Fr. John Okoro greets some of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph during chaplain Fr. Ray Goetz’s farewell party on Sept. 28, 2026. From left are Sr. Pat Rhoten, Sr. Kathleen Dueber, Sr. Mary Matthias Ward, and Sr. Cecelia Joseph Olinger. Fr. Okoro will serve as the new chaplain. COURTESY OF URSULINE SISTERS OF MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH
Fr. John Okoro begins as the new chaplain for the Ursuline Sisters
BY DAN HECKEL, MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH
Fr. John Okoro has served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Owensboro since arriving from his native Nigeria 21 years ago. His latest change in assignment is taking him just across the road.
On Oct. 1, 2026, Fr. Okoro became the 26th priest to serve as chaplain for the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, a line of succession that began with Fr. Paul Joseph Volk in 1874. Fr. John replaces Fr. Ray Goetz, who concluded 16 years as chaplain on Sept. 30. Like Fr. Goetz initially, Fr. Okoro will be sharing the role of chaplain while continuing as pastor at St. Alphonsus Church just across the highway from the Mount.
“I’m looking forward to serving the sisters,” he said. “I talked with Fr. Ray after speaking with the bishop. His guidance has been topnotch. He said the sisters are so caring. My role is pastoral.”
Fr. Okoro is a priest of the Diocese of Okigwe, Nigeria. He has been ordained a priest for 31 years, with the past 21 years serving in the Diocese of Owensboro. His bishop made serving in America an option for his priests, and Fr. Okoro applied.
“Bishop (John) McRaith was open to accepting international priests,” Fr. Okoro said. “Where you find the people of God, that’s where you pitch your tent. The former and current bishop are such good people. They always made it easy for us to fit in and work.”
Serving with women religious is nothing new for Fr. Okoro. Ursuline Sr. Vivian Bowles serves in faith formation at St. Alphonsus. When he was a pastor in Nigeria, he asked sisters from the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy to run the school at his parish for four years. The Daughters of Divine Love also serve in his village in Nigeria.
“I feel at home,” he said. “I’ve seen many of the sisters at different places. It’s not a strange place for me.”
All of Fr. Okoro’s service in the Diocese of Owensboro has been within an hour of the Mount. He spent six months at Holy Name of Jesus in Henderson, two years at St. Stephen in Owensboro, six years in McLean County at St. Sebastian and St. Charles, five years at St. William and St. Lawrence parishes in or near Knottsville, and six years sharing time at three parishes – St. Francis Borgia in Sturgis, St. Ambrose in Henshaw, and St. William in Marion. Two years ago, he came to St. Alphonsus and St. Elizabeth in Curdsville. With his new duties at the Mount, St. Elizabeth is now being served by Fr. Jamie Dennis, the pastor at St. Mary Magdalene in Sorgho.
His new arrangement means some changes at St. Alphonsus. Daily Mass is now only being offered at 7:30 a.m., on Wednesdays, because Mass at the Mount is at 11:30 that day.
Otherwise, the dozen or so people who attended daily Mass at St. Alphonsus have been invited to come to the Mount for 7:30 a.m., Mass on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
In his spare time, Fr. Okoro likes to work in his garden, take daily walks, and listen to classical music. He likes singing with the choir and watching soccer.
“I’ve only been here a week, I think it will work well,” he said.
Originally published online on Oct. 6 by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in Maple Mount, Ky.
