Summer will be a season of change, as a slew of new priest assignments will bring shifts in clergy staffing to about a third of Hawaii’s 66 parishes, mostly beginning July 1.
Bishop Larry Silva has appointed new pastors or administrators for 13 parishes. In addition, two Kauai parishes and one on Oahu will also receive new pastors as a result of shuffling assignments by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette.
Here’s a rundown of parishes that will receive new pastors or administrators. Parish responsibilities are the same for both titles, but priests who are administrators are not appointed for a term of office.
- St. John the Baptist, Kalihi — Father Juan Pablo Galeano, administrator. He is a priest of the Diocese of Jerico, Colombia. Father Galeano came to Hawaii in 2011. His most recent assignment has been as administrator at Our Lady of Lourdes, Honokaa, Big Island.
- Our Lady of Lourdes, Honokaa — Jesuit Father Joseph Selvan Durai Raj, administrator. He is from the Jesuit Madurai Province of Tamil Nadu, India. Father Raj has been parochial vicar at St. Elizabeth, Aiea, since he arrived in the Islands last year.
- St. Theresa, Mountain View — Father Paul Li, pastor. Originally from China, he was ordained for the Diocese of Honolulu in 2007. He has been pastor at St. Roch, Kahuku, for the past four years.
- St. Roch, Kahuku — Father Anastasio Postrano, administrator. He is a priest of the Diocese of Tagum, Philippines.
- St. John Vianney, Kailua — Father Peter Miti, pastor. A native of Zambia, he was ordained for the Diocese of Honolulu in 2007. One of his first assignments was as parochial vicar at St. John Vianney. Father Miti has been pastor at St. Philomena, Salt Lake, since 2011.
- St. Philomena, Salt Lake — Father Rico Bernadez, administrator. He is from the Diocese of Tagum. Father Bernadez arrived in Hawaii last September and has been working as parochial vicar at St. Anthony, Kailua.
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Papaikou, and St. Anthony, Papaaloa — Father Themistocles “Tim” Tuyac, administrator. He is from the Diocese of Tagum. Father Tuyac has been serving as parochial vicar at St. Jude, Kapolei, since arriving in Hawaii in 2014.
- Sacred Heart, Pahoa — Jesuit Father Michael Scully, administrator. A priest of the Jesuits’ California Province, he has been in Hawaii for more than a decade. Father Scully was most recently assigned last July as pastor at Sacred Heart, Hawi.
- Sacred Heart, Hawi — Father Elias Escanilla, administrator. He is a priest of the Diocese of Sorsogon, Philippines. Father Escanilla has been administrator at Holy Rosary, Paia, Maui, since his arrival in 2009.
- Holy Rosary, Paia — Father Cipriano Alnas, administrator. He is from the Diocese of Laoag, Philippines.
- St. Mary, Hana — Father Moses Akebule, administrator. He is from the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ghana.
- St. Theresa, Kekaha — Father Emerson de los Reyes, administrator. He is from the Diocese of Tagum and came to Hawaii last September. Father de los Reyes has been parochial vicar at St. Michael, Kona.
- St. Joseph, Makawao — Father Jaime Jose, administrator. He is from the Diocese of Laoag.
- St. Theresa, Kekaha, and St. Joseph, Makawao, have been turned over to diocesan clergy after being run for many years by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette.
La Salette priests will begin new assignments as pastors July 1 at the following parishes:
- St. Raphael, Koloa — Father Arlan Intal. He arrived in Hawaii in April to serve temporarily at St. Anthony, Kalihi, upon the departure of St. Anthony pastor Father Manuel Dela Cruz, who became the La Salette director of novices in the Philippines.
- St. Anthony, Kalihi — Father Arnel Soriano. He has been pastor at St. Theresa, Kekaha, since 2011.
- Immaculate Conception, Lihue — Father Edison Pamintuan. Immaculate Conception parish previously was administered by a diocesan priest.
In addition to the 16 parishes receiving new pastors or administrators, eight will welcome new parochial vicars, formerly called associate pastors, this summer. They are:
- St. Joseph, Makawao — Father Gregorio Apuya. He is from the Diocese of Laoag. Father Apuya has served as pastor of Sacred Heart, Pahoa, since 2012.
- St. Michael, Kona — Father Diego Alejandro Restrepo Serna and Father Ornoldo Cherrez. Father Serna is from the Diocese of Jerico, Colombia. Father Cherrez hails from the Apostolic Vicariate of Galapagos, Ecuador.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach — Father Santiago Agoo. He is from the Prelature of Isabela de Basilan, Philippines.
- St. Jude, Kapolei — Father Joseph Ayinpuusa. He is from the Diocese Navrongo-Bolgatanga.
- St. Joseph, Waipahu — La Salette Father Geronimo “Eric” Castro. He has been pastor at St. Joseph, Makawao, since 2009.
- Christ the King, Kahului — La Salette Father Edwin Conselva. In January he became the first man from Hawaii to be ordained for the La Salette Philippine province.
- St. Ann, Kaneohe — Sacred Hearts Father Edward Popish. He was ordained in Hawaii 25 years ago, taking on assignments abroad before returning in 2013. He has been parochial vicar at St. Augustine, Waikiki.
- St. Anthony, Kailua — Father Nicholas “Nick” Brown. It is his first parish assignment since being ordained May 22.
All of the parochial vicars will begin their assignments July 1, except for Sacred Hearts Father Popish and Father Brown, who started at their new parishes June 1, and Father Cherrez, who began working at St. Michael last month.
