Area Catholic churches welcome new priests; one retiring

Three Catholic churches in the area will soon see new leadership as priests the Rev. Randy Tochtrop and the Rev. Joseph Kelly take new positions, as assigned by Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Bishop Edward Rice, according to diocese spokeswoman Leslie Eidson.

Effective Aug. 4, in Jackson, Immaculate Conception will welcome Tochtrop as pastor. He formerly administered both St. Ambrose Parish in Chaffee, Missouri, and Guardian Angel in Oran, Missouri, according to the appointment signed by Bishop Rice.

The Rev. John Harth is retiring from Immaculate Conception. Harth, a certified master police chaplain, has been involved in emergency services chaplaincy since 1987, Eidson said. He is also a former radio and television reporter.

Kelly, a native of Springfield, Missouri, will be parochial administrator of St. Ambrose Parish and Guardian Angel.

Kelly is able to celebrate the Mass in Latin, Eidson said. He was ordained in 2015, and previously served as associate pastor at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Cape Girardeau from 2015 to 2017, then at Our Lady of the Lake in Branson, Missouri, and Our Lady of the Ozarks in Forsyth, Missouri. He presided over the Latin Mass at St. Joseph the Worker in Ozark, Missouri, during that time frame.