Bishop issues clergy changes April 5

Published: April 9, 2024

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments, April 5, 2024, for the Diocese of Little Rock.

Effective June 1:

• Joel Brackett, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate May 15, appointed to serve as deacon of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock during the summer 2024.

Effective June 17:

• Rev. John K. Antony, JCL, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow. He remains pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith.
• Rev. Balaraju Akkala, relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow. He remains associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith.
• Rev. Jason Tyler, STL, appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville and director of Continuing Education of the Clergy.
• Rev. Manikyaraju Kotha, appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville.
• Rev. Jaime Nieto, appointed associate pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and St. Mary Church in North Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Emmanuel Torres, appointed associate pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and St. Mary Church in North Little Rock.
• Rev. Taryn Whittington, appointed from associate pastor to administrator of St. Oscar Romero Catholic Community in Greenbrier and St. Boniface Church in Bigelow (New Dixie). He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway. He remains part-time instructor at the House of Formation in Little Rock. He will reside at St. Joseph Church in Conway.
• Rev. Peter Le-Thanh Quang, relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor and his ministry to the Vietnamese community of Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Barling to serve in the Diocese of Shreveport.
• Rev. Tuyen Ngoc Do, appointed associate pastor of Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Barling and Sts. Sabina and Mary Church in Jenny Lind. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Anthony Church in Weiner, St. Norbert Church in Marked Tree and his ministry to the Vietnamese community at St. John Newman University Parish in Jonesboro.
• Rev. Alex Smith, appointed pastor of St. Anthony Church in Weiner and St. Cecilia Church in Newport, and from administrator to pastor of St. John Newman University Parish and director of Catholic Campus Ministry in Jonesboro. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro. (See corrected appointment.)
• Rev. Jon Miskin, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Cecilia Church in Newport. He remains pastor of St. Mary Church in Batesville and will provide prison ministry in Newport. (See corrected appointment.)
• Rev. Irudaya Raj Nalazala Augustine, appointed administrator of St. Norbert Church in Marked Tree. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro.
• Dcn. Cody Eveld, to be ordained to the priesthood May 25, appointed associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro.
• Rev. Joseph Friend, appointed from administrator to pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Village, Holy Cross Church in Crossett and Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg.
• Rev. Balaraju Desam, appointed from administrator to pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock.
• Rev. Martín Amaro, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Anne Church in North Little Rock.
• Rev. Emanuel R. Tanu, SVD, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock and St. Bartholomew Church in Little Rock.