Clergy Transitions & Parish Update

Beginning in early June, Fr. Ryan O’Neill will begin as our new parochial vicar. Fr. Karl Millis is no longer serving at the parish.

As stated in the Vicar for Clergy’s March 10th statement, “As part of the Archdiocese of Denver’s pastoral care for parishes, the Office of Clergy and the Priest Personnel Board regularly review priest assignments. We make prayerful assignment recommendations based on a variety of factors, for the good of the parish and the wider Church. As with all employee matters, specifics around individual assignments are confidential. Ultimately, the Archbishop makes the final assignment decisions, with priority given to available diocesan priests.”

A priest "on loan" is a priest who belongs to a different diocese but who is serving in a particular diocese temporarily to assist the diocese in need. These assignments are never intended to be permanent. When a priest from the local diocese becomes available, the visiting priest typically returns to his home diocese, he returns to serve his own people, and he serves under his own bishop.

No. As stated in the Vicar for Clergy’s letter: "At no time did Father Crisman petition to prevent Father Millis from serving in the Archdiocese of Denver."

As stated in the Vicar for Clergy’s statement, “Unfortunately, Fr. Millis chose to speculate from the pulpit about the reasons he believed for the change, which was inappropriate. While transitions can be difficult, the pulpit is not the place to air grievances, and this has led to confusion and division within the parish. (…) Fr. Millis’ actions have now created the need for his immediate departure.”

The most powerful thing we can do is pray. Avoid gossip and pray. Please pray for Fr. Karl, for our new Parochial Vicar, Fr. Ryan O'Neill, and for the continued unity of our St. Francis of Assisi family.

Fr. Ryan O’Neill was born in Ft. Collins and was raised in Loveland where his family still resides. He attended Regis University in Denver studying mathematics and Spanish. He studied philosophy and theology at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver as well. He was ordained a priest on May 12, 2012 by Bishop James Conley. He served as the parochial vicar at the parishes in Grand and Jackson counties, and for one year at St. Peter’s in Greeley. He served as the Vocations Director from 2016-2022. Since 2022 he has served as chaplain at Annunciation Heights. Fr. Ryan loves camping and the outdoors.

Letters may be sent to:

Diocese of Cheyenne Chancery Office

2121 Capitol Ave.

P.O. Box 1468.

Cheyenne, WY 82003-1468