Send newsletter to Religion desk

December 28, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

All churches, synagogues, mosques and ministries are invited to send their newsletters to The Vindicator. Send to Religion Desk, The Vindicator, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown, OH 44501-0780. Electronic versions may be sent to religion@vindy.com.

The newsletters provide a valuable source of information on services and activities at area places of worship.

For more information, call the Religion desk at 330-747-1471, ext. 1245.

Kings festival

YOUNGSTOWN

The Historic Lutheran Church of St. John, 1429 Mahoning Ave., will conduct a Kings Festival Celebration of Epiphany at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 5 with the Holy Eucharist.

New assignments

YOUNGSTOWN

Bishop George V. Murry has appointed two priests to new assignments.

The Rev. Leo Wehrlin is appointed pastor of Little Flower Parish in Middlebranch (Canton). The Rev. Christopher Cicero is appointed to his first pastorate at St. Jude Parish in Columbiana and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in East Palestine. Both appointments are effective Feb. 1, 2014.

Father Wehrlin was ordained June 12, 1993, after completing seminary studies at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati. He previously served as associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Ravenna and St. Michael Parish in Canton, and as pastor at St. Ann Parish in Sebring.

Father Wehrlin was then appointed director of vocations for the diocese. After that assignment, he was appointed pastor at St. Ambrose Parish in Garrettsville, and later St. Michael Parish in Windham while also keeping the pastorate at St. Ambrose, his current assignment. Father Wehrlin has also served on the diocesan Priests’ Council, as diocesan director of Scouts, and as deanery moderator for the Youngstown Diocesan Council of Catholic Women of Portage County.

Father Cicero was ordained July 17, 2010, after completing seminary studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. After ordination, he returned to Rome and earned a License in Sacred Theology at the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on marriage and family. Upon his return from Rome, Father Cicero was appointed associate pastor at St. Christine Parish in Youngstown, his current assignment.

Diocesan office

YOUNGSTOWN

Bishop George V. Murry of Youngstown has named David Schmidt as director of the diocesan Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry.

Schmidt, a native of Warren, graduated from South Range High School in North Lima. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus. After studying theology at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati, he taught religion at Our Lady of Angels High School there.

Schmidt served as youth ministry director at Holy Family Parish in Poland and Our Lady of Peace Parish in Canton. While completing his master of pastoral studies with the Loyola University Institute for Ministry Extension Program, New Orleans, he served as religious education director at Holy Spirit Parish in Uniontown.

From 1995 to 1997 he was director of Office of Marriage and Family Ministry for the Diocese of Youngstown. He served as pastoral associate at Little Flower Parish in Canton, and as pastoral associate at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Niles, and for the parishes of Regina Coeli in Alliance and St. Joseph Parish in Maximo.