Father Mark Noonan and Father Peter Napierkowski will begin new assignments in September.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has named Father Mark J. Noonan pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Orchard Park for a term of six years, effective Sept. 1. Father Noonan had been serving since May as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Buffalo after leaving St. Mary Parish in Holley and St. Mark Parish in Kendall where he had been pastor since 2010. Since his ordination in 2007, he has also served as parochial vicar at St. Amelia, Tonawanda, and Nativity of Our Lord, Orchard Park.

Father James L. Fugle has been appointed senior parochial vicar at Resurrection Parish, Batavia, for a term of three years effective Sept. 1. Father Fugle most recently served at St. Maximillian Kolbe Parish in Corfu. Since his ordination in 2008, he has also served as parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Niagara Falls, and St. Pius X Parish in Getzville.

Father Timothy J. Koester is back in the diocese after serving as a U.S. Navy chaplain for the past 28 years. He has been appointed temporary administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Gowanda, and St. Mary Parish, Cattaraugus, while the pastor, Father Joseph D. Porpiglia, is on sabbatical. Before his assignment to the Navy in 1990, he had served in the Diocesan Youth Department, as chaplain St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, parochial vicar of SS. Peter & Paul, Jamestown, and parochial vicar of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Dunkirk after his ordination in 1983.  

Father Peter Napierkowski, MIC, has been appointed administrator of St. John the Baptist Parish in Boston for a term of five years, effective Sept. 1. Ordained in the Congregation of Marian Fathers in 1998, he spent the next 14 years as head of the Marian Fathers Publishing House in Warsaw, Poland. Father Napierowski also served in the Diocese of Palm Beach, Fla., and the Diocese of Helena, Mont., before coming to the Diocese of Buffalo in 2015 to serve at Our Lady of Peace in Salamanca.   

Father Joseph Thien Nguyen will be in residence, with some sacramental duties, at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in North Tonawanda, effective Sept. 1. Father Nguyen will continue his duties as chaplain at Mercy Hospital. He previously served at St. Andrew Parish, Kenmore. Born in Vietnam, Father Nguyen was ordained in Davenport, Iowa in 2010.

Bishop Malone has accepted the retirements of three other priests effective Aug. 31. Father Robert J. Hora retired as pastor of St. John the Baptist, Boston. Father Richard A. Jesionowski was pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians, Cheektowaga. Father Robert M. Yetter has retired as pastor of St. Mary, Swormville.

Father James L. Dugan, SJ, has returned to the Diocese of Buffalo and has been granted faculties by Bishop Malone.  Father Dugan will reside at St. Michael's rectory and serve as parochial vicar at the downtown Buffalo parish. Father Peter Calabrese, CRSP, has been appointed by his superior general as the provincial superior for the Barnabite North American Province.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has also named Father F. Patrick Melfi pastor of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Olean.  He takes over for Father Gregory Dobson who retired on July 31.
Father Melfi, who will continue to serve as pastor at St. John Parish, Olean, and St. Philomena Parish, Franklinville, was ordained in 2006.  His previous assignments have been parochial vicar at St. Christopher, Tonawanda; pastor at Our Lady of Peace Parish, and St. Patrick, Limestone; and faculty member at Christ the King Seminary, East Aurora.

On Feb. 14, 2017, Pope Francis signed a decree declaring the Olean parish a minor basilica, the third in the Diocese of Buffalo. A Mass solemnizing the designation of the church by the pope as a minor basilica took place on June 29, 2017.

Father Arthur Mattulke was reappointed to a second term of six years as pastor of SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Hamburg, effective July 1.  Father Mattulke was first assigned to the Hamburg parish in 2012. Following his ordination in 1997, he was named parochial vicar at St. Gabriel Parish, Elma, and later went on to serve in the same position at St. Margaret, Buffalo, and at St. Bernadette, Orchard Park. He received his first pastorate in 2006 when he was named pastor of St. Cecilia Parish, Oakfield, and St. Patrick Parish, Wheatville. Those parishes merged with Our Lady of Fatima, Elba, to form the new parish of St. Padre Pio.  

Bishop Malone also reappointed three priests to an additional term of one year as parochial vicar at their current parishes, effective June 18.  Father Lukasz Kopala will continue at St. John Vianney, Orchard Park. Father Thomas M. Mahoney and Father Daniel Ogbeifun will remain at their northtown parishes of St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Harris Hill, respectively.

The Vincentian Fathers have named Father Aiden R. Rooney, CM, superior of the Vincentian community at Niagara University.  Father Kevin G. Creagh, CM, former superior, will continue as a staff member at Niagara.