Priest with local ties assigned to Rumford area

    Bishop Richard Malone has named 76-year-old Fr. Alfred Jacques as Sacramental Minister for Holy Savior Parish which includes the churches of St. Athanasius and St. John, Rumford; St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus, Mexico; St. Joseph, Dixfield; Our Lady of the Snows, Bethel; St. Mary Chapel, Roxbury Pond and Holy Savior School, Rumford.     Fr. Jacques was born in Caribou and attended Seminary of Philosophy and Grand Seminary of Montreal, Canada. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1960 by Bishop Daniel Feeney. Fr. Jacques served at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Fairfield from 1960-65. In 1965, he was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish, Caribou; in 1966 he served at St. Martin’s, Millinocket. He was assigned to St. Hyacinth, Westbrook in 1967; in 1969 he was assigned to Notre Dame Parish, Waterville, and became pastor of St. Louis Parish in Limestone in 1973. 
    In 1978, Fr. Jacques left the priesthood for personal reasons and then nine years later began the process of being reinstated. His next assignment was at SS. Peter and Paul, Lewiston in 1994.  In 1995 he served as pastor of SS Athanasius and John, Rumford; seven years later he accepted the additional responsibility as pastor of St. Theresa, Mexico. He retired in 2004, but has remained active traveling the state to fill in for vacationing priests.
     Fr. Jacques is a retired priest of the Diocese of Portland who was pastor of that area a number of years ago.  As Sacramental Minister, he will be responsible for all the sacramental functions of the parish. Fr. Andrew Dubois, Moderator of the Curia, will serve as temporary administrator of the parish.
    Fr. Jacques succeeds 56-year-old Fr. Angelo LeVasseur who died recently following a brief illness. Fr. LeVasseur served as pastor in the Rumford/Mexico area since 2004.