Rev. Efren Ambre Applause
Bishop Lawrence Brandt, administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, has appointed the Rev. Efren Ambre, pro-tem parish priest in residence at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Fairchance, with parochial responsibilities at the partner parishes of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Fairchance and St. Hubert in Point Marion.
Ambre is serving under the supervision of Monsignor Michael W. Matusak, who has been appointed administrator of the parishes while continuing to serve as pastor of St. Therese, Little Flower of Jesus Parish in Uniontown and Vicar Forane of Deanery V.
Ambre is one of three priests from the Philippines recently welcomed by the diocese to join six of their brother priests from the Philippines to assist with pastoral duties here.
Ambre, of the Diocese of Banqued in the northern part of the country, was a guest priest at Our Lady of Light Parish, Cainta, Rizal, before his assignment to the Diocese of Greensburg.
Ordained a priest May 24, 1997, he attended St. Joseph Seminary, Baguio City, and earned a theology degree at Immaculate Conception School of Theology, Vigan City, and completed graduate studies at De la Salle University, Manila.
In the Philippines, Ambre served as pastor of two parishes and parochial vicar of two others.
The parishes were previously served by the Rev. Jaime Ozoa, also from the Philippines, who recently concluded his five-year term of service with the Greensburg diocese.