Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap. has announced the appointment of Father James M. Mahoney as the new pastor for St. Bridget Parish in Abington effective June 6, 2006; and that he has granted senior priest/retirement status to two priests of the archdiocese: Father James F. Lanergan and Father C. Paul Rouse, both effective June 1, 2006.

Father James Mahoney

A Lowell native, Father Mahoney completed seminary formation at St. John’s, Brighton and was ordained at Holy Cross Cathedral on June 13, 1992 by Cardinal Law.

His first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Patrick, Watertown where he served until 1997. While there he earned the reputation of being an involved and caring priest and had an excellent knack for keeping straight the names of parishioners, who were many, in one of the oldest parishes of the archdiocese.

His second assignment, also as a parochial vicar, was to a parish half the age of St. Patrick’s and half the archdiocese away: Our Lady of Lourdes, Brockton. Although a relatively young parish it was also a very busy one and Father Mahoney’s evident energy served well.

Earning, in a short time, the respect of not only his people but also of his brother priests, he was appointed director of the Pastoral Institute and a member of the faculty of St. John’s Seminary on May 1, 2001.

The Pastoral Institute was the home of the ongoing spiritual and human formation of the priests of the archdiocese and Father Mahoney worked tirelessly, always with his great good humor, to make the “retreat house” a fraternal house of prayer and fellowship.

In 2002 he assumed an added responsibility as one of the delegates of the Archbishop serving as a liaison between the archdiocese and priests who were in special need of pastoral care.

Never one to say ‘‘no’’ to a challenge, in January 2005 he accepted the position of administrator of two Newton parishes — Corpus Christi and St. Bernard — that had been affected by the reconfiguration plan of the archdiocese. During the past 18 months he has worked with parishioners from both parishes to bring about a recommendation for a decision about the future of the two parishes.

With his appointment to Abington he moves to familiar territory and to a very large, busy and growing parish. With the announcement of a decision about the Newton parishes’ future, Father Mahoney goes to Abington looking forward to his service there with the same fidelity and commitment that has marked his priestly life.

Father James Lanergan

Born in Boston, Father James Lanergan completed seminary studies at archdiocesan seminaries and Auxiliary Bishop Jeremiah Minihan ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Name Church, West Roxbury on Feb. 2, 1961.

Between 1961 and 1973 he was an assistant at six parishes: Blessed Sacrament, Jamaica Plain, (1961-1965); St. Bartholomew, Needham, (1965-1966); Most Holy Redeemer, East Boston, (1966-1968); St. Pius Tenth, Milton, (1968-1969); St. Theresa, Revere (1969-1972) and St. Mary, Quincy, (1972-1973).

In January 1973 he was named archdiocesan director of Holy Name Societies, a position he held until for 14 years. During that assignment he was also archdiocesan director of Sodalities (1974-1987) and state chaplain of the Daughters of Isabella (1974-present). During those years he was also an associate at St. Mary, Quincy (1975-1979); administrator of Holy Trinity, Boston (1979-1985) chaplain at St. Margaret Hospital, Dorchester (1981-1985); and pastor, St. Stephen, Framingham (1985-1987).

His next set of assignments took him further south in the archdiocese and to a new for of priestly ministry: chaplain at MCI-Bridgewater (1991-2005) during that time he served also in residence in St. Ann, West Bridgewater (1991-1995), and St. Mary, Plymouth (1995-2002) and as administrator of St. Rose of Lima, Rochester (2002-2004). He had also served as a parochial vicar at St. Peter, Plymouth (1987-1991).

Father Lanergan’s retirement is effective June 1, 2006.

Father C. Paul Rouse

A Boston native and son of Gate of Heaven Parish in the city’s South Boston section, Father Charles Paul Rouse attended the parish’s grammar and high school, Cardinal O’Connell Seminary and St. John’s Seminary prior to his ordination on June 7, 1967 by another South Boston native: Richard Cardinal Cushing.

Father Rouse served as an assistant or an associate in five parishes: St. Athanasius, Reading (1967-1968); St. Patrick, Lawrence (1968-1970); St. Raphael, Medford (1970-1974); St. Polycarp, Somerville (1974-1978); and St. Francis Xavier, Weymouth (1979-1980).

Father Rouse’s love of liturgy earned him a Masters degree in that field in 1978, and combined with his considerable musical ability he was named director of the Office for Worship of the Diocese of Saginaw, Mich. where he served from 1980 to 1985.

On his return to the archdiocese in 1985 he was named director of the Office for Worship of the archdiocese; as well as serving as director of music at both the college seminary and the school of theology.

He was subsequently pastor in four parishes of the archdiocese: St. Camillus, Arlington (1989-1995); Holy Name, West Roxbury (1996-2000); St. Michael, Avon (2000-2003) and St. Peter, Gloucester (2003-2005).

He was granted a health leave for a few months in 2005 and for the past year he has been serving in various parishes as part of the Emergency Response Team of the archdiocese.

Father Rouse became a senior priest on June 1, 2006.

<