Bishop William K. Weigand has appointed Father James Murphy as rector of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento and announced a new team to promote vocations in the 20-county Diocese of Sacramento.

Father Murphy, who has served as the director of vocations for the diocese since 1994, will become rector effective Sept. 27, replacing Father Vincent Brady, who has been named pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln.

Sister Maureen McInerney, a Dominican Sister of San Rafael who has served as assistant director of vocations since 1995, and Father Mark Richards, adjutant judicial vicar in the Tribunal, will be the new co-directors of vocations, with Sister McInerney serving as coordinator of the department. Father Richards will remain working half time in the Tribunal and half time in the Office of Vocations.

Father Murphy will continue to serve on the vocations team assisting in vocation promotion in the Sacramento region.

Bishop Weigand appointed three additional priests to work part time in vocation promotion, working with the pastors in their region and helping parish vocation committees that need assistance with training or personnel.

They are Father Eric Lofgren, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Burney, who will be assistant director for vocation promotion in the Northern region; Father Rey Bersabal, parochial vicar of St. James Parish in Davis, who will serve in the Yolo and Solano region; and Father Julian Medina, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Rio Vista, who will serve the Spanish speaking.

The bishop said that Salvatorian Father John Kouba, who has been assisting Father Murphy in directing St. John Vianney House of Vocation Discernment, will now live at the house and serve as its director. Sister Vicenta Lemus of the Sisters of the Holy Rosary of Fatima, will continue as half time Hispanic vocation minister.

In a letter announcing Father Murphy’s appointment, Bishop Weigand noted that under the priest’s leadership 87 parish vocation committees have been established in the diocese. During Father Murphy’s tenure, he added, the number of seminarians has grown each year, with a current total of 52 seminarians studying for the diocesan priesthood.

“I commend the team spirit Father Murphy has created in the vocations department and my hope is that it will continue,” Bishop Weigand said. “Everyone on that team makes an important contribution to our vocations enterprise and my prayers are with them as they continue to work in this important ministry.”

Prior to his service as director of vocations, Father Murphy, 57, served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Vacaville from 1990 to 1994, of St. Anne Parish in Sacramento from 1986 to 1990, and of St. Joseph Parish in Clarksburg from 1980 to 1986.

He served as editor and business manager of The Catholic Herald from 1974 to 1985.

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