Pastor Appointed in Poughkeepsie; Administrator Named in Newburgh

Father Patrick Curley has been named pastor of St. Peter’s parish in Poughkeepsie, and Father William Damroth has been named temporary administrator of Sacred Heart in Newburgh, in addition to continuing as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, Newburgh, the Cardinal’s Office has announced.

In other appointments, Father Jeffrey Pomeisl has been named to the faculty of Msgr. Farrell High School, Staten Island, and Father Abraham Berko has been named parochial vicar of St. Rita’s, Staten Island.

The appointments of Father Damroth and Father Berko were effective Aug. 1; Father Curley’s took effect July 11; and Father Pomeisl’s on July 1.

Father Patrick Curley had served as administrator of St. Peter’s, Poughkeepsie, since 2014. He was parochial vicar of St. Mary, Mother of the Church, Fishkill, 2010-2014; Epiphany, Manhattan, 2008-2010; and Holy Child, Staten Island, 2008. He had been ordained in 2008.

Father William Damroth has served since last July as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, where he was administrator for a year. He served as temporary administrator of St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Kisco, 2014-2015, and was parochial vicar there, 2011-2014. He was parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception, Stony Point, 2010-2011, and Our Lady Queen of Peace, Staten Island, 2006, and then was temporary administrator there, 2006-2010. He was administrator of Infant Saviour, Pine Bush, 2004-2006. He was parochial vicar at Annunciation, Crestwood, 1998-2004; Sacred Heart, Newburgh, 1996-1998; and Christ the King, Yonkers, 1993-1996. He was ordained in 1993.

Father Abraham Berko had served since 2013 as parochial vicar of St. Adalbert, Staten Island, where he also served as temporary administrator. He served as parochial vicar of Christ the King, the Bronx, 2007-2013, and Immaculate Conception, Amenia, 2003-2007. He was ordained for the Diocese of Sunyani in his native Ghana in 1998 and was incardinated into the archdiocese in 2015.

Father Jeffrey Pomeisl had served as parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist, Goshen, since last July. He was parochial vicar of St. Patrick, Yorktown Heights, 2013-2016. He was ordained in 2013.