PORTLAND, Maine — Bishop Robert Deeley has announced the following priest assignments and retirements. All assignments are effective Friday, July 30.
Fr. Anthony K. Chinnaiyan, HGN, (“Fr. Tony”) has been appointed administrator of Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish (St. Mary of Lourdes Church, Lincoln; St. Leo the Great Church, Howland; St. Anne Church, Danforth). Prior to his assignment at Our Lady of the Eucharist, Fr. Tony will serve as temporary parochial vicar of Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou form May 5 through July 29. Currently, he is parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish (St. John Church, Bangor; St. Mary Church, Bangor; St. Joseph Church, Brewer; St. Teresa Church, Brewer; St. Matthew Church, Hampden; St. Gabriel Church, Winterport).
Originally from Tamil Nadu, India, Fr. Tony completed his theological studies at St. Joseph’s Major Seminary in Khammam, India, and was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 21, 2005. Since his ordination, Fr. Tony has served as the dean of studies at a minor seminary (2005-07), as an assistant parish priest (2007-08), and as a parish priest (2008-10), all in the Diocese of Tiruchirappalli, India. He was also the director of a retreat center in Tirunelveli, India (2010-12). His first missionary assignment outside of India was in the Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, Canada (2012-14), after which he returned home to serve as procurator for the Heralds of Good News Mary Queen of Apostles Province where he served until receiving his assignment in Maine in March of 2018, when he was named parochial vicar of Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston.
Fr. Tony, who has served at St. Paul the Apostle Parish since January of 2019, is a member of the Heralds of Good News (HGN), a missionary society of apostolic life started in India in 1984. The specific aim of the Heralds is to promote vocations to the priesthood and the training of seminarians.
Fr. Aaron L. Damboise has been appointed pastor of Holy Savior Parish (St. Athanasius and St. John Church, Rumford; Our Lady of the Snows Church, Bethel). Currently, Fr. Damboise is pastor of Holy Family Parish in Greenville and St. Anthony of Padua Parish (St. Faustina Church, Jackman).
Fr. Damboise, who was born in Caribou but raised in Augusta, was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 2008, at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Augusta. From June of 2008 to July of 2012, Fr. Damboise served as parochial vicar at the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou. In July of 2012, he was appointed parochial vicar of Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, where he served until July of 2015, when he was appointed pastor at the Greenville and Jackman parishes. Before entering the seminary, he worked as a behavioral specialist with children with mental health issues and as a case worker for children with developmental disabilities.
Fr. Kevin J. Martin has been appointed pastor of St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Houlton and St. Agnes Parish (St. Agnes Church, Island Falls; St. Paul Church, Patten). Fr. Martin is currently the pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish (Immaculate Conception Church, Calais; St. Anne Church, Perry; St. Ann Church, Indian Township; St. James the Greater Church, Baileyville; St. John the Evangelist Church, Pembroke; and St. Joseph Church, Eastport).
A native of Caribou, Fr. Martin was ordained to the priesthood on July 19, 2003, at Holy Rosary Parish in Caribou. He served as parochial vicar at three Auburn parishes (Sacred Heart, St. Philip, and St. Louis) from 2003 to 2006. In addition, during 2005-06, he also served at Our Lady of Ransom Church in Mechanic Falls, St. Mary Church in Oxford, and St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Norway. Fr. Martin spent the 2006-07 academic year studying in Rome. Upon his return to the diocese in August of 2007, Fr. Martin served as parochial vicar at the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes. In July of 2010, Fr. Martin was named parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish in Augusta. In August of 2012, Fr. Martin was appointed pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Jackman and Holy Family Parish in Greenville, where he served until July of 2015 when he received his current pastoral assignments.
Fr. Brad Morin has been appointed as pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish (Immaculate Conception Church, Calais; St. Anne Church, Perry; St. Ann Church, Indian Township; St. James the Greater Church, Baileyville; St. John the Evangelist Church, Pembroke; and St. Joseph Church, Eastport). Fr. Morin is currently parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish (Most Holy Trinity Church, Saco; St. Joseph Church, Biddeford; St. Margaret Church, Old Orchard Beach; St. Philip Church, Lyman; St. Brendan Church, Biddeford Pool).
Born in Upper Frenchville, Fr. Morin graduated from Madawaska High School in 2002 before attending Saint Joseph’s College in Standish where he earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 2006. He completed a master’s degree in theology from St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, the nation’s first and oldest seminary. Fr. Morin was ordained to the priesthood on June 6, 2014, at St. David Church in Madawaska. His first pastoral assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor, where he served before receiving his current assignment as parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish in December of 2017.
Fr. Kent Ouellette has been appointed pastor of Notre Dame du Mont Carmel Parish (St. David Church, Madawaska; St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Madawaska; St. Gerard Church, Grand Isle), Our Lady of the Valley Parish (St. Agatha Church, St. Agatha; St. Joseph Church, Sinclair; St. Luce Church, Frenchville; St. Michael Church, Birchpoint), and St. Peter Chanel Parish (St. Bruno-St. Remi Church, Van Buren; St. Joseph Church, Hamlin). Fr. Ouellette is currently pastor of St. Agnes Parish (St. Agnes Church, Island Falls; St. Paul Church, Patten) and St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Houlton.
A native of St. Francis, Fr. Ouellette is a graduate of St. Francis Elementary School, Fort Kent High School and the University of Maine at Orono, where he earned a BSEE degree. He holds a master’s of divinity degree from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 4, 2005, at St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Francis. Upon his ordination, Fr. Ouellette was named parochial vicar of St. Andre, St. Joseph, and St. Mary Parishes, all in Biddeford. In July of 2007, in addition to his duties at the three Biddeford parishes, he was also named parochial vicar at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church and Most Holy Trinity Church in Saco. In November of 2008, he was appointed parochial vicar at the churches that now comprise St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor. In July of 2010, he was named administrator of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Dexter and St. Agnes Parish in Pittsfield.
In June of 2013, Fr. Ouellette was appointed parochial vicar at Notre Dame du Mont Carmel Parish, Our Lady of the Valley Parish, and St. Peter Chanel Parish (churches comprising parishes listed above). In July of 2017, he received his current assignment as pastor of St. Agnes Parish and St. Mary of the Visitation Parish. Before entering the seminary, he spent 20 years as an engineer at Comterm Inc. in Maynard, Massachusetts; Sanders Associates in Nashua, New Hampshire; and both Fairchild and National Semiconductor in South Portland.
Fr. Agustin Sebasthiyan, HGN, (“Fr. Agustin”) has been appointed parochial vicar at the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Portland; Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Parish, Portland; St. Christopher Parish, Peaks Island; St. Louis Parish, Portland; St. Peter Parish, Portland). Fr. Agustin is currently parochial vicar of Holy Spirit Parish (St. Mary Church, Wells; St. Martha Church, Kennebunk; All Saints Church, Ogunquit).
Born in 1983, Fr. Agustin is a native of A. Kalathupatty, a town in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He holds bachelor’s degrees from Annamalai University and Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, both located in Tamil Nadu. He completed his clerical studies at Heralds College in Poonamallee, India (2000-02), St. John’s Major Seminary in Kurnool, India (2002-06), and St. Don Bosco in Hyderabad, India (2006-07). He was ordained to the priesthood on May 3, 2011, at the Heralds of Good News in Melavalady, India. Since his ordination, Fr. Agustin has served as an assistant parish priest in four Indian towns: Rayapeta and Ambattur (2011-12), Christu Nagar (2012-13), and Naduvalur (2013-14). In 2014, he was appointed principal of Divine Mercy School in the Diocese of Nalgonda, located in the province of Hyderabad, India, where he served until arriving in Maine in June of 2017.
His first assignment in Maine was parochial vicar of Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou. In July of 2019, he was appointed parochial vicar at Holy Spirit Parish, where he serves today. Fr. Agustin is a member of the Heralds of Good News (HGN), a missionary society of apostolic life started in India in 1984. The specific aim of the Heralds is to promote vocations to the priesthood and the training of seminarians.
Fr. Robert C. Vaillancourt has been appointed hospital chaplain at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Fr. Vaillancourt is currently the pastor of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish (Our Lady of Good Hope Church, Camden; St. Bernard Church, Rockland; St. Francis of Assisi Church, Belfast; St. Mary of the Isles Churches on Islesboro, Vinalhaven and North Haven).
A native of Lewiston, Fr. Vaillancourt graduated from St. Dominic Regional High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maine at Orono and a bachelors in theology from St. Paul University in Ottawa. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edward C. O’Leary on August 14, 1982, at St. Peter & Paul Parish in Lewiston. Fr. Vaillancourt’s first assignment was as associate pastor of St. Andre’s Parish in Biddeford. In 1985, Fr. Vaillancourt was named associate pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madawaska where he would remain until 1987 when he was appointed director of the Christian Life Center (CLC) in Upper Frenchville. In 1988, Fr. Vaillancourt assumed directorship of the Diocese of Portland’s Youth Ministry program. In 1991, he was appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish in East Millinocket. From 1995 to 1999, Fr. Vaillancourt served as pastor of Holy Family Parish in Old Town. In 1999, he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Bridgton and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Mission in Fryeburg.
In 2002, Fr. Vaillancourt was named pastor of St. Thomas Parish in Madawaska. One year later, he was appointed pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Hampden and St. Gabriel Parish in Winterport. In addition to those assignments, in 2006, Fr. Vaillancourt was appointed administrator of St. Teresa Parish in Brewer. In 2008, he was named director of the Office of Vocations for the diocese. He continued to serve in that role when he was named temporary administrator of St. John Vianney Parish in Fort Kent in April 2012. In August of that year, Fr. Vaillancourt was appointed pastor of Holy Savior Parish in Rumford and Bethel. In 2013, he was assigned as hospital chaplain at Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital in Portland, and as parochial vicar with weekend responsibilities in the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes. In October 2014, while continuing to serve in hospital ministry, Fr. Vaillancourt also did weekend ministry at the Parish of the Holy Eucharist. In June of 2016, Fr. Vaillancourt was appointed pastor at St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, where he serves today.
Fr. Richard C. Malo will retire from active ministry. Fr. Malo is currently pastor of Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish (St. Mary of Lourdes Church, Lincoln; St. Leo the Great Church, Howland; St. Anne Church, Danforth). A graduate of St. Dominic Regional High School in Lewiston, he received a bachelor’s degree in French from Norwich University in Vermont and a master of divinity degree from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 9, 1987, at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Lewiston (Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul today).
After being temporarily assigned to St. Louis Parish in Fort Kent, Fr. Malo was named parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Biddeford in August of 1987. He was again assigned as parochial vicar to St. Louis Parish in Fort Kent in August of 1992, when he was also named chaplain at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. In July 1993, Fr. Malo was appointed pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Jackman. In July of 1999, he was named pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish in Millinocket and St. Peter Parish in East Millinocket. In July of 2002, in addition to his duties at St. Martin of Tours and St. Peter, Fr. Malo was appointed pastor of St. Benedict Parish in Benedicta. In July of 2006, he was named administrator of St. Anthony Parish in Jackman and Holy Family Parish in Greenville. In August of 2012, Fr. Malo was appointed pastor of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish. In May of 2016, he was named pastor of St. Mary of Lourdes Parish and St. Leo the Great Parish (now merged into Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish), where he serves today.
Fr. James S. Plourde will retire from active ministry. Fr. Plourde is currently the pastor of Notre Dame du Mont Carmel Parish (St. David Church, Madawaska; St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Madawaska; St. Gerard-Mt. Carmel Church, Grand Isle), Our Lady of the Valley Parish (St. Agatha Church, St. Agatha; St. Joseph Church, Sinclair; St. Luce Church, Frenchville; St. Michael Church, Birchpoint), and St. Peter Chanel Parish (St. Bruno-St. Remi Church, Van Buren; St. Joseph Church, Hamlin).
A native of Caribou, he completed his pastoral studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and St. Paul’s University Seminary in Ottawa, Canada. Fr. Plourde was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1982, at Holy Rosary Church in Caribou. His first pastoral assignment was as associate pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Waterville, where he served until July of 1985 when he was named parochial vicar at Holy Cross Parish in Lewiston. In July of 1987, Fr. Plourde was appointed pastor of St. Gerard-Mt. Carmel Parish in Grand Isle and, in addition to his assignment in Grand Isle, was named director of the Christian Life Center in Upper Frenchville in 1988. In July of 1990, Fr. Plourde was appointed pastor of St. Agatha Parish in St. Agatha and St. Joseph Parish in Sinclair.
In June of 1995, Fr. Plourde was named pastor of St. Francis Parish, Notre Dame Parish, and Sacred Heart Parish, all in Waterville, where he served until being appointed pastor of St. Louis Parish in Fort Kent and Holy Family Parish in Daigle in July of 1998. Two years later, in addition to his service in Fort Kent and Daigle, he was also re-appointed director of the Christian Life Center. In 2003, Fr. Plourde earned a master’s of science degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland.
In June of 2007, Fr. Plourde was appointed parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Bucksport, St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Stonington, and St. Joseph Church in Ellsworth. In January of 2009, he was named administrator of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Calais and St. Peter the Fisherman Parish in Machias. In June of 2013, Fr. Plourde was appointed pastor of Notre Dame du Mont Carmel Parish, Our Lady of the Valley Parish, and St. Peter Chanel Parish, the three parishes where he serves today. In addition to his parish assignments, Fr. Plourde also served terms as a vicar forane, a member of the priests’ personnel board, and a member of the board of directors for Seton Village in Waterville.
