News

Official Decree of Appointments

The Most Reverend W. Shawn McKnight, Bishop of Jefferson City, hereby makes the following appointments to provide the most effective pastoral care of the Diocese of Jefferson City:

PRIESTS

  • REVEREND MONSIGNOR GREGORY L. HIGLEY, from Sacred Heart Parish, Columbia to Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Rolla, and as Dean of the Southeast Deanery, effective 1 July 2024.
  • VERY REVEREND DANIEL J. MERZ, SLD, to Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Columbia, effective 1 July 2024, to continue as Pastor of St. Thomas More Newman Center, Columbia, Vicar for Deacons, and Chair of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission. 
  • REVEREND JOSEPH A. ABAH, Ph.D., from St. Peter Parish, Fulton and St. Jude Thaddeus Parish, Mokane to ministry outside the Diocese of Jefferson City, effective 1 July 2024.  
  • REVEREND CHRISTOPHER M. AUBUCHON, from Parochial Administrator of St. Lawrence Parish, St. Elizabeth to Pastor of St. Lawrence Parish, St. Elizabeth, effective 1 July 2024, to continue as Parochial Administrator of St. Anthony Parish, St. Anthony. 
  • REVEREND ALEXIUS EKKA, from Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Mary’s Home and Sacred Heart Parish, Eldon, pending further ministerial assignment, effective 1 July 2024.
  • REVEREND ALEXANDER GABRIEL, from Holy Family Parish, Hannibal and St. Joseph, Palmyra to Pastor of St. Peter, Fulton and Parochial Administrator of St. Jude Thaddeus, Mokane, effective 1 July 2024.
  • REVEREND PASCHAL C. IHEDIOHAMMA, from Sacramental Minister of Immaculate Conception Parish, Brookfield to Parochial Administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish, Brookfield, effective 1 July 2024, and to continue as Parochial Administrator of St. Bonaventure Parish, Marceline, St. Raphael Parish, Indian Grove, and the Mission of St. Joseph, Hurricane Branch.
  • REVEREND SIMON JUDE KANYIKE, from Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Columbia to Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Snows Parish, Mary’s Home and Parochial Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Eldon, with residence at Our Lady of the Snows, Mary’s Home, effective 1 July 2024. 
  • REVEREND WALTER KISPOTTA, from temporary Sacramental Ministry at St. Mary, Milan and the Mission of St. Mary, Unionville, to Hospital and Nursing Home Ministry in Columbia, with residence at Our Lady of Lourdes, effective 1 July 2024. 
  • VERY REVEREND GREGORY C. MEYSTRIK, from St. Patrick Parish, Rolla to Pastor of Holy Family Parish, Hannibal and Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Palmyra, and acceptance of resignation as Dean of Southeast Deanery, effective 1 July 2024.
  • REVEREND IGNITIUS NIMWESIGA, from Full-Time Chaplain of Fr. Tolton Catholic High School, Columbia, to Part-Time Associate Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Columbia and Part-Time Chaplain of Fr. Tolton Catholic High School, Columbia, with residence at Sacred Heart Parish, effective 1 July 2024. 
  • REVEREND GREIVIN RODRIGUEZ, to Parochial Administrator of St. Mary Parish, Milan and the Mission of St. Mary, Unionville, with residence at St. Mary Parish, Milan, effective 1 July 2024. 

DEACONS

  • DEACON JOHN D. WEAVER, from Parish Life Collaborator of St. Mary Parish, Milan and the Mission of St. Mary, Unionville to diaconal ministry at St. Mary Parish, Milan and the Mission of St. Mary, Unionville, effective 1 July 2024. 

RELIGIOUS

  • SISTER MARY ROST, SSND, from Parish Life Collaborator of Immaculate Conception Parish, Brookfield to Pastoral Associate of Immaculate Conception Parish, Brookfield, effective 1 July 2024.  

Given at the Chancery in Jefferson City this 10th day of May in the Year of Our Lord 2024.