Pictured, from left, Father Mark Gantley, Msgr. Gary Secor, Bishop Julio Angkel, Father Bruce Roby and Sacred Hearts Father Lane Akiona. (HCH photo|Anna Weaver)
The new coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of the Caroline Islands made an official visit to the Diocese of Honolulu’s central offices on July 26.
Bishop Julio Angkel, who was installed on Feb. 4, was on Oahu for a weeklong visit in July with the Chuukese Catholic Community here.
The visit included a July 28 community celebration at Halawa District Park and a “first Mass” celebrated by Bishop Angkel at Holy Family Parish in Honolulu on July 29.
During his visit to the diocese’s chancery, Bishop Angkel met with judicial vicar Father Mark Gantley, vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor, visiting priest Father Bruce Roby, the first Chuukese priest ordained in the U.S., and Sacred Hearts Father Lane Akiona, pastor of St. Augustine, Waikiki.
Father Gantley helped establish the Chuukese Catholic Community in Hawaii and Father Akiona is the community’s chaplain.
The Diocese of the Caroline Islands includes Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia, the latter of which includes Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae.
As coadjutor bishop, Bishop Angkel will become the Caroline Islands’ bishop upon the death or retirement of current Bishop Amando Samo. Bishop Angkel is from Chuuk originally.