Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan, pastor of All Saints in Dunwoody, has been elected president by the Council of Priests. His one-year term began Jan. 1.

Msgr. Kiernan, who had previously served as vice president of the Council for two years succeeds Father Pat Bishop who resigned from the Council at the end of 1993.

Father Henry Gracz, pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Hapeville, has been elected vice president and Father James Miceli, pastor of St. Mary’s in Rome, secretary.

Msgr. Kiernan said that he did not have a personal agenda but hopes that “The priests can work with the archbishop to attain the goals of the archdiocese.”

Following studies at Providence College, Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary and Catholic University, he was ordained by Cardinal Richard Cushing for service in the Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta in 1949. He has served in churches in Savannah, Monroe, Athens, LaGrange, Gainesville, Cedartown and Atlanta. In 1969 and 1975 Msgr. Kiernan was elected president of the Atlanta Priests Senate. He has been pastor at All Saints for seven years.

Pope Paul VI named Msgr. Kiernan a prelate of honor with the title of monsignor in 1969. In 1978 he was named “protonotary apostolic,” which is the highest rank of a monsignor, by Pope John Paul II.