Father Michael LaMarca (left), Father Christopher Okoli and Father Dominik Jezierski received new appointments. (WNYC File Photo)

The chancery announced several clergy appointments during the month of November 2018.

Father Josef W. Dudzik and Father Robert J. Orlowski were each reassigned to a second term of six years at their respective parishes.  Father Dudzik, pastor of St. Brendan on the Lake Parish first came to the Newfane parish in 2012.  Prior to that, he was pastor of Christ Our Hope Parish in French Creek for six years.  A native of Poland, Father Dudzik came to the Diocese of Buffalo in 2006 and simultaneously served as parochial vicar at St. Mary, Mayville; St. Isaac Jogues, Sherman; Our Lady of Lourdes, Bemus Point; St. Matthias, French Creek; and Our Lady of the Snows, Panama.  

Father Orlowski will remain as pastor at Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish in Blasdell.  Ordained in 1997, Father Orlowski's first assignment as a priest was as parochial vicar at St. John the Baptist, Lockport.  Over the years, he was administrator of St. Anthony, Lockport; St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster; St. Teresa of Avila, Akron; St. Francis, Corfu; and St. Patrick, Crittenden.  Also, he was parochial vicar at Holy Spirit, Buffalo, and St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville.   

Father Peter Ekanem and Father Christopher Okoli have been named administrator of St. Martin de Porres and St. Lawrence parishes, respectively. Father Ekanem previously had been assisting at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Tonawanda.   Father Okoli, who had been in residence at Queen of Martyrs Parish, Cheektowaga, is the full-time director of clinical pastoral education at Sisters of Charity Hospital.  

Father Dominik Jezierski was named temporary administrator at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Bowmansville.  The former pastor, Father Robert W. Zilliox Jr., was recently named pastor of St. Mary Parish, Swormville.  Father Jezierski's first assignments as a priest were in his native Poland.  Since coming to the Diocese of Buffalo, he has served as parochial vicar at St. John Gualbert Parish, Cheektowaga, and St. John Kanty Parish, Buffalo.

Since Father Peter Karalus was named vicar general and moderator of the curia, there has been an opening in the position as pastor at St. John Paul II Parish, Lake View.  Father Michael P. LaMarca, parochial vicar at the parish, was appointed temporary administrator until a new pastor is named. Father LaMarca was ordained in 2016 and has been serving at the parish since that time.  

Father Bryan Zielenieski was appointed vicar forane for the Vicariate of Southeast Buffalo for a term of three years.  The vicar forane oversees priests in the vicariate, a grouping of parishes, and encourages common pastoral activity within the vicariate.  Father Zielenieski was ordained in 2014 and currently pastor at Our Lady of Charity Parish, Buffalo, and canonical administrator of South Buffalo Catholic School Notre Dame Academy.  

Father Paul Ladda was appointed parochial vicar of St. John Gualbert Parish, Cheektowaga and St. John Kanty, Buffalo for a term of three years.  He fills the positions vacated when Father Jezierski was named temporary administrator at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.  Born in Tanzania, Father Ladda was ordained in 1993 and relocated to the United States in 2007 where he attended D'Youville College.  He served in the diocese of Savannah from 2013-2018 before returning to Buffalo.  

Father Patrick T. O'Keefe will remain as parochial vicar at SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Hamburg, for a third term of three years.  He was first assigned to the parish in 2012.  Father O'Keefe has served at various parishes in the diocese including St. Mary, Swormville; St. Benedict, Eggertsville; Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Orchard Park; and St. Patrick, Randolph.  

Vocations Director Father Andrew R. Lauricella has been given the additional responsibility as director of seminarians for the Diocese of Buffalo.  This appointment will follow the span of his current appointment was vocations director.  Ordained in 2012, Father Lauricella previously was parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Niagara Falls, and was named director of vocations, a five-year appointment, in 2015.