Assignments Announced For Six Priests

Amarillo—Assignments for six priests in the Diocese of Amarillo have been announced by Bishop Patrick J. Zurek.
 
Effective Tuesday, Oct. 1, Father Shane D. Wieck is the new Pastor at San Jose Church, Hereford. Father Anthony Raju Yanamala is the new Parochial Administrator at St. John the Evangelist Church, Borger, and St. Ann’s Church, Stinnett.
Effective Monday, Oct. 20, Father Lawrence John, JCL, is the new Rector at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Amarillo. Father Anthony C. “Tony” Neusch switches assignments with Father John and is appointed Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Dalhart, and St. Mary’s Church, Texline.
Effective Wednesday, Oct. 23, Father Hrudaya Raju Kondamudi is the new Parochial Administrator at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Spearman, and Cristo Redentor, Gruver. Father Ryan Winger is the new Parochial Administrator at St. Theresa’s Church, Panhandle, and Sacred Heart Church, White Deer. He has also been assigned as Catholic Chaplain to the Clements Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Amarillo.
 
Father Wieck, 34, was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 2018 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Amarillo, by Bishop Zurek. He had been Pastor at St. John the Evangelist Church, Borger, and St. Ann’s Church, Stinnett, since July 1, 2021. Father Wieck has also served at St. Laurence Church, Amarillo, and is a vocation promotion collaborator.
 
Father Yanamala, 45, had served as Parochial Administrator at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Spearman and Cristo Redentor, Gruver since Nov. 26, 2018. Prior to that, he served at St. Vincent de Paul Church and the Rufe Jordan Unit/Baten Transfer Facility of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, both in Pampa, and at churches in Canadian and Wheeler.
 
Father John, 51, is a native of K.K. Pudur, Tamilnadu, India. He was ordained to the priesthood on April 5, 2002. Father John was appointed Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Dalhart, and St. Mary’s Church, Texline on Feb. 1, 2018, and earlier this year was appointed Vicar General on Feb. 17.
 
A native of Panhandle, Father Neusch, 49, was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Amarillo on May 29, 2004 at St. Laurence Cathedral (now St. Laurence Church), Amarillo, by then-Bishop John W. Yanta. He has served as Rector at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Amarillo, since Sept. 21, 2020.
 
Formerly Parochial Administrator at St. Theresa’s Church, Panhandle and Sacred Heart Church, White Deer, Father Kondamudi, 45, was ordained to the priesthood on March 26, 2008. He had served at five parishes in the Diocese of Guntur prior to his arrival in the United States. This will be his second assignment in the Diocese of Amarillo.
 
Father Winger, 39, is a native of Gruver. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Zurek on June 1, 2024 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Amarillo. Father Winger was previously Parochial Vicar at St. Laurence Church, Amarillo, which was his first priestly assignment. He has also been appointed to assist the Diocesan Vocation Director, Father Gabriel E. Garcia.