Priest Assignments

June 19, 2024

Bishop William Joensen has made the following priest assignments effective July 11 unless otherwise noted.

1.               Rev. James Ahenkora, from Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish, Council Bluffs to Pastor of Our Lady's Immaculate Heart Parish, Ankeny, for a six-year term. 

2.               Very Rev. Michael Amadeo, from Pastor of Our Lady's Immaculate Heart Parish, Ankeny, to Pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Des Moines, for a six-year term. While in this assignment, he will also continue to serve as Vicar for Priests for the Diocese of Des Moines.

3.               Rev. Samuel Danso, from Pastor at Sacred Heart Parish, Chariton, St. Francis Parish, Corydon, and St. Brendan Parish, Leon to Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Dunlap, and Sacred Heart Parish, Woodbine, for a six-year term.

4.               Rev. James Downey, while continuing his assignment as faculty at Dowling Catholic High School, will serve as Weekend Sacramental Assistance at St. Boniface Parish, Waukee, for a three-year term.

5.               Rev. Jake Epstein, from Parochial Vicar of Corpus Christi Parish, Council Bluffs, to Pastor of St. Peter Parish, Council Bluffs, for a six-year term. 

6.               Rev. Michael Hutchison, from the Diocese of Konongo-Mampong, Ghana to Canonical Administrator of St. John's Parish, Adel, for a three-year term. 

7.               Rev. Alex Kramer, from Graduate Studies, Rome, to Parochial Vicar of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, West Des Moines, for a three-year term.  In addition to this assignment, he is assigned to serve one day a week in the Diocesan Tribunal Office. 

8.               Rev. Rodrigo Landeros, extending his current appointment as Parochial Vicar at St. Anthony Parish, Des Moines, for an additional three-year term. 

9.               Rev. Matthew Luft, from Parish Administrator to Pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Urbandale, for a six-year term effective March 15, 2024.  Father Luft, formerly of the Order of St. Benedict, St. John’s Abbey, was also officially incardinated as a priest for the Diocese of Des Moines on March 15, 2024.

10.            Rev. Joel McNeil, from Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Dunlap and Sacred Heart, Woodbine, to Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Council Bluffs, for a six-year term. 

11.            Rev. Remi Okere, C.S.Sp., from Pastor at St. John Parish, Adel, to Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Chariton; St. Francis Parish, Corydon; and St. Brendan Parish, Leon, for a six-year term.

12.            Rev. Chris Reising, from Pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Des Moines, to Pastor of All Saints Parish, Des Moines, for a six-year term. 

13.            Rev. Nicholas Stark, from Parish Administrator to Pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton, Carlisle, for a six-year term. 

14.            Rev. Michael Acquah, from Parochial Vicar at St. Francis of Assisi (West Des Moines) to special Diocesan Sacramental and Pastoral Ministry.  This will include full-time temporary coverage of the parishes of St. Mary, Red Oak and St. Patrick, Imogene from January – June 2025.

15.            Rev. Enrique Garcia, from Special Ministry, to Hospital Chaplaincy with Unity Point Hospitals (Des Moines metropolitan area).  In addition to this assignment, he is assigned to part-time Pastoral and Sacramental Ministry to the Hispanic Communities in the parishes of St. Patrick, Corning and St. Patrick, Lenox.

16.            Rev. Oscar Rosales-Hernandez, to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of the Americas, Des Moines, and St. Joseph Parish, Des Moines, effective upon completion of language studies (Divine Word Seminary, Epworth, IA.) in the late Fall of 2024.

17.            Rev. Jomi Joseph, from Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of the Americas (DSM) and St. Joseph Parish, Des Moines, to Parochial Vicar Of St. Anthony’s Parish, Des Moines, for a three-year term.

18.            Rev. John Owusu-Agyemang, from Hospital Chaplaincy with Unity Point Hospitals (Des Moines metropolitan area), to Parochial Vicar of Ss. John and Paul, Altoona.

19.            Rev. Eze Venantius Umunnakwe, C.S.Sp, from Pastor of Holy Trinty Parish of S.E. Warren County (Lacona/Milo) and Immaculate Conception Parish (St. Mary’s), to Hospital Chaplaincy with Unity Point Hospitals (Des Moines metropolitan area).

20.            Rev. George Boachie Nyarko, from Parochial Vicar at St. Boniface Parish, Waukee, and St. Theresa Parish, Des Moines, to Parish Administrator of Holy Trinity Parish of S.E. Warren County, Lacona/Milo, and Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Mary’s. 

21.            Rev. Emmanuel Offiong, to Hospital and Pastoral Chaplaincy for the Council Bluffs metropolitan area, upon completion of Clinical Pastoral Education Studies, effective September 1, 2024. 

Newly Ordained

22.            Rev. Mr. Michael Mahoney, upon ordination to the priesthood, to Parochial Vicar at St. Theresa Parish, Des Moines, for a two-year term. 

23.            Rev. Mr. Luisito Cabrera, upon ordination to the priesthood, to Parochial Vicar at Corpus Christi Parish (Council Bluffs) for a two-year term.