By Gretchen Keiser

Departing from past practice in the archdiocese, Archbishop John F. Donoghue has appointed a board of priests to oversee parish assignments, rather than having the board constituted by an election process.

The new seven-member Personnel Board, to begin serving Jan. 1, will be made up of the archbishop, the vicar general and chancellor, ex-officio, and four other priests chosen by the archbishop. They are Monsignor R. Donald Kiernan, pastor of All Saints parish, Dunwoody, and vicar of the northeast metro deanery; Father Paul Reynolds, pastor of St. Andrew's parish, Roswell, and Father Stewart Wilber, parochial vicar at Holy Family parish, Marietta. Monsignor Edward Dillon, v.g., and Father Donald Kenny, chancellor, are ex-officio members.

Archbishop Donoghue, in a letter to the priests in October, said that it was his preference to appoint the Personnel Board himself and "my experience has been that this method yields the most convivial results." His letter indicated that a request for input from the priests showed the majority responding supported his desire to appoint the board.

Father Kenny said the new board members will serve three-year terms. In the past the Personnel Board was constituted through a nomination and election process by priests. Six members were elected representing pastors, parochial vicars, priests in special ministry and at-large members.

The Personnel Board handles the assignments of priests to the parishes, missions and ministries of the archdiocese.

Also announced Dec. 6 was the election of priests to the Council of Priests, Father Thomas J. Carroll, MS, pastor of St. Oliver Plunkett parish, Snellville, and Father Patrick Mendola, OFM Conv., pastor of St. Philip Benizi parish, Jonesboro, were elected as representatives of religious order priests serving in the archdiocese. Their five-year terms begin Jan. 1.

Father Franklin E. Forts, parochial vicar at St. John the evangelist parish, Hapeville, was elected to fill two years remaining in the unexpired term of Father David Talley, now studying in Rome. Father Forts represents priests ordained fewer than 10 years and will begin serving immediately.

In addition Father Peter Dora, pastor of St. Joseph's parish, Athens, was appointed by Archbishop Donoghue to fill one year remaining in the Council term of Father Patrick Bishop, pastor of Transfiguration parish, Marietta. Father Bishop, who was elected president of the Council in 1992 and 1993, asked to retire early from the Council and the archbishop granted his request.

"In my letter to (Archbishop Donoghue) I said I am writing to see if you believe in time off for good behavior," Father Bishop said in a telephone interview Dec. 6. He said the archbishop "was most gracious to me."

He said the parish is considering future development of church property and he thought he needed "to step back" from Council work. Father Dora's term begins Jan. 1.

Father Bishop's term as president ends with the calendar year. A new Council president will be elected at the December meeting.