Assignments Announced For Nine Priests

June 7, 2024

Amarillo—Assignments for nine priests have been announced by Bishop Patrick J. Zurek.

All assignments are effective Monday, July 1.

Father José E. Gómez, Pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Amarillo, is granted retirement from full-time ministry. Replacing Father Gómez as Pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church will be Father Taylor Elzner.

Father Ryan Winger, who was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Zurek on June 1 replaces Father Elzner as Parochial Vicar at St. Laurence Church, Amarillo.

Father Guadalupe Mayorga, Parish Administrator at St. Hyacinth Church, Amarillo, is appointed Pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Pampa. Father Richard Zanetti, JCL, Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Amarillo, is the new Pastor at St. Hyacinth Church, replacing Father Mayorga.

Father Balaswamy Polisetti is the new Parish Administrator at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Amarillo, replacing Father Zanetti. Father Polisetti has also been appointed Chaplain at Northwest Texas Hospital, Amarillo.

Replacing Father Polisetti as Pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Groom, and St. Mary’s Church, Clarendon, is Father Arokiaraj “Raj” Malapady.

Father Avitus Kazi Siriwa is appointed on-call Emergency Chaplain at Northwest Texas Hospital. Father Siriwa continues as Parochial Vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Amarillo.

Father Juan Carlos Barragán is released from his assignment as Chaplain at Northwest Texas Hospital, but continues as Chaplain at Baptist St. Anthony (BSA), Amarillo and affiliate hospice and care facilities.

Father Gómez, 68, has been Pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Amarillo, since Sept. 1, 2009. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 1995 by then-Bishop Leroy T. Matthiesen. Father Gómez previously served in Borger, Stinnett, Clarendon, Memphis, Perryton, Silverton and in hospital ministry.

Father Elzner, 35, was ordained to the priesthood June 1, 2019 at St. Mary’s Cathedral by Bishop Zurek. He has also served as Parochial Vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Church and at the Rufe Jordan Unit/Baten Transfer Facility of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, both in Pampa.

This will be the first assignment for Father Winger, 35, who was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Zurek on June 1. Father Winger is a native of Gruver and he completed his theological studies last month at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana.
Father Mayorga, 50, was ordained to the priesthood by then-Bishop John W. Yanta on May 25, 2002 at St. Laurence Cathedral (now St. Laurence Church), Amarillo. He has also served at parishes in Pampa, Tulia, Kress, Dimmitt, Hart Perryton, Booker, Stratford and Cactus.

Father Zanetti, 56, was ordained to the priesthood on July 5, 2003, He received his Licentiate in Canon Law from Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2012. He has previously served in Borger and Stinnett. Father Zanetti was appointed Judicial Vicar on Sept. 1, 2015.

A native of Govindapuram, India, Father Polisetti, 39, was ordained to the priesthood on July 3, 2012 by Bishop Anthony Poola and served at a number of parishes in the Diocese of Kurnool, India. He arrived in the Diocese of Amarillo in the spring of 2023.

Father Malapady, 50, previously served at Immaculate Conception Church, Dimmitt, and St. John Nepomucene Church, Hart. A native of C. Nammiandal, India, he is also the former Dean of the South Deanery. Father Malapady was ordained to the priesthood in his hometown on Feb. 6, 2000.

Father Siriwa, 56, is a native of Tanzania. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 12, 2000 in Moshi, Tanzania. After assignments in Uganda and Kenya, Father Siriwa arrived in the United States in 2005 and served in the Dioceses of Allentown and Harrisburg, Pa.

Father Barragán, 55, was ordained to the priesthood by then-Bishop John W. Yanta on May 31, 1997 at San Jose Church, Hereford. He previously served as Parish Administrator at Blessed Sacrament Church, Amarillo; Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Dumas; and, Christ the King Church, Sunray.