By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Ten of Hawaii’s 66 parishes will receive new pastors or priest administrators on July 1, the traditional start of new clergy assignments in the Diocese of Honolulu. Six will welcome new parochial vicars, formally called associate pastors. This year also saw four additional new pastor and administrator assignments before July.
With the new appointments, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts will give up its administration of two central Oahu parishes and take on the administration of another. (See story on this page.)
Other changes reflected in these assignments are the moving of parish priests to diocesan administrative positions and of diocesan administrators to parishes.
All these appointments were made or approved by Bishop Larry Silva and announced in the Official Notices of the Hawaii Catholic Herald over the past few months.
New pastors
The pastors taking their new assignments on July 1 are as follows. All are priests of the Diocese of Honolulu unless otherwise noted.
- Sacred Hearts Father Santhosh Thottankara, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pearl City.
- Father Pascual Abaya, rector/pastor, Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, taking the position previously held by vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor, who will now serve as vicar general full time.
- Father Paul Li, St. Philomena Parish, Honolulu.
- Blessed Sacrament Father Samuel Loterte, St. Theresa Parish, Mountain View.
- Father Manuel Hewe, Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, Honolulu.
- La Salette Father Edwin Conselva, St. Theresa Parish, Kekaha.
Three pastors named earlier this year were Father EJ Resinto for Sacred Heart Parish, Punahou, replacing retiring Father Gordian Carvalho on Jan. 1; Father Alfred Guerrero for Holy Spirit Parish/Newman Center at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, also on Jan. 1, replacing retiring Father Jack Ryan; and Father Rheo Ofalsa of Holy Family Parish, Honolulu, on Feb. 5, replacing Father John Leveke.
New administrators
The new administrators, priests usually of other dioceses who have the same responsibilities of pastors, taking their assignments on July 1 are as follows:
- Father Siegfried Dosdos of the Diocese of Butuan, Philippines, St. Benedict Parish, Honaunau, with its mission of St. John the Baptist, Kealakekua.
- Father Diego Restrepo of the Diocese of Jerico, Colombia, St. John the Baptist Parish, Kalihi.
- Father Falaniko Atonio of the Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Wahiawa.
- Father Ernesto Juarez of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, Philippines, St. Michael Parish, Waialua.
Administrators appointed earlier this year are Father Thomas Joseph for St. Pius X Parish, Manoa, effective Jan. 1, and Sacred Hearts Father Clyde Guerreiro, for St. Damien of Molokai Parish, Kaunakakai, starting Feb. 1.
Parochial vicars
The new parochial vicars starting July 1 are as follows:
- Sacred Hearts Father Joseph Pasala, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pearl City.
- Father Noe Acosta of the Diocese of Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico, St. Michael Parish, Kailua-Kona.
- Father Clement Beeri of the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ghana, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Honolulu.
- Blessed Sacrament Father Anthony Pangan, Sacred Heart Parish, Punahou, and its Maryknoll School.
- Father Romple Emwalu, St. Elizabeth Parish, Aiea.
- Father Vincent Anh Vu, St. Jude Parish, Kapolei.
Two other parochial vicar assignments were made earlier this year. They are:
- Father Clarence Zamora, temporary parochial vicar of St. Jude Parish, Kapolei, Jan. 15-June 30.
- Blessed Sacrament Father Apolinario Ty, St. Joseph Church, Hilo, Feb. 22.
Other appointments
Here are other priest appointments which start July 1:
- Gregorio Honorio as vicar for clergy of the Diocese of Honolulu, switching places with Father Manuel Hewe who was named pastor of the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa.
- Father Moses Akebule, of the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ghana, to diocesan hospital ministry.
- Father Ornoldo Cherrez of the Apostolic Vicariate of Galapagos, Ecuador, as chaplain of the Maui Hispanic Community.
- Father Rico Bernadez of the Diocese of Tagum, Philippines, as a chaplain for St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii.
On June 1, Father Joseph Diaz of the Diocese of Tagum, Philippines, was named director of vocations of the Diocese of Honolulu, replacing Father Ofalsa who was assigned as pastor of Holy Family Church.
Bishop Silva also announced the appointments of two new vicars forane, pastors representing a geographical group of parishes called vicariates. Father Manuel Hewe will be vicar forane of the West Honolulu Vicariate, July 1 to June 30, 2022. Blessed Sacrament Father Wilbert Laroga will be vicar forane of the East Hawaii Island Vicariate, July 1 to June 30, 2022.
Permanent deacons
A few permanent deacons saw changes in ministries or status this year.
- Deacon Keith Cabiles was named chancellor of the Diocese of Honolulu, Jan. 1, replacing Deacon Walter Yoshimitsu who retired Dec. 31.
- Deacon William Friese was appointed diocesan director of Prison Ministry, Jan. 1, replacing Deacon Efrain Andrews who resigned from that position Dec. 31.
- Deacon Wallace Mitsui retired from diaconal ministry Dec. 31.
- Deacon Gerald (Gary) Streff was assigned to St. Elizabeth Parish, Aiea, March 1, replacing Deacon Joaquin Borja, who died last October.
- Deacon Ron Paglinawan retired June 1.
