Saint Joseph’s College and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and have announced the appointment of Rev. Paul Dumais as the new chaplain at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. His appointment will begin on June 1.

Dumais, 35, was ordained a priest at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Madawaska in May 2004 by the Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, bishop of the diocese of Portland. Since July of 2004, he has served as Parochial Vicar at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Waterville and St. John the Baptist Parish in Winslow. The following year he also began to serve at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Fairfield, and since May 2006 has also served at St. Bridget in North Vassalboro and at St. Theresa in Oakland.

Rebecca Hilton, director of Campus Ministry at St. Joseph’s College, said many students already know Dumais from his work with Maine Youth Ministry. “He’s so good with young people. We’re very excited to have him,” she said.

Dumais grew up in Fort Kent and attended Madawaska Middle and High Schools. He graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology in 1997 and earned a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Boston College in 2002. He then attended St. John’s Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity degree and a Master in Theology. Prior to attending St. John’s Seminary, Dumais worked on a farm in Kansas for three years and taught at St. Joseph’s Regional School in New Hampshire for a year.

The St. Joseph’s chaplain works with other Campus Ministry staff to provide students, faculty and staff opportunities for spiritual growth, works with students on retreats, helps mentor students as they develop leadership skills in peer ministry, and attends to the sacramental life of the College. The chaplain also offers spiritual direction, marriage preparation and pastoral counseling. Father John Tokaz, the chaplain at Saint Joseph’s for nine years, is now a parish priest in Trumansburg, N.Y.