VERNON Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee section of Vernon Township where he celebrated Mass marking the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Sept. 8. During the Mass, the Bishop installed Father Christopher Barkhausen as pastor of St. Francis Parish.
Father Barkhausen was ordained to the priesthood May 24, 2014 in St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton and his first assignment was parochial vicar at St. Patrick Church in Chatham. In 2017, he was named as chaplain and a teacher at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne. He was later named administrator of St. Francis de Sales Parish in June 2018 before being named the pastor by Bishop Serratelli earlier this year.