Father Nicholas Blank assigned to Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Warrenton, Townsend appointed to Basilica as Parochial Vicar

Father Nicholas Blank has been named Parochial Vicar at Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Warrenton. Father Nicholas has served as a Parochial Vicar at the Basilica of Saint Mary since his ordination to the priesthood in 2019.

Deacon Joseph Townsend, who will be ordained to the priesthood on June 5, has been assigned to the Basilica of Saint Mary as a Parochial Vicar. Last year, Deacon Townsend was at the Basilica of Saint Mary for his summer assignment. He is currently at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. A 2011 graduate of Christendom College, he worked for Geico Auto Insurance before entering priestly formation.

Learn more about Deacon Townsend by listening to this edition of the Basilica of Saint Mary Podcast. Alex Solsma, the Basilica of Saint Mary’s Director of Communications and Evangelization, interviewed him last summer.

The new appointments will take effect on June 24. The Diocese of Arlington announced the assignments today. A full list of the Diocese of Arlington’s clergy appointments is available here.

A farewell reception for Father Nicholas will be after the 1:00 pm Mass on Sunday, June 20. Father Townsend will greet people after the Masses on Sunday, June 27.