Meet the pastors

Father Peter W. Nassetta is leaving George Mason University
Catholic Campus Ministry in Fairfax after 16 years for
full-time service with the Youth Apostles Institute. He will
take over as chaplain at James Madison University in
Harrisonburg in August. Father James R. Searby will replace
Father Nassetta as George Mason’s Catholic chaplain.

Father Jason C. Burchell has been called to active duty
service with the U.S. Navy. He is waiting for final approval
to serve as chaplain on the USS Reagan.

The two newly ordained priests – Fathers Colin P. Davis and
Joseph M. Rampino – have been assigned as parochial vicars of
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in
Fredericksburg and Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria,
respectively.

Following are brief biographies of the seven new pastors. The
new appointments are effective e June 29 unless otherwise
noted.

Fr. Joseph T. Brennan, O.S.F.S.

Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Joseph T. Brennan will
become pastor of St. John Neumann Church in Reston. Father
Brennan was born July 2, 1961. He made his first profession
Aug. 8, 1992, and his perpetual profession Jan. 1, 1997.

He was ordained at St. John Neumann Church June 13, 1998, and
served two stints as parochial vicar there, from 1998 to
2003, and then again from 2011 to 2013. He also served as
chaplain at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria from 2003
to 2005.

In addition to his time in Arlington, Father Brennan served
as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Church in
Wilmington, N.C., from 2005 to 2007; as pastor of Immaculate
Conception Church from 2007 to 2008; as pastor of Holy Infant
Church in Durham, N.C., from 2008 to 2011; and as pastor of
Christ Our King Church in Wilmington, Del., from 2013 until
the present.

Fr. Alexander R. Drummond

Father Alexander R. Drummond will become pastor of St.
Michael Church in Annandale. Father Drummond was born Oct.
20, 1957, in Chamblay, France, one of three children of
Charles and Christa Drummond. He attended T.C. Williams High
School in Alexandria, and earned a bachelor’s degree in
philosophy from the Schiller International University in
Germany and France in 1980. He earned a master’s in
international relations from Schiller International
University in Paris.

Before entering the seminary, Father Drummond worked on
Capitol Hill for a private educational foundation and at Tall
Oaks Montessori School in Blacksburg.

He attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.,
where he earned a master of divinity degree. He graduated in
1994, and was ordained by Arlington Bishop John R. Keating at
the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington May 21, 1994.

He served as parochial vicar of St. Timothy Church in
Chantilly, 1994-98; St. Michael Church in Annandale,
1998-2002; Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria, 2002-05; and
St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Great Falls, 2005-2007.

Father Drummond was named administrator of St. Catherine of
Sienna in 2005 and pastor in 2007.

Fr. Kevin J. Larsen

Father Kevin J. Larsen will become pastor of St. John the
Apostle Church in Leesburg.

He was born Oct. 13, 1966, one of five children of Kristian
J. and Eileen T. Larsen.

Father Larsen grew up in McLean attending St. John the
Beloved Church. He attended Lewinsville Elementary,
Longfellow Intermediate in McLean and graduated from McLean
High School in 1985. He attended St. Charles Borromeo
Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.

Father Larsen spent his diaconate assignment at St. Anthony
of Padua Church in Falls Church and was ordained by Arlington
Bishop John R. Keating at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in
Arlington May 15, 1993.

Father Larsen served as parochial vicar of St. Bernadette
Church in Springfield, 1993-97, and at the Church of the
Nativity in Burke, 1997-2001. He served as administrator and
pastor of St. Thomas à Becket Church in Reston,
2001-03.

In 2003, Father Larsen was appointed pastor of St. Bernadette
Church in Springfield.

Fr. John P. Mosimann

Father John P. Mosimann will become pastor of St. Mary of the
Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg.

Father Mosimann was born July 14, 1967, in Rockville, Md.,
one of eight children of Barbara and James Mosimann.

He attended T.S. Wootton High School in Rockville, graduating
in 1985. He graduated from the University of Dallas in
Irving, Texas, with a degree in physics in 1989. He went on
to study philosophy and theology at Franciscan University of
Steubenville, Ohio, and later pursued a graduate degree in
physics at the University of Maryland. He then volunteered
for a year of missionary service in Mexico.

In 1993, he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in
Wynnewood, Pa., where he earned master’s degrees in divinity
and moral theology. As a deacon he served at Our Lady of
Angels Church in Woodbridge. He was ordained by Arlington
Bishop John R. Keating May 17, 1997, at the Cathedral of St.
Thomas More in Arlington.

He served as parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Church in
Fairfax, 1997-2000; All Saints Church in Manassas, 2000-04;
and St. John the Apostle Church in Leesburg in 2004. In
October 2004, he was named temporary administrator of St.
John the Apostle. He was appointed administrator in June 2005
and pastor in 2007.

Fr. Jerry J. Pokorsky

Father Jerry J. Pokorsky will become pastor of St. Catherine
of Siena Church in Great Falls. Father Pokorsky was born in
1954, in Manitowoc, Wis., one of four children of James and
Phyllis Pokorsky.

He attended St. Mary School and graduated from Roncalli High
School, both in Manitowoc. After graduating from Marquette
University and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg,Md.,
he was ordained by Arlington Bishop John R. Keating at the
Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington May 19, 1990. He
spent his diaconate assignment at St. Leo the Great Church in
Fairfax.

Father Pokorsky was parochial vicar of St. Ann Church in
Arlington, 1990-94; St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton,
1994-95; and Holy Spirit Church in Annandale, 1995-99 He was
named administrator of St. Peter Mission in Washington, Va.,
in 1999. Father Pokorsky was assigned to duty as the fiscal
officer in the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., 2003-06. He served
as parochial vicar of St. Lawrence Church in Alexandria,
2006-08.

In 2008, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde appointed him
pastor of St. Michael Church in Annandale.

Father Pokorsky was co-founder of the Adoremus Society, and
was a contributor to the Adoremus Hymnal, which promotes
liturgical renewal. He also is a former Gospel commentator
for the Catholic Herald.

Fr. Donal J. Rooney

Father Donald J. Rooney will become pastor of St. Bernadette
Church in Springfield.

Father Rooney was born in Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 17, 1961,
one of four children of W. Donald and Marie Rooney.

He attended schools in Kansas City, Mo., and Louisburg, Kan.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of
Dallas in Irving, Texas, in 1983, he spent several years as
owner of an advertising and design firm in Dallas. In 1989,
he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.

Father Rooney was ordained by Arlington Bishop John R.
Keating May 21, 1994, at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in
Arlington after his diaconate year at St. Timothy Church in
Chantilly.

His first priestly assignment was as parochial vicar of All
Saints Church in Manassas, where he served from 1994 to 1996.
In 1996, he was assigned to the diocesan mission parish of
San Francisco de Asís in Bánica, Dominican
Republic. After serving in Bánica for two years, he
was appointed parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Church in
Fairfax in 1998. In 2002, Father Rooney was named
administrator of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church
in Fredericksburg, and he was appointed pastor in 2004.

Father Rooney is director of the diocesan Office of
Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and recently finished
two terms as president of the Catholic Association of
Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers.

Along with interests in art and architecture, Father Rooney
is an accomplished painter.

Fr. Kevin B. Walsh

Father Kevin B. Walsh will become pastor of Precious Blood
Church in Culpeper July 13.

Father Walsh was born Feb. 2, 1962, in Detroit, one of eight
children of Michael and Joann Walsh.

He attended Catholic schools in Warren and Madison Heights,
Mich., and graduated in 1987 from Christendom College in
Front Royal.

After receiving his priestly formation at Mount St. Mary’s
Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., he was ordained by Arlington
Bishop John R. Keating May 16, 1992, at the Cathedral of St.
Thomas More in Arlington. His diaconate year was at the
cathedral.

Father Walsh was parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua
Church in Falls Church, 1992-96; St. Rita Church in
Alexandria, 1996-98; and St. James Church in Falls Church,
1998-2000. He celebrated the first Spanish Mass at St. James
May 1998.

Father Walsh served as chaplain of Marymount University in
Arlington from 2000 to 2002 while in residence at St. James.
He served as parochial administrator of St. Philip Church in
Falls Church, 2002-04, and was appointed pastor in 2004. He
served as pastor for six years, taking a three-month
sabbatical to Vietnam in 2008. In 2010, Father Walsh was
appointed pastor of St. Anthony of Padua, and then of Queen
of Apostles Church in Alexandria in 2012. The next year he
began full-time studies at the Pontifical Gregorian
University in Rome, studying for a license in sacred theology
with a concentration in biblical theology.