fr. Jesse Ochs appointed as Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Parish, Colby; St. Joseph Parish, Oakley; and St. Paul Parish, Angelus where Fr. Brian Lager will serve as Pastor.
Fr. Peter O’Donnell appointed as Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Junction City in addition to his current canonical appointment as Pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Abilene and St. Michael Parish, Chapman.
Fr. Daryl Olmstead appointed as Parish Administrator of St. Mary, Queen of Angels Parish, Russell and St. Mary Help of Christians Parish, Gorham. Fr. Olmstead is concluding his current canonical appointment as Pastor of St. Boniface Parish, Tipton; St. Mary Parish, Downs; and St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, Osborne.
Fr. Charles Oppong, with the concurrence of Most Reverend John Baptist Attakruh, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi (Ghana), appointed to the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Theresa Parish, Mankato; Sacred Heart Parish, Esbon; and St. Mary Parish, Smith Center.
Fr. Andrew Rockers appointed as Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Clyde and St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Clifton.
Fr. Trinity Savariyar is relieved from his service as a member of the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Mary Parish, Smith Center. Fr. Savariyar will continue as member of the in solidum team of priests who Pastor of SS. Philip and James Parish, Phillipsburg and St. John the Evangelist Parish, Logan.
Fr. Luke Thielen appointed as Pastor of St. Boniface Parish, Tipton; St. Mary Parish, Downs; St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, Osborne; and SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Cawker City. Fr. Thielen is being transferred from his current canonical appointment as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Oakley and St. Paul Parish, Angelus.
Fr. Vincent Thu Laing transferred from his current canonical appointment as Pastor of St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Hoxie and St. Martin of Tours Parish, Sequin and appointed member of the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Hoxie and St. Martin of Tours Parish, Sequin.
Fr. Adam Urban appointed as Parochial Vicar of St. Mary Queen of the Universe Parish, Salina and Chaplain of Sacred Heart Junior Senior High School where Fr. Kevin Weber serves as Pastor.
Fr. Keith Weber is concluding his appointment as Pastor of St. Elisabeth Ann Seton Parish, Salina and granted full retirement.
Fr. Joshua Werth is relieved from his service as a member and Moderator of the in solidum team of priests who pastor St. Mary Parish, Smith Center. Fr. Werth will continue as member and Moderator of the in solidum team of priests who Pastor of SS. Philip and James Parish, Phillipsburg and St. John the Evangelist Parish, Logan, in addition to his other canonical appointments.
Understanding In Solidum Teams of Priests
In the Diocese of Salina, you may find that your parish is being served by a team of priests rather than a single pastor. This arrangement is known as in solidum pastoral care, and it’s becoming more common as dioceses address the challenges of fewer priests and the need for collaborative ministry.
So, what does it mean for a parish to be served in solidum? The term in solidum comes from canon law and refers to a situation where several priests are jointly responsible for the pastoral care of one or more parishes. Instead of one priest being solely in charge, a team of priests works together, sharing their gifts and talents to serve the needs of the community.
Here are some key aspects of in solidum ministry:
- Shared Responsibility: Each priest on the team is responsible for the spiritual care of the entire parish or group of parishes. They work together to provide the sacraments, preach the Gospel, and offer pastoral guidance.
- Moderator: While all priests on the team share responsibility, one of them is appointed as the moderator. The moderator’s role is to coordinate the team’s efforts, ensure good communication, and represent the team in juridic matters. He is considered “first among equals”.
- Collaboration: In solidum ministry emphasizes collaboration and shared decision-making. The priests work together, pooling their diverse skills and experiences to serve the community effectively.
- Continuity: Although priests may rotate responsibilities, the goal is to provide consistent pastoral care to the parishioners. However, it’s also recognized that the rotation of priests can be confusing, because the faithful naturally identify with their parish priest. For this reason, you may still see one of the priests more frequently than others at your parish.
While having multiple priests serve a parish may seem different from the traditional model, it can be an effective way to meet the needs of today’s Church. By working together, in solidum teams of priests can bring a variety of gifts and experiences to the parish, fostering a vibrant and engaged faith community.