A leadership transition is set to take place at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Dubai this January, marking a new chapter for one of the Middle East’s largest Catholic communities. Parish officials have announced that Rev. Fr. Leny Supe Escalada, OFM Cap., will be formally installed as parish priest during the 6:15 p.m. Holy Mass on Sunday, January 11.
The installation rite will be presided over by Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, and is open to all parishioners. The ceremony will take place inside the main church in Oud Metha and forms part of the parish’s regular Sunday liturgical schedule.
Following the Mass, members of the congregation are invited to a fellowship program at Bishop Gremoli Hall. The gathering is intended both as a welcome for the incoming parish priest and as an occasion to express appreciation to the outgoing pastor.
Fr. Escalada is a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and has been serving the Filipino Catholic community in Dubai for several years. He is part of the pastoral team at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where his ministry has included celebrating Masses, preaching, and guiding spiritual activities such as retreats and major community observances, including Simbang Gabi. His work has largely centered on pastoral care, spiritual formation, and outreach to overseas Filipinos, and he is a regular presence in parish-led religious events and messages directed at Filipino faithful in the UAE.
The installation also coincides with the conclusion of Rev. Fr. Lennie J. A. Connully, OFM Cap.’s tenure as parish priest. Fr. Connully, a fellow Capuchin, began his leadership of St. Mary’s in 2014 and guided the parish through years of sustained growth while overseeing pastoral life for a diverse expatriate congregation.
After completing his service in Dubai, Fr. Connully went on to assume wider responsibilities within the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, including his role as Vicar General based in Abu Dhabi.
