Bishop issues clergy appointments April 25

Published: April 28, 2025

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments, April 25, 2025, for the Diocese of Little Rock.

Effective June 6, 2025:

• Duwan Booker, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 15, 2025, appointed to serve as deacon at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Village, Holy Cross Church in Crossett and Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg during the summer 2025.
• Tuan Do, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 21, 2025, appointed to serve as deacon at Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro during the summer 2025.
• Christopher Elser, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 24, 2025, appointed to serve as deacon at St. Mary Church in Batesville and St. Cecilia Church in Newport during the summer 2025.
• Joseph Nguyen, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 21, 2025, appointed to serve as deacon at Christ the King Church in Fort Smith during the summer 2025.
• Quinton Thomas, to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 13, 2025, appointed to serve as deacon at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock during the summer 2025.

Effective June 18, 2025:

• Rev. William A. Elser, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Hot Springs Village to become senior priest.
• Rev. George W. Sanders, appointed pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Hot Springs Village. He remains chaplain of CHI St. Vincent Hospital in Hot Springs. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Church of St. John the Baptist in Hot Springs.
• Rev. Shaun Wesley, appointed pastor of Church of St. John the Baptist in Hot Springs. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Carlisle and Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Slovak.
• Rev. Babu Rao Battula, appointed pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Carlisle and Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Slovak. This is in addition to his responsibilities as pastor of Holy Rosary Church in Stuttgart and Holy Trinity Church in England.
• Rev. Stanislaus Savio Arokia, a priest of the Diocese of Nellore, India, appointed associate pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Carlisle, Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Slovak, Holy Rosary Church in Stuttgart and Holy Trinity Church in England.
• Dcn. Joel Brackett, to be ordained to the priesthood on May 31, 2025, appointed associate pastor of St. Edward Church in Texarkana, Sacred Heart Church in Foreman and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Ashdown. He is relieved of his vocational synthesis at St. Joseph Church in Conway.
• Rev. Irudaya Raj Nalazala Augustine, appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church in Paris and sacramental minister of St. Mary Church in Altus. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Edward Church in Texarkana, Sacred Heart Church in Foreman and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Ashdown.
• Rev. Polycarp Ssebbowa, appointed sacramental minister of Sacred Heart Church in Charleston and St. Anthony Church in Ratcliff with residence at St. Joseph Church in Paris. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Paris and sacramental minister of St. Mary Church in Altus.
• Rev. Norman McFall, relieved of his responsibilities as sacramental minister of St. Anthony Church in Ratcliff. He remains pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Charleston.
• Rev. Mayolo Cruz Hernández, FMAP, a priest of the Fraternidad Misionera Apóstoles de la Palabra (Apostles of the Word Missionary Fraternity), appointed associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Rev. Jayaraju Sure, appointed associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale.
• Rev. Arokiasamy Madhichetty Irudayaraj, appointed pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith.
• Rev. Luke Womack, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton to begin a sabbatical.
• Rev. Joel C. Ibebuike, appointed associate pastor of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Peter the Fisherman Church in Mountain Home.
• Rev. Joji Reddy Allam, a priest of the Diocese of Nellore, India, appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Alphonse Gollapalli, a priest of the Diocese of Nellore, India, appointed pastor of St. Mark Church in Monticello, Holy Child of Jesus Church in Dumas and St. Mary Church in McGehee.
• Rev. Mark Abban, appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge and St. Mary Church in Hattieville (Saint Vincent). He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Mark Church in Monticello, Holy Child of Jesus Church in Dumas and St. Mary Church in McGehee.
• Msgr. Jack D. Harris, appointed pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Marché (North Little Rock). He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge and St. Mary Church in Hattieville (Saint Vincent).
• Rev. Rubén Quinteros, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Marché (North Little Rock). He remains pastor of St. Mary Church in North Little Rock and director of Diaconate Formation in the Diocese of Little Rock.
• Rev. William Wewers, OSB, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Holy Redeemer Church in Clarksville to take a one-month sabbatical.
• Rev. Andrew Hart, JCL, appointed pastor of Holy Redeemer Church in Clarksville. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock. He remains Adjutant Judicial Vicar.
• Rev. John Marconi, appointed chaplain of the Calix Society of Central Arkansas. He remains senior priest.
• Rev. Gregory T. Luyet, JCL, JV, appointed full-time Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Little Rock with residence at St. John Manor in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock.
• Rev. Jaime Nieto, appointed administrator of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Marché (North Little Rock) and St. Mary Church in North Little Rock.
• Rev. Balaraju Akkala, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Joseph Church in Tontitown and Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur.
• Rev. Omar Galván, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Augustine Church in Dardanelle and St. Andrew Church in Danville.
• Rev. Taryn Whittington, appointed from administrator to pastor of St. Boniface Church in Bigelow (New Dixie). He remains administrator of St. Oscar Romero Catholic Community in Greenbrier and part-time instructor at the House of Formation in Little Rock with residence at St. Joseph Church in Conway.

Effective July 18, 2025:

• Rev. William Wewers, OSB, appointed pastor of St. Benedict Church in Subiaco and St. Scholastica Church in New Blaine, with residence at St. Benedict Church.
• Rev. Mark Stengel, OSB, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Benedict Church in Subiaco and St. Scholastica Church in New Blaine to take a one-month sabbatical.