Bishop Deeley Announces Seven Priest Assignments and Two Retirements

Bishop Robert Deeley has announced seven priest assignments and two priest retirements, all effective on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

Assignments

Fr. Patrick Agbodi, SMA, 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. Agbodi, who is currently parochial vicar of All Saints Parish in Brunswick, was ordained to the priesthood on July 1, 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. Fr. Agbodi is a member of the Society of African Missions (SMA).

Fr. Roland Berngeh has been appointed administrator of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish (Immaculate Conception Church, Calais; St. Anne Church, Perry; St. Ann Church, Indian Township; St. James the Greater Church, Baileyville; St. John the Evangelist Church, Pembroke; and St. Joseph Church, Eastport). Fr. Berngeh is currently parochial vicar at Stella Maris Parish in Bucksport, St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth, and Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Bar Harbor. A native of Jakiri, Cameroon, Fr. Berngeh was ordained to the priesthood on April 10, 1985, and since his ordination, has served in a variety of roles at parishes in Cameroon and as a director of vocations and vicar general for the Diocese of Kumbo. Since his arrival in Maine, he has served at his three current parishes. Fr. Berngeh earned a master’s degree in educational counseling from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.

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, 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 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. Fornkwa is currently 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 on March 27, 2008, and has served at parishes and schools in Cameroon for nearly ten years. Fr. Fornkwa 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, HGN, has been appointed administrator of Holy Family Parish in Greenville and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Jackman. Fr. Kasi is currently parochial vicar of the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes. A native of Tamil Nadu, India, Fr. Kasi was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 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, Fr. 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. Fr. Kasi is a member of the Heralds of Good News (HGN).

Fr. Joseph Lukong has been appointed parochial vicar at 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). Since his ordination to the priesthood in 2002, Fr. Lukong has spent two decades serving as a parish priest and manager of schools in his native Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon. He also served as rector of St. Theresa Cathedral in Kumbo, the same church where he was baptized and was an altar server. Fr. Lukong has been in residence at Stella Maris Parish since his arrival in Maine.

Fr. Brad Morin has been appointed director of vocations for the Diocese of Portland and parochial vicar of Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord (Holy Family Church, Old Town; Our Lady of Wisdom Church, Orono; St. Ann Church, Bradley; St. Ann Church, Indian Island). Fr. Morin is currently pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Calais. Born in Upper Frenchville, Fr. Morin was ordained to the priesthood on June 6, 2014, at St. David Church in Madawaska. Since his ordination, he has served in Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, Winterport, Saco, Biddeford, Lyman, Old Orchard Beach, and in his current parish assignments.

Retirements

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. Fr. Baillargeon was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 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. Fredrick Morse, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish (St. Martha Church, Kennebunk; St. Mary Church, Wells; All Saints Church, Ogunquit), will retire from active ministry. Fr. Morse was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 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.