Father Tom Hermes Leaving St. Columban Church
Constitution-Tribune, Friday, May 27, 2011

C-T Photo / Drew Van Dyke

CAPTION: Father Tom Hermes, who became the pastor of St. Columban Catholic Church as well as the principal of Bishop Hogan Memorial School in the summer of 2005, recently announced that Bishop Finn, of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, was transferring him to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Montrose, Missouri. The transfer will take place on July 1, 2011, this upcoming summer.

He was originally brought in to build Bishop Hogan Memorial School back up to a stable, premier level of Catholic educational prowess within the Chillicothe community. On July 1, Father Tom Hermes will be transferring to another community in need of his assistance. "Catholic education is important, not only here in Chillicothe, but throughout the entire diocese," said Hermes, who will be transferred by the Bishop Robert Finn of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Montrose, Mo. "The reason I'm being transferred is because the church in Montrose needs assistance to strengthen its catholic school."

Hermes was brought in as the pastor of St. Columban Catholic Church, as well as principal of Bishop Hogan school, on July 1, 2005, following Father Matt Rotert. Rotert was, coincidentally, originally from Montrose, and served as pastor of St. Columban for seven years, between 1998 and 2005. Hermes came to the St. Columban parish from Holy Rosary Catholic Church, in Clinton, Missouri. Montrose is approximately 22 miles south of Clinton. St. Mary School in Montrose is in a similar situation that Bishop Hogan was before Hermes' arrival. While he did not elaborate on such details, Father Tom did hint towards his strengths, and the reasons he gets placed within certain parishes by the diocese's head. "The Bishop says I have good administrative skills and good financial skills," he said.

Upon Hermes' departure, Father Angelo Bartulica, the pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Trenton and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Princeton, will take over the pastoral role within St. Columban. He will be living in the church rectory on the south side of the church in Chillicothe. While the service calendar for next year has not been set as of this date and time, Hermes states that it appears as though services will still take place Tuesday through Friday, as well as on the weekends.

Hermes stressed the fact that Bishop Hogan Memorial School will remain open after his departure. Donna Saccaro, who taught fifth and sixth grades at Bishop Hogan during the 2010-11 school year, will take over as principal for the school. Seventh and eighth grade teacher Brian Murrell will be stepping in as vice-principal.

"I've enjoyed my time here at St. Columban," Hermes said.