Bishop James Ruggieri announces priest assignments and retirements
Bishop James Ruggieri has announced nine priest assignments, four retirements from active ministry and one departure in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
New Assignments
Reverend Philip Clement has been appointed pastor of the Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Bar Harbor, Stella Maris Parish in Bucksport, and St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth, effective July 1, 2024. Fr. Clement currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Oquossoc and previously served as administrator at St. Peter the Fisherman Parish in Machias and as a hospital chaplain in Lewiston. Originally from the Diocese of St. Petersburg, FL, he was incardinated into the Diocese of Portland in March 2023. Prior to moving to Maine, he served at Nativity Church in Brandon, FL, and Incarnation Church in Tampa, FL.
Reverend Anthony Korir, SMA has been appointed pastor of the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou, effective July 1, 2024. Since 2022, Fr. Korir has served as parochial vicar at the parish. A citizen of Kenya, Fr. Korir was ordained to the priesthood at St. John Bosco at in Kaptagat, part of the Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya. He has served in the Diocese of Sokodé in Togo; as a director of vocations and administrator at St. Joseph Church in the Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya; at the development office of the American Province of the Society of African Missions (SMA); and at the Church of St. Anne in Garwood, NJ, part of the Archdiocese of Newark.
Reverend Anthony Lawir has been appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Dexter and St. Agnes Parish in Pittsfield, effective July 1, 2024. He has served as parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish in Saco since 2021. In the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon, he was a manager of schools and a chaplain at St. Rita’s College in Nkambe, a rector and a manager of schools at a parish in Misaje, a spiritual director and a teacher of religious studies at St. Aloysius Minor Seminary in Kitiwum, a vocations director, a Catholic education secretary for the diocese, and a parish priest in Nkambe. Fr. Lawir also spent four years in the Archdiocese of Bamenda in Cameroon as a rector of a spiritual formation center and chaplain at St. Albert Catholic Comprehensive College in Bafut.
Reverend Robert L. Lupo has been appointed pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Auburn, effective July 1, 2024. Since 2018, Fr. Lupo has been pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Dexter and St. Agnes Parish in Pittsfield. He was previously parochial vicar at All Saints Parish in Brunswick, pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Calais, parochial vicar at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Auburn and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Norway, parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish in Saco, and chaplain at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Reverend John. W. Michalowski, SJ was appointed parochial vicar for Our Lady of Hope Parish in Portland, effective May 10, 2024. Fr. Michalowski joined Our Lady of Hope from St. Peter Church in Charlotte, NC, where he had served as parochial vicar since 2016. Fr. Michalowski has served in a variety of roles in his time as a Jesuit, including as a religion teacher and chaplain at Cheverus High School in Portland from fall 1982 to spring 1999. He was formerly director of Campion Renewal Center in Weston, MA, as well as a pastor of Saints Mary and Joseph Parish in Salem, NH.
Reverend Joseph Osunde, OP has been appointed parochial vicar for Good Shepherd Parish in Saco, effective July 1, 2024. Since April 2023, he has been parochial vicar of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor. Born in Kano, Nigeria, Fr. Osunde holds bachelor’s degrees in theology and philosophy from the Dominican Institute in Oyo State in Nigeria. For six years, he was a volunteer guest master and choir director at the St. Thomas Aquinas Priory in Ibadan, Nigeria, while visiting with and bringing holy Communion to the sick at the University Teaching Hospital. Father Osunde also served as an associate pastor and provincial promoter at Nigerian parishes.
Reverend Sahaya Remgius, SAC has been appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Oquossoc, effective July 1, 2024. Fr. Remgius, a member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, more commonly known as the Pallottines, has been a parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Westbrook since October 2023. Prior to his service in Maine, Father Remgius’s assignments in India included serving as either a parish priest or pastor at four parishes and as an assistant novice master.
Reverend Agustin Sebasthiyan, HGN has been appointed pastor of St. Benedict Parish in Benedicta and Christ the Divine Mercy Parish in East Millinocket, effective July 1, 2024. Since February, Fr. Sebasthiyan has served as the parochial vicar for both parishes. He was previously parochial vicar of the St. John River Valley parishes of Our Lady of the Valley in St. Agatha, Notre Dame du Mont Carmel in Madawaska, and St. Peter Chanel in Van Buren. Since his arrival in Maine from India in 2017, he has also had assignments at the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes, Holy Spirit Parish in Wells, and Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou.
Reverend Felix Udolisa, OP has been appointed parochial vicar for Good Shepherd Parish in Saco, effective July 1, 2024. Fr. Udolisa is a member of the Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph the Worker. Fr. Udolisa comes to the Portland Diocese from Nigeria, where he was most recently the pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Gusau. He formerly was the associate chaplain at St. Thomas More Catholic Chaplaincy, University of Lagos; lecturer at Siena Institute of Theology, Yaba, Lagos; associate pastor and youth chaplain at St. Dominic Church in Yaba, Lagos; and pastor of St. Andre du Lac Church, Makoko, Lagos.
Retirements and Departures
Reverend Emile Dubé, rector of St. Ignatius Chapel in Northeast Harbor and pastor of the Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Bar Harbor, Stella Maris Parish in Bucksport, and St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth, will retire from active ministry, effective July 1, 2024. A native of Lewiston and a graduate of St. Dominic Regional High School, Fr. Dubé was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 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 at the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou, All Saints Parish in Brunswick, Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Dexter, and St. Agnes Parish in Pittsfield.
Reverend David R. Raymond, pastor of the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou, will retire from active ministry, effective July 1, 2024. He was previously the pastor of St. Agnes in Island Falls and St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Houlton. Born in Fort Kent, he attended Frenchville schools and graduated from Wisdom High School in St. Agatha. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Fort Kent and entered the U.S. Peace Corps and served in Pala, Chad. After two years, he returned to Maine and spent 22 years as a teacher in Frenchville and St. Agatha. Fr. Raymond also holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. He completed his clerical studies at Theological College, the national seminary of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned an S.T.B. degree. Fr. Raymond was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 2003, at St. Luce Church in Frenchville. Upon his ordination, Fr. Raymond was appointed parochial vicar at Holy Rosary Parish in Caribou, St. Louis Parish in Limestone, and St. Denis Parish in Fort Fairfield. He has also served as parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Ashland, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Presque Isle, and St. Joseph Parish in Mars Hill, and as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in North Caribou and St. Theresa Parish in Stockholm.
Reverend Dominic Savio, HGN, administrator of Christ the Divine Mercy Parish and St. Benedict Parish in Benedicta, will leave the diocese after 10 years to return to his native country of India, effective July 1, 2024. In April 2013, Fr. Savio arrived in the Diocese of Portland and was named a parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Parish in Waterville. In July 2016, Fr. Savio was appointed chaplain at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, St. Mary’s d’Youville Pavilion, St. Mary’s Residences, and Central Maine Medical Center, all in Lewiston. In July 2019, he was named parochial vicar at the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes. From 2015 to 2020, Fr. Savio was also a Presbyteral Council member. A native of Tamil Nadu, India, Fr. Savio was ordained to the priesthood on December 29, 2003. From January 2004 to May 2008, Fr. Savio served as parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s Shrine in the Diocese of Madras-Mylapore in Tamil Nadu. From June 2008 to March 2013, he served as principal at the Good News School in the Diocese of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Reverend Bruce M. Siket, parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, will retire from active ministry, effective August 1, 2024. Fr. Siket was previously pastor of Christ the Divine Mercy Parish in East Millinocket and St. Benedict Parish in Benedicta. Fr. Siket is a Madison native who graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1976. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 2007. From June 2007 to July 2009, Fr. Siket served as a parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Parish in Waterville. Beginning in July 2009, Fr. Siket served as parochial vicar of Stella Maris Parish in Bucksport and St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth.
Reverend Robert C. Vaillancourt, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Auburn, will retire from active ministry, effective July 1, 2024. A native of Lewiston, Fr. Vaillancourt graduated from St. Dominic Regional High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maine at Orono and a bachelor’s in theology from St. Paul University in Ottawa. Since his ordination to the priesthood, Fr. Vaillancourt has served at parishes in Biddeford, Brewer, Bridgton, Camden, East Millinocket, Falmouth, Hampden, Madawaska, Old Town, Peaks Island, Portland, Rumford, and Winterport. He has also served as the director of vocations for the Diocese of Portland and in the hospital ministry.
