Bishop Ruggieri announces priest assignments

His Excellency Bishop James T. Ruggieri has announced new priest assignments.

Effective June 1, 2025

Reverend Erin Donlon has been appointed parochial vicar of Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord in Old Town and assistant vocation director for the Diocese of Portland. Fr. Donlon was ordained to the priesthood on May 31, 2025, at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston. A native of the Biddeford-Saco area, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Systems Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy in 2017 and entered the Navy's Chaplain Candidate Program in 2020. Co-sponsored by the Diocese of Portland and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, he earned a Master of Divinity and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD. His summer assignments included serving at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Jay, St. Joseph Parish in Farmington, St. John Vianney Parish, Fort Kent, Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, St. Mary of the Visitation in Houlton, among others. Fr. Donlon will begin his priestly ministry with three years of service in the Diocese of Portland, after which he will transition to active duty as a U.S. Navy chaplain.

Reverend Hoa Nguyen has been appointed parochial vicar of Holy Spirit Parish in Wells. Fr. Nguyen was ordained to the priesthood on May 31, 2025, at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston. Originally from Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam, he received a bachelor's degree in literature from Phu Xuan University and a Master of Arts degree in Vietnamese Literature from Hue University of Sciences in Hue City. He was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Portland and began his studies at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland in 2020 where he earned a Master of Divinity, a Master of Sacred Scripture Theology and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. While in seminary, his summer assignments included serving at the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou, Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish in Lincoln, Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord in Old Town, and St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor. He also completed a summer clinical pastoral education (CPE) program at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Reverend Sylvester Nwaokolo, OP has been appointed in-residence at Saint Peter Parish, Portland for the summer. Father Nwaokolo arrived in Maine in May from Nigeria and is a member of the Dominican Order. Prior to coming to Maine, he served as associate pastor/superior of St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish, Agbor-Obi, Delta State; prior/superior of St. Dominic Catholic Parish, Yaba, Lagos State; prior/superior of St. Thomas Aquinas Formation House, Samonda, Ibadan; and pastor of St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, Oyigbo, Rivers State. He completed his theology studies at Spiritan International School of Theology and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Dominican Institute of Philosophy & Theology, Ibadan. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the Seminary of Saints Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan.

Reverend Gabriel Odin, OP has been appointed chaplain at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. This is his first assignment since arriving in Maine in May from Nigeria. Fr. Odin is a member of the Dominican Order. He has served in a number of capacities since his ordination in 2013, including as pastor of St. Jude Catholic Church Mafoluku, Lagos, and prior of St. Joseph’s Priory, Mafoluku, Lagos. Fr. Odin earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Theology from the Dominican Institute, Ibadan.

Reverend Thanh Pham will begin canon law studies at The Catholic University of America, Washington DC. He will reside at All Saints Parish in Brunswick when in Maine. Fr. Pham is from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam, where he began attending St. Joseph Seminary in 2013 in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City. He was later accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Portland, beginning his studies in 2018 at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland where he earned a Master of Divinity and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. His summer and pastoral assignments have included serving at the Parish of the Holy Eucharist in Falmouth, the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou, the Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord in Old Town, St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor, and St. John Vianney Parish in Fort Kent. He also completed two units of clinical pastoral education (CPE).

Reverend Benjamin Simon, HGN has been appointed summer parochial vicar of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Rockland. This is his first assignment since arriving in Maine in May from India. Fr. Simon is a member of the Heralds of Good News, a missionary society of apostolic life. He has served in several roles since his ordination in 2001 including as rector in Herald’s Minor Seminary, pastor of St. Antony’s Church in Malligapuram, pastor of St. Antony’s Church in Veppedu, pastor of St. Arockinathar Church in K. Morur, and pastor of Annai Velankanni Church in Annanur. He also served for 10 years in the Diocese of ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. He has earned several academic degrees including a Bachelor of Theology from St. Joseph Major Seminary, Institute of Theology, Andhrapradesh and a Master of Philosophy from Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram-Pontifical Athenaeum of Philosophy and Theology in Bagalore, India.     

Effective July 1, 2025

Reverend Antonidass Amirthanathan, HGN has been appointed parochial vicar of St. Michael Parish, Augusta. Fr. Amirthanathan, a member of the Heralds of Good News, a missionary society of apostolic life, has served as parochial vicar of Notre Dame du Mont Carmel Parish in Madawaska, Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Saint Agatha, and St. Peter Chanel Parish in Van Buren since October of 2023. His previous assignments, all in India, included serving as vice rector and dean of studies at St. Mary’s Minor Seminary in Kerala; assistant parish priest at Holy Cross Church in T. Nagar, Chennair; as parish priest of St. Sebastian Church in Salem, Tamilnadu; and principal of St. Antony’s Nursery and Primary English Medium School in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. He completed his clerical studies at St. Joseph’s Major Seminary in Khammam, Telangana State and was ordained in 2015. 

Reverend Nsame Venantius has been appointed as administrator of Stella Maris Parish in Bucksport. Fr. Venantius has served as parochial vicar of Stella Maris, as well as the Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Bar Harbor and St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth since January of 2025. He was previously parochial vicar of Holy Spirit Parish in Wells. Ordained in 2002, Fr. Venantius is from the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon and has received degrees in philosophy and theology from St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Bambui. His assignments in Cameroon included pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Nkor, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Nkar, parochial vicar of St. Mathias Mulumba Parish in Ako, pastor of Christ the King Parish in Nkambé, parochial vicar of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Cathedral in Kumbo, parochial vicar of Assumption Parish in Mbiame, pastor of St. Kizito Parish in Sabongari, and pastor of St. Martin de Porres Parish in Binju. He twice served as dean of a deanery.                                                         
Reverend Erin Donlon​Reverend Hoa Nguyen​Reverend Sylvester Kwaokolo, OP​Reverend Gabriel Odin, OP​Reverend Thanh Pham​Reverend Benjamin Simon, HGN​Reverend Antonidass Amirthanathan, HGN​Reverend Nsame Venatius