Mount Gambier and Millicent Catholic parish priest Father Dean Marin has been promoted and is returning to Adelaide next month.

Fr Dean will move to St Francis Xavier Cathedral as the newly appointed Vicar General of the Catholic Archdiocese.

In effect, he will become second-in-charge to Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide Dr Patrick O’Regan.

Fr Dean was the cathedral administrator before coming to Mount Gambier nine years ago.

Fr Peter Zwaans, currently parish priest of Brooklyn Park and Richmond in suburban Adelaide will be coming to the Blue Lake city to take over from Fr Dean as parish priest of Mount Gambier and Millicent.

Fr Dean will take up his new role on January 21 and will also coordinate the Vocations team.

He will replace Fr Philip Marshall who has served as either Vicar General or Apostolic Administrator’s Delegate for the past 12 years.

Meanwhile, the archbishop has appointed Penola parish priest Fr Michael Romeo as the new parish priest of Payneham in suburban Adelaide.

In addition to this role, Archbishop O’Regan has asked Fr Michael to take on a mission of studies to begin preparations to study for a licentiate in Canon Law.

The incoming parish priest of the Parish of Penola will be Fr Arul Dev, currently assistant priest at Noarlunga Seaford and Willunga.