News

East Oshkosh pastors named

By Renae Bauer
Communications Department

	Previous article: from January 12, 2007 issue: • Bridging the Gap by Bishop David Zubik --     Bishop outlines Oshkosh plans

Fr. James Jugenheimer and Fr. Thomas Reynebeau were named by Bp. David Zubik to be pastors of the two East Oshkosh parishes to be created in July. The appointments were announced at weekend Masses Feb. 3-4 in the city's seven parishes.

Fr. Jugenheimer will be the pastor of the new northeast parish, created by combining St. Peter, St. Mary and St. Josaphat parishes, which serve approximately 2,290 households. He will first serve as administrator of St. Peter Parish from March 14 to July 14 when the new northeast parish is established. He is the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarks Mills and St. Michael Parish in Whitelaw.

Fr. Reynebeau will become the pastor of the new southeast parish, created by combining Sacred Heart, St. Vincent de Paul and St. John parishes, which serve approximately 1,835 families. Fr. Reynebeau is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.

St. Raphael the Archangel, which serves approximately 2,700 families on the west side, is the seventh parish in Oshkosh.

Fr. Robert Kollath, pastor of St. Peter Parish, has been named pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Chilton, effective March 14. He will succeed Fr. Greg Smith, who died on Dec. 20. Fr. Kollath will continue as chaplain of the UW-Oshkosh Newman Center.

Other announcements about the pastors and parish director of the other Oshkosh parishes are forthcoming. A new parochial vicar (associate pastor) for the two parishes also will be announced later.

The appointments come nearly a month after Bp. Zubik approved creating the two new parishes from six east side parishes. The plan is the result of two years of work by the pastors, parish director and two representatives from each of the six parishes, who studied how they could collaborate and share their resources in light of fewer priests. Several plans were drafted and shared with each parish's governing councils, staffs and broader parish communities at town hall meetings.

After the two new parishes are formed all of the church buildings will continue to be used to some degree. The four primary sites for all weekend and weekday Masses will be St. Peter and St. Mary churches on the north side, and Sacred Heart and St. Vincent de Paul on the south side. St. Josaphat and St. John churches will be open for baptisms, weddings and funerals until the pastors, in consultation with lay leaders, decide otherwise.

The new pastors and the associate pastor will work with current parish leaders on the transition from six parishes to two. One of the first tasks will be to brainstorm with parishioners on new names for the two new parishes. A list of three possible names for each parish will be given to Bp. Zubik for the final determination.