Introducing the new United States Provincial Council
The Missionaries of the Precious Blood, United States Province, have elected a new provincial council to help guide the community’s mission, ministries, and future direction. Members from across the province gathered in Indianapolis in June 2026 for the provincial assembly. Through prayerful reflection and dialogue, the membership elected a team of leaders committed to proclaiming the reconciling love of Christ and accompanying God’s people in hope. Together with the provincial director, the newly elected council will help lead the province as it responds to the needs of the Church and the world.
Provincial Director
Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S., entered the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1998, was definitively incorporated in 2003, and ordained in 2004. He served as chaplain and faculty member at Saint Joseph’s College, earned a doctorate in theology from Loyola University, and was secretary general of the General Curia in Rome from 2015–2019. Elected provincial director of the Cincinnati Province in 2019 and of the United States Province in 2023, Fr. Kirch was recently elected to a second term as provincial director.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the Missionaries of the Precious Blood for a second term. Our charism calls us to be ministers of reconciliation and hope, helping others encounter the healing love of Christ poured out for the life of the world. I look forward to continuing that mission with my brother Missionaries and all those who share in the spirituality of the Precious Blood.”
Vice Provincial
Fr. Timothy D. McFarland, C.PP.S., entered formation with the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1970, was incorporated in 1979, made definitive incorporation in 1981, and was ordained a priest in 1983. His ministry began at St. John Church in Whiting, Indiana, and has included extensive service at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, in vocations, formation, teaching, campus ministry, and leadership. He later served in hospital spiritual care and parish ministry in Ohio and now serves as professor of theology and director of mission and ministry at Calumet College of St. Joseph.
“I appreciate the trust that my brother Missionaries have placed in me. As I begin serving as vice provincial, I’m mindful that leadership in our community is about service, accompaniment, and helping one another remain faithful to the mission that Christ has entrusted to us. The spirituality of the Precious Blood reminds us that God’s love is poured out abundantly for all people, especially those who long for healing, reconciliation, and hope. That’s a message our world needs now more than ever.
“I’m excited about the future of our province and the opportunities before us to deepen our commitment to the charism of St. Gaspar. Together, we’ll continue building communities of faith, fostering vocations, and bringing the reconciling love of Christ to those we serve. I look forward to making that journey, confident that God is leading us toward new possibilities for ministry and renewal.”
Provincial Councilor
Fr. Timothy J. Coday, C.PP.S., entered Precious Blood Seminary in 1970, was incorporated into the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1975, made definitive incorporation as a brother in 1978, and was ordained a priest in 1994. After serving on the seminary staff, he spent many years in Tanzania in formation, parish ministry, leadership, and development projects, including directing the C.PP.S. water project and building and managing schools. Following ministry in Missouri and Kansas, he returned to Tanzania in 2019 and, after returning to the United States in 2026, now serves as director of operations for the Precious Blood Renewal Center in Liberty.
“I in no way was seeking election to any position. I believed everyone at the assembly was praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I know I was, because I felt we were at a crossroads. We needed to elect a leadership team that could guide the province in the right direction. I did not want the position. When I looked at the outcome of the vote, I received 52 votes out of 68. I was humbled. I felt that the membership saw something in me that they felt would help the province. Believing that the Holy Spirit was guiding the election, I had to say yes to the position. I have been in Tanzania for many years. Many members I do not know. I look forward to getting to know members of the U.S. province. I feel I bring a listening ear and an ability to bring together the different ideas of those contributing ideas in a conversation about a problem or project. My time in Tanzania allowed me to get to know many members of the community from different provinces. I have been told that, also, will be an asset to the council. My life experience of adapting to and prospering from changes in my life and ministry could help in different situations. I believe that the spirit of Gaspar and the Holy Spirit are at work. I am humbled and honored that I was selected. I ask the grace of God, the intersection of St. Gaspar, and the guidance of the Holy Spirt to do well the work I have been asked to do.”
Provincial Councilor
Fr. Gregory Evers, C.PP.S., entered formation with the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 2014, earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Xavier University in 2016 and a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in 2022. Temporarily incorporated in 2018 and definitively incorporated in 2022, he was ordained a deacon in 2022 and a priest in 2023. After serving as parochial vicar at St. James the Less Parish in Columbus, Ohio, he recently began ministry in Whiting, Indiana, serving St. John the Baptist, St. Adalbert, and Sacred Heart. Representing a newer generation of Precious Blood priests, Fr. Evers brings youthful energy, pastoral commitment, and a strong foundation in community, prayer, and service.
“I look forward to this opportunity to serve as a member of the provincial council. I realize being among the younger members on the council I have much to learn, but I am committed to doing what I can to serve my brothers who trusted me enough to elect me to this position.
“The charism of reconciliation is an essential pillar of our identity as Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Central to that charism is listening. I see one of my roles as a member of this council is listening to the dreams, hopes and concerns of the members and the Companions. Listening is also central to becoming a more synodal community and a more synodal Church, which Pope Francis, and now Pope Leo XIV, have called us to become.
“If I had to use one word to describe the future of the U.S. province, what comes to my mind is ‘hope.’ As we have seen recently, the number of Companions is increasing, along with the number of candidates in formation. I also find hope in the good work that our members are doing, whether in parish ministry, teaching, chaplaincy, or accompanying those on the margins of Church and society, all these ministries help to honor, protect, and restore the dignity that is ours as children of God.
“My dream for the future of the U.S. province is that we continue to grow into an entity that is, firstly, centered on Christ and the message of the gospel. With that is the dream that we continue to embrace the spirituality and charism that St. Gaspar handed on to us and that we will be transformed by those gifts into a lifegiving and reconciling movement that invites others to join us in the work of redemption and reconciliation in the Blood of Christ.”
Provincial Councilor
Fr. Frankline Rayappa, C.PP.S., was ordained a deacon in 2006 and a priest in 2007. He served as parochial vicar at St. Edward Church in Newark, California (2016–2018), then as pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Minster and St. Joseph Parish in Egypt, Ohio (2018–2022), while also sponsoring a Companion group. In 2022, he became parochial vicar at St. Joseph Church in Palm Bay, Florida, and was named pastor of St. Joseph Church and School in 2023. Known for faithful leadership and pastoral care, he currently serves as pastor of St. Joseph, Holy Trinity, and Emmanuel churches in Dayton, Ohio.
“As I begin my service on the provincial council, I’m reminded that every vocation and every ministry begins with God’s invitation to serve. This new responsibility is another opportunity to listen attentively to that call and to walk with my brothers as we discern how best to live our mission today.
“The spirituality of the Precious Blood has always spoken to me as one of relationship, reconciliation, and self-giving love. In Christ’s Precious Blood, we see God’s desire to draw all people into communion, to heal what is broken, and to restore hope where it’s needed most. Our charism challenges us not only to proclaim that message but to embody it in the way we live, serve, and accompany others.
“I’m encouraged by the many gifts present throughout our province and by the dedication of the Missionaries, Companions, and lay partners who share in our mission. As we look to the future, I believe we’re called to remain rooted in our heritage while staying open to where the Holy Spirit is leading us. With gratitude and hope, I look forward to serving alongside my brother Missionaries as we continue the work of reconciliation entrusted to us by St. Gaspar and sustained by the love of Christ poured out for the life of the world.”
As they begin their terms of service, the members of the provincial council carry forward a rich legacy of missionary discipleship, community, and reconciliation. Their leadership comes at a pivotal moment as the United States Province continues to strengthen its ministries, foster vocations, and deepen its commitment to bringing Christ’s healing presence to those on the margins. The council asks for the prayers and support of all who share in the life and ministry of the Precious Blood family.