The Superior Express -

Members of the three Catholic parishes in northwestern Nuckolls County (Sacred Heart in Lawrence, St. Stephen south of Lawrence, and Our Lady of the Assumption parish in Deweese) will be seeing a change of pastors shortly.

In a letter to members of the parishes distributed last weekend, the Bishop of Lincoln, Bishop James Conley, announced the coming changes.

Father Jamie Hottovy who has just returned from a sabbatical in Rome and is being assigned to be the “priest in residence” at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Seward.

The Seward parish, in recent years, has had two priests, but for a year now has had only one. With the growth of the city and the parish and school there has been a need for the second priest. Father Hottovy will continue his assignment to the Diocesan Building Commission and also be available to the Diocesan Seminary for various ministry needs.

The Bishop appointed Father Denton Morris at the new pastor of the three parishes. He has most recently served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Harvard with an emphasis on Hispanic Ministry, theology and Latin teacher at St. Cecilia High School in Hastings. Father Morris was ordained a priest on May 23, 2015.

Father Hottovy was to return to Lawrence this week and will cover all three Masses for the three parishes. The assignments will take effect on Monday, Jan. 22.