August 28, 2026
BISHOP RICE ANNOUNCES
PASTORAL CHANGES
Vol. LXII, No. 10
One Church, East to West: Loving Jesus, Serving Jesus, Sharing Jesus
DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI
Springfield, MO
A
nnouncements were made in parishes on the weekend of August 22, 2026, for the following priests who are experiencing changes in their pastoral appointments. “Please keep these priests in your prayers as they adjust to their new assignments,” said Bishop Rice. “Please pray, too, for their former and new parishioners during this time of transition.”
N EW PA STO RA L C H A N GES
Effective September 30, 2026, Rev. Allan Saunders will conclude his role as Pastor of St. William Parish, in Buffalo. He continues his assignment SAUNDERS as Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, in Lebanon, and the seasonal Sportsman’s Chapel, in Bennett Springs (open weekends only Memorial Day through Labor Day). Effective SUNNENBERG October 1, 2026, The Very Rev. Scott Sunnenberg is appointed Pastor of St. William Parish, in Buffalo. He continues his assignment as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, in Bolivar, and as Dean for diocesan Deanery 3.
Effective September 7, 2026, Rev. Alex Sutachan is appointed Pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, in Ozark, as well as Chaplain at Springfield Catholic SUTACHAN High School and Chaplain at the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield. He concludes his assignment as Pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, in Fredericktown. THEKKANATH Reverend Antony Thekkanath, VC, will continue serving as Parochial Administrator of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, in Fredericktown.
L E AV I N G DI O C E S AN ASSIGNMENT
Effective August 25, 2026, Rev. Timothy Tran, CRM, JCL, will conclude his role as Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, in Ozark, and as Coordinator TRAN of the diocesan Tribunal, and return to the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer, Carthage, where he has been
elected to serve as its Vice Provincial.
OTH E R
The Very Rev. Shoby M. Chettiyath, JCL, is appointed Judge of the Tribunal effective CHETTIYATH August 1, 2026. He is also appointed as Coordinator of the Tribunal effective August 26, 2026. He continues his assignments as diocesan Vicar General and Moderator of the CHUKWUKERE Curia, and as Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, in Springfield, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish, in Nixa. Effective September 1, 2026, Rev. Maurice Chukwukere is ZUMMO hired as the School Administrator of St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic School, in Cape Girardeau. Beginning this fall, Rev. Nick Zummo is pursuing a degree in Canon Law (JCL) through the program at the Catholic University of America, in Washington, DC, while continuing his role as Parochial Vicar of St. Ann Parish, in Carthage, and Sacred Heart Parish, in Webb City. ©TM
DIOCESAN EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS KICKS OFF WITH PROCESSION 70TH ANNIVERSARY DEC—The Diocesan Eucharistic Congress (DEC) on Aug. 15 in the West Plains Civic Center opened with a Eucharistic Procession and Adoration led by Bishop Edward M. Rice. For more coverage of the day, including a condensed version of the keynote address given by Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, NE, and the day’s Mission Packet commissioning content, and a slew of photos, please look inside this edition of The Mirror. In a very special way, the DEC commemorated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, which was officially celebrated on Aug. 24, 2026, and its source of life: Jesus Christ. (Photo by John D’Angelo/The Mirror)
The next issue of The Mirror will be September 11, 2026. Sign up to receive the diocesan newspaper via Email in digital format: Contact Debbie Thompson at (417) 866-0841, or Email: dthompson@dioscg.org.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HONOR GUARD—Bishop Edward M. Rice posed for a photo with the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard, many of whom volunteered and assisted with the liturgy at the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress. (Photo by John D’Angelo/The Mirror)
MORE DEC COVERAGE INSIDE!