Our Current Priest:
Fr. Noby Thomas was born on January 25, 1975 and ordained a priest of the Diocese of Palai, Kerala, India on January 1, 2001.
India is a multi-religious country. 80% are Hindus. Islam is the second most prevalent religion (15%), while Christianity is the third most dominant religion in the country (3%). Most of the Christians live in the south western coast of the country, Kerala. Christianity was brought into the country by St. Thomas, the apostle. He preached the gospel in Kerala, India – reaching the coast of the state in the first century. Based on his influence, Christians of the state of Kerala are also called St. Thomas Christians. 20% of Kerala’s population are Christians.
Fr. Noby has earned the following degrees: Bachelor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Theology from St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, Kerala, India and Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from Mahatma Gandhi University, Athirampuzha, Kerala, India.
From 2001-2021, Fr. Noby served as associate pastor and pastor in different parishes in the Diocese of Palai. He came to know about the Diocese of Baker during one of his visits to the USA in 2018, and he has served in the Diocese of Baker since April 2021.
His recreational interests are hiking, boating, fishing and sightseeing. He loves basketball and swimming. He loves cooking, the company of people, talking and dining with them.
Priests of Our Lady of the Valley:
Rev. Francis Hartlieb, 1880-1885
Rev. Msgr. Peter DeRoo, 1885
Rev. J. F. Quinn, 1886
Rev. B. G. Ahne, 1887
Rev. J. F. Brouillard, 1888-1895
Rev. Anthony Moore, 1895-1901
Rev. Przybylski, 1901-1903
Rev. H. D. Gartland, 1903-1904
Rev. M. J. Whyte, 1904-1909
Rev. Mattheus A. Aalders, 1909-1911
Rev. John Kerr, 1911
Rev. Patrick J. Driscoll, 1911-1920
Rev. August Loeser, 1920
Rev. Otto Nooy, 1923-1934
Rev. Thomas Brady, 1934-1936
Rev. Michael Mahon, 1936
Rev. Dennis Sheedy, 1939
Rev. Thomas Moore, 1939-1943
Rev. John Phelan, 1943-1945
Rev. John Baumgartner, 1945
Rev. Patrick Stack, 1945-1947
Rev. Joseph Hayes, 1947-1950 & 1967
Rev. Patrick Lunham, 1950-1951
Rev. Michael Brennan, 1951-1952
Rev. John McCarthy, 1952-1954
Rev. John Stupfel, 1954
Rev. John O’Connor, 1954 & 1957
Rev. George Murphy, 1957 & 1972
Rev. John Curran, 1956 & 1961
Rev. Cletus Kirkpatrick, 1956
Rev. Msgr. Matthew Crotty, 1957
Rev. David Hazen, 1957
Rev. Leo Weckerle, 1958 & 1959
Rev. Austin Cribbin, 1958 & 1959
Rev. Charles Driesbach, 1959, 1961 & 1967
Rev. Benjamin Kiernan, 1962
Rev. Elden Curtiss, 1959 & 1965
Rev. Eugene Van Beveren, 1964
Rev. Patrick Gaire, 1964
Rev. Bernard Keating, 1964
Rev. Aloysious Miller, 1946 & 1971
Rev. Charles Lavin, 1965
Rev. Dennis Holmes, 1973
Rev. James Noel, 1973-1975
Rev. Richard Fischer, 1976-1979, 2015-2016
Rev. John Murphy, 1976
Rev. Martin Quigley, 1977
Rev. Henry (Harry) Beegen, 1978
Rev. Brian McGovern, 1979
Rev. Timothy Mockaitis, 1980
Rev. Joseph Kelbel, 1983-1985
Rev. Dominic Hahn, 1985
Rev. Carl Gillen, 1987
Rev. Jocelyn St. Arnaud, 1987
Rev. Francisco Vallejos, 1988
Rev. Louis Henry (Hank) Albrecht, 1988-2008
Rev. Pirmin Ngolle, 2001
Rev. Peter John Auer, 2005
Rev. Remigius Nwabichie, 2005
Rev. Christopher Agoha, 2007-2014
Rev. Augustine Okwuzu, 2008-2009
Rev. Francis Obijekwu, 2008-2009
Rev. Daniel Ochiabuto, 2010-2011
Rev. Gabriel Ezeh, 2010-2012
Rev. Anil Kumar Marri, 2013-2015
Rev. Stephen Abraham Manthuruthil, SDB, 2014-2015
Very Rev. Saji K. Thomas, CMI, 2015-2022
Rev. Noby Thomas, 2022-present