Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley OFM Cap. has announced the appointment of two archdiocesan priests as pastors of parishes in Groton, Pepperell and Waltham.

Father Michael Nolan

The eldest of the three children, Father Michael Nolan is a native son of St. Bridget Parish in Framingham. He attended local grammar school and Marian High School and earned a bachelor of arts in history from Boston College.

Father Nolan spent time teaching at a private high school in Switzerland and when he came back to the United States he taught at St. John the Evangelist school in Cambridge. In 1992 he entered St. John’s Seminary, but left after three years and worked for Catholic Charities and as director of religious education at St. Cecilia Parish in Boston’s Back Bay section. He returned to St. John’s Seminary in 1998 and completed his theological formation in preparation for ordination.

After serving for a year as deacon at St. Mary Parish, Lynn, he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Law at Holy Cross cathedral on May 27, 2000.

Since ordination he has served in two parishes as parochial vicar: St. Michael, Bedford (2000-2005) and more recently at St. Thomas Aquinas, Bridgewater, where he was also chaplain at Bridgewater State College.

Cardinal O’Malley’s appointment of Father Nolan as pastor of one of the archdiocese’s oldest parishes, St. Mary, Waltham, was effective on May 22, 2006.

Father Paul L. Ring

A proud son of the Boxer City — Brockton where he grew up in the former St. Colman of Cloyne Parish, Father Paul Ring attended St. John’s Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Law at Holy Cross Cathedral on May 20, 1995.

Between his ordination and his new appointment as pastor, Father Ring served as parochial vicar in three archdiocesan assignments: St. Theresa of Lisieux, North Reading (1995-2000); St. Francis Xavier, Weymouth (2000-2001); and St. Mark, Dorchester (2001-2006).

Cardinal O’Malley has appointed Father Ring as pastor of two parishes: Sacred Heart-St. James in Groton and St. Joseph in Pepperell. Both parishes are experiencing changes in demographics with growing populations and smaller facilities. In addition to his regular parish responsibilities, Father Ring will be called upon to meet the special challenge of leading two growing parishes.

Father Ring’s appointment to Sacred Heart-St. James, Groton and to St. Joseph, Pepperell is effective June 1, 2006.

<