Bishop announces local priest assignments, retirements

PORTLAND — Bishop Robert Deeley has announced local priest assignments and retirements, all effective Wednesday, July 5.

Assignments

Fr. Patrick Agbodi has been appointed administrator of Corpus Christi Parish (St. John the Baptist Church in Winslow and Notre Dame du Perpetual Secours Church in Waterville).

Fr. Patrick Agbodi Submitted photo

Agbodi, who is parochial vicar of All Saints Parish in Brunswick, was ordained to the priesthood in 2000 at St. Patrick Church in Asaba, Nigeria. Since his ordination, he has served as a parish priest in Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania, where he also served as a director of vocations and vice regional superior.

Since his arrival in Maine, he has served in Augusta and in his current role at All Saints Parish. Agbodi is a member of the Society of African Missions.

Fr. Emile Dube Submitted photo

Fr. Emile Dubé has been appointed rector of St. Ignatius Chapel in Northeast Harbor. This appointment is in addition to his current assignments as pastor of the Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord (Holy Redeemer Church, Bar Harbor; St. Peter Church, Manset; Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Little Cranberry Island), Stella Maris Parish (St. Vincent de Paul Church, Bucksport; Our Lady of Holy Hope Church, Castine; St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, Stonington), and St. Joseph Parish (St. Joseph Church, Ellsworth; Blue Hill Mission, Blue Hill; Our Lady of the Lake Church, Dedham; St. Margaret Church, Winter Harbor).

A native of Lewiston and a graduate of St. Dominic Regional High School, Dubé was ordained to the priesthood in 2012 at Holy Family Church in Lewiston. Prior to his ordination, he served for 35 years as a brother in the Catholic religious order of the Salesians of St. John Bosco in New York.

Since his ordination, he has served in Caribou, Brunswick, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Milo, Pittsfield and in his current parish assignments.

Fr. Hyacinth Fornkwa has been appointed administrator of Holy Spirit Parish (St. Martha Church, Kennebunk; St. Mary Church, Wells; All Saints Church, Ogunquit).

Fr. Hyacinth Fornkwa Submitted photo

Fornkwa is administrator of Holy Family Parish in Greenville and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Jackman. A native of Cameroon, he was ordained to the priesthood in 2008 and has served at parishes and schools in Cameroon for nearly 10 years. He also served as a dean and a member of the presbyteral council in the Diocese of Kumbo for six years. He fluently speaks five languages.

Since his arrival in Maine, he has served in Camden, Rockland, Belfast, Islesboro, Vinalhaven and North Haven.

Fr. Selvaraj Kasi has been appointed administrator of Holy Family Parish in Greenville and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Jackman. Kasi is parochial vicar of the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes.

Fr. Selvaraj Kasi Submitted photo

A native of Tamil Nadu, India, Kasi was ordained to the priesthood in 2013 in Tiruvannamalai. Since his ordination, he has served in Tanzania in a variety of roles, including as a school headmaster, as his congregation’s mission superior, and teaching and caring for residents at a hostel.

Since his arrival in Maine, Kasi has served in Caribou, Presque Isle, Portage, Washburn, Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill, Limestone, Ashland, Stockholm, Lewiston, Lisbon Falls, Sabattus, Fort Kent, St. Agatha, Madawaska, and in his current parish assignments. Kasi is a member of the Heralds of Good News.

Retirements

Fr. Dan Baillargeon McKenney Photo 2016

Fr. Daniel Baillargeon, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish (Notre Dame de Perpetual Secours Church in Waterville and St. John the Baptist Church in Winslow), will retire from active ministry. Baillargeon was ordained to the priesthood in 2007 at Holy Family Church in his native Old Town.

Since his ordination, he has served in Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Vassalboro, Oakland, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Lyman, Biddeford, Bangor, Brewer, Hampden and Winterport.

Fr. Fred Morse McKenney Photo 2016

Fr. Fredrick Morse, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish (St. Martha Church, Kennebunk; St. Mary Church, Wells; All Saints Church, Ogunquit), will also retire from active ministry.

Morse was ordained to the priesthood in 1995 at St. John Church in his native Bangor. Since his ordination, he has served in Wells, Kennebunk, Ogunquit, Brunswick, Bath, Boothbay Harbor, Richmond, Newcastle, Harpswell, Fort Kent, Daigle, South Portland, Portland and Peaks Island. He has also served as chaplain at Maine Medical Center in Portland.