BRIGHTON -- Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap. has announced the appointments of new pastors for two parishes of the archdiocese.

Father Stephen S. Donohoe, until a member of the faculty and director of supervised ministries, as well as vice rector of St. John’s Seminary will become pastor of St. Mary Parish in Chelmsford on June 1.

Father Richard Paul Cornell, who most recently has been serving on the archdiocesan emergency response team, will become pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Ashland. His new position begins on June 5.

Father Donohoe was born in Woburn and completed his seminary formation at St. John’s, Brighton. Cardinal Bernard Law ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Cross Cathedral on June 13, 1992.

He was appointed parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish, Lawrence and after the completion of his first assignment in 1997 he entered the chaplain corps of the United States Navy in which he served for more than four years.

On his return to the archdiocese in October 2001 he was appointed as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish, Natick.

On July 1, 2004 Archbishop Seán P. O’Malley appointed Father Donohoe to the faculty of the archdiocesan seminary where he was initially named to be director of supervised ministries. Among his duties were the selection and evaluation of parishes and institutions to which seminarians would be assigned to compliment their academic, spiritual, and human formation. In turn he also reviewed and evaluated the seminarians in those assignments. He was subsequently appointed vice rector of the seminary.

With his appointment to St. Mary’s in Chelmsford Father Donohoe returns to the Merrimack Region with a whole new set of pastoral experiences. The Chelmsford parish continues to be one of the more active parishes of the archdiocese and the large numbers of first Communions and confirmations celebrated indicate a parish with young people and young families.

Father R. Paul Cornell, a native of Corona in New York City’s Queens section, was Christian Brother for almost 42 years before he entered Blessed John XXIII Seminary where he completed seminary formation. Cardinal Law ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Cross Cathedral on May 15, 1999.

Father Cornell has an extensive academic background, with an undergraduate degree in Latin and a graduate degree in educational administration as well as the theological formation at Blessed John. He also has a wealth of classroom experience having taught in schools in British Columbia, N.J. and R.I.

Before priestly ordination Father Cornell served a deacon internship year at St. Luke Parish, Belmont. Following ordination he was assigned as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish, Weymouth. Three years later he began a series of assignments serving as parish administrator in five different parishes in four of the five regions of the archdiocese: St. Patrick, Lowell (2002-2004); St. John the Evangelist, Beverly (2004); Immaculate Conception, Cambridge (2004-2005); St. Philip Neri and Mary Immaculate of Lourdes, both in Newton (2005-2007). Most recently he has been a member of the archdiocesan emergency response team and has been assisting at St. Theresa of Avila Parish in West Roxbury. In less than 10 years as a priest, Father Cornell has served in all five regions in parishes which vary dramatically in ethnic composition, area, income level, and population.

He goes to Ashland with much experience in education and parish life, as well as with a deep spirit of commitment and dedication.