News

30 March 2026
I am pleased to announce that the Most Reverend Ralph B. O’Donnell, Bishop of Jefferson City,
has recently made the following appointments to provide the most effective pastoral care of the
Diocese of Jefferson City:

• PRIESTS
  VERY REVEREND CHRISTOPHER L. CORDES, Vicar for Priests, appointed to the Diocesan
  Pastoral Council as the priest representative for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
• DEACONS
  DEACON ENRIQUE CASTRO, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  DEACON RONALD E. DEIMEKE, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as the deacon representative for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
• RELIGIOUS
  SISTER RUTH ANN KLAUSER, SSND, of Mary Immaculate Parish in Kirksville, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as the religious representative for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
• LAITY
  MRS. COLLEEN ABBOTT, of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Mary’s Home, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the Southwest Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MRS. PATRICIA BUTZ, of St. Patrick Parish in Rolla, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the Southeast Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MR. KEVIN DEHAAN, of St. Joseph Parish in Palmyra, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the North Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MR. ED GLADDEN, of St. Aloysius Parish in Argyle, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the Southeast Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MRS. RUTH HUGHES, of Immaculate Conception Parish in Macon, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the North Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MRS. ELIZABETH JAMES, of St. Martin Parish in St. Martins, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the See City Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MR. KENT KORTHAS, of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Pettis County, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the Southwest Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MRS. BARBARA PRASAD, of the Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson City, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MR. JONATHON PUND, of the Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson City, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the See City Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MS. SARAH ROBINSON, of St. Clement Parish in St. Clement, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the Central Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MR. CONNOR SOUDERS, of St. John Henry Newman Parish in Columbia, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as the Newman Center representative for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  MRS. KELLY WHEELER, of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Columbia, appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a representative of the Central Deanery for a term of three years, effective 18 March 2026.
  From the Office of the Chancellor,
  Mr. Ben Roodhouse, JD, JCL
  Chancellor