Bishop Robert Deeley has announced that Monsignor René Mathieu has been appointed temporary administrator of All Saints Parish (St. Charles Borromeo Church, Brunswick; St. John the Baptist Church, Brunswick; St. Mary Church, Bath; Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Boothbay Harbor; St. Ambrose Church, Richmond; St. Patrick Church, Newcastle; St. Katharine Drexel Church, Harpswell), effective Wednesday, Sept. 29.

Monsignor Mathieu succeeds Father Tom Murphy, who passed away on Monday, Sept. 20.

“I invite you to praise the Lord for all the graces the parish has received through the beautiful and generous ministry of Fr. Tom,” the bishop wrote in a letter to All Saints parishioners. “We will continue to keep Fr. Tom in our prayers asking the Lord to bring him to rest in peace, confident that the Lord will know his faithful servant.”

Monsignor Mathieu has served in parishes in Saco, Biddeford, Old Orchard Beach, Lyman, Biddeford, Auburn, Lewiston, and Caribou.

In addition, he has served as vice-chancellor of the Diocese of Portland and as a member of the Diocese of Portland’s Presbyteral Council.