On April 20, 2021, Fr. John Connor, General Director of the Legionaries of Christ, announced the appointment of Fr. Valentin Gögele for a second three-year term as Territorial Director of the Legionaries of Christ in Western and Central Europe.
In the same letter, the appointment of Fr. Martin Baranowski, LC, as first councilor and territorial vicar is announced. The other members of the Territorial Council are also named: Fr. Henri Duc-Maugé, LC, Fr. Klaus Einsle, LC, and Fr. Georg Rota, LC.
Thanks are given to Fathers Matthew Devereux, LC, George Elsbett, LC, and Paul Habsburg, LC, who are completing their terms as councilors in the Territory.
The new territorial government will begin its three-year term on August 1, 2021.
Fr. Valentin Gögele, LC
Father Valentin was born on December 20, 1979, in Merano, Bolzano Province, Italy. He entered the Novitiate of Gozzano in May 2000. He made his first profession in 2001 and his perpetual profession in 2007. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. As a religious, he supported the formation of novices in Germany from 2004 to 2007.
On December 24, 2010, he was ordained a priest. He served as rector of the Vocational Center in Bad Münstereifel from 2011 to 2018 and as local coordinator of apostolate in Rhineland from 2017 to 2020.
On April 20, 2021, his appointment for a second three-year term as territorial director of the Legionaries of Christ in Western and Central Europe was announced, a position he has held since 2018.
Fr. Martin Baranowski, LC
Father Martin was born on September 1, 1975, in Frankfurt, Germany. He entered the novitiate in September 1995 in Bad Münstereifel, Germany. He made his first profession in 1997 and his perpetual profession in 2000. He holds a degree in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.
In 2009, he was ordained a priest in Rome. He is responsible for vocations promotion, local director of Hessen-Franken, and director of the ECYD in Bavaria. He has been a territorial counselor since 2018.
On April 20, 2021, he was renewed as a counselor for another three years, and starting August 1, 2021, he will also serve as territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ in Western and Central Europe.
Fr. Henri Duc-Maugé, LC
Father Henri was born on February 17, 1964, in Lyon, France. He entered the novitiate in September 1988 in Salamanca, Spain. He made his first profession in 1990. He took his perpetual vows in 1996. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.
On January 2, 2001, he was ordained a priest. After several years as vicar and parish priest in Boulogne-Billancourt (west of Paris), he is currently part of the community in Bordeaux and is the delegate of the Territorial Director for France.
After a year of interruption, starting August 1, 2021, he will begin his second three-year term as territorial counselor for the Legionaries of Christ in Western and Central Europe.
Fr. Klaus Einsle, LC
Father Klaus was born on November 7, 1981, in Kempten in Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany, as the third of six children. In 2002, he entered the novitiate and was ordained a priest on December 14, 2013. He studied classical humanities in Cheshire, philosophy in Thornwood, and theology in Rome. He completed his apostolic practices as a novice and humanist teacher in Cheshire.
Since his ordination, he has served as director of the youth section in Bavaria and later as director of the adult sections and local director of Bavaria. He helped found the ApostelHaus in Alzgern. Since September 2020, he has been the superior of the Vienna community and is pursuing postgraduate studies in theology at the University of Vienna. Currently, he is conducting research on structures of abuse of power and conscience in new movements of the Church. Additionally, he has specialized at the Saint Catherine of Siena Institute on the ordinary and extraordinary charisms of the Holy Spirit and assists as a guide in discerning personal charisms.
On April 20, 2021, he was appointed territorial counselor for the Legionaries of Christ in Western and Central Europe, a position he will assume starting August 1.
