2000-2003—Angel Perez, while doing his pastoral year as a seminarian at St. Anne’s, was ordained to the transitional deaconate for the Archdiocese of Portland at St. Luke church, Woodburn, on February 24, 2001. Fr. John Cihak was appointed professor of fundamental theology at Mt. Angel Seminary July 1, 2001. Fr. Henry Rufo became the new parochial vicar at St. Anne on the same date. Fr. Stephen Fister was also appointed parochial vicar to St. Anne and Director of St. Rita Retreat Center, Gold Hill on July 1, 2001. Archbishop John Vlazny, before preaching on Eucharistic adoration at St. Anne, was “baptized” in the Rogue river on Saturday, August 25, 2001. Our Lady of the River Mission, Rogue river, initiated a capital fund drive to erect their first church building, November 30, 2001. St. Anne parish hosted a liturgical music workshop the same weekend featuring nationally known church music composers, Jaime Cortez and Bob Hurd. David Stone became the new principal of St. Anne Catholic School in July, 2002, replacing Frankie Bytheway. Brother Gabriel Francis (Virgil Brad Tetherow) of St. Anne parish and a member of the Servants Minor of St. Francis, was ordained a priest on June 29, 2002 and offered a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Anne on Sunday, July 14. Fr. Casmir Onyegwara, of the Diocese of Orlu, Nigeria, became the new parochial vicar of St. Anne, replacing Father Rufo, July 1, 2003.
2008—Fr. Peter O'Brien was ordained in 2005, was sent to St. Cecilia's in Beaverton for two years, and then was sent to Grants Pass. He was born in Evanston, Ill., grew up in Cheyenne, Wyo., and worked as an electric lineman. He earned college and post-graduate degrees from Mount Angel Seminary.
Upon graduation, he received the St. Benedict Medal for exemplifying the highest formational ideals of the seminary.
2008—Fr. Ron Nelson was ordained in 2007, spent a year finishing up his degree in Rome, and then was sent to Grants Pass as Parochial Vicar, replacing Fr. Peter. Fr. Ron was quickly loved by the parishioners, but due to the shortage of priests, he was only able to stay a year before being reassigned as a pastor. On January 13, 2008, at the request of Archbishop Vlazny, Fr. Moys received the distinction of being named a prelate of honor to his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, thus giving him the honorary title of Monsignor. The Catholic Sentinel's article noting this blessing noted that Fr. Moys had served as the Chancellor of the Archdiocese until the late 1980's and had been continually serving as a member of the college of Consultors and was on the Board of Oregon Catholic Conference. |