Rev. Fr. Leny Escalada begins his pastorate as parish priest of St. Mary's Catholic Church on January 11, 2026. ARCHIVE

St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai will officially welcome Rev. Fr. Leny Escalada as its new parish priest during a special Mass on Sunday (January 11), church officials announced. The installation will be led by Bishop Paolo Martinelli during the 6:15pm Mass, with parish leaders inviting all parishioners to attend what they described as a historic and joyful occasion for the multicultural Catholic community. “There will be a change of guard in our parish,” St. Mary’s Church said in an announcement. “The parish priest, Fr. Lennie Connully, will be replaced by Fr. Leny Escalada.” The Mass will be followed by a fellowship programme at Bishop Gremoli Hall, where the parish will formally welcome its new leader and bid farewell to the outgoing parish priest, Rev. Fr. Connully. Fr. Connully, an Indian Capuchin priest, has served as parish priest of St. Mary’s Church for more than a decade, beginning October 2014. During his tenure, the parish navigated major milestones, including rapid growth in parishioner numbers and the challenges brought by the pandemic years. Church leaders said Sunday’s celebration is both a welcome and a thanksgiving — marking continuity in leadership while recognising years of faithful service. “As we joyfully welcome our new parish priest,” the church said, “we also express our heartfelt gratitude and farewell to our outgoing parish priest.”

Who is Fr. Leny Escalada?

Fr. Escalada is a Filipino Capuchin priest from General Santos City, Philippines, and a familiar figure to many Filipino Catholics in Dubai. He belongs to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap.), made his perpetual profession in 1997, and was ordained to the priesthood on April 2, 2005. He studied Philosophy at Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City and completed his theological studies at St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary in Davao City. Before his appointment as parish priest, Fr. Escalada served as Spiritual Director of the St. Mary’s Filipino Community beginning August 2021, a role that placed him at the heart of pastoral care for one of the church’s largest language communities. He has also presided over major Filipino religious gatherings, including Philippine Independence Day Thanksgiving Masses in the UAE. Fr. Escalada’s appointment is historically significant. He is only the second Filipino priest to serve as parish priest of St. Mary’s Catholic Church since its establishment. The first was Rev. Fr. Tomasito “Tom” Veneracion, OFM Cap., who led the parish from 2009 to 2014. Fr. Veneracion was installed on July 1, 2009, and served for more than five years before completing his term in October 2014. While other Filipino priests have held key leadership roles at St. Mary’s, they did not serve as parish priest, which is the church’s chief pastoral and administrative position. Among them was Fr. Chito Bartolo, OFM Cap., who served as spiritual director of the Filipino community for seven years before being appointed parish priest of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi in 2021. ICA/Expat Media
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