By Darlene J.M. Dela Cruz
Hawaii Catholic Herald
About one out of every five parishes in the Diocese of Honolulu will receive new priests this summer, the traditional time for clergy assignments.
Six Island parishes out of 66 will change pastors and six others will welcome new parochial vicars, formerly called associate pastors, as new assignments for priests take effect.
The following clergy changes and appointments announced by Bishop Larry Silva take effect July 1:
- Father Dennis Koshko, a priest of the Diocese of Honolulu for more than four decades, is slated to retire July 1. Father Koshko, 70, has been pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Kuliouou since 2011.
- Taking over as pastor at Holy Trinity will be Capuchin Franciscan Father Michel Dalton. Father Dalton comes to the East Honolulu parish after his time as pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Ewa, West Oahu, since 2009.
- Father Nicholas Brown will be the new pastor at Immaculate Conception Church. Father Brown was ordained a priest last May; his first assignment since has been as parochial vicar at St. Anthony Church in Kailua.
- Set to replace Father Brown at St. Anthony is Father Ernesto Juarez, who arrived this month from the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, Philippines.
- Father Santiago Agoo, a priest of the Prelate of Isabela de Basilan in the Philippines, will be leaving Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Ewa Beach, where he has been parochial vicar upon arriving in Hawaii last year. Father Agoo will now serve as administrator of Sacred Heart Church in Waianae.
Parish responsibilities are the same for priests with the titles of “pastor” or “administrator,” but priests who are administrators generally belong to a diocese other than the Diocese of Honolulu or are in a similar less permanent arrangement.
- Father Ramon Francisco, current administrator at Sacred Heart, Waianae, has been appointed parochial vicar at St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church in Mililani.
Deacon EJ Resinto, a diocesan seminarian scheduled to be ordained a priest July 9, will serve his first priestly assignment as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Perpetual Help beginning July 25.
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament announced the following appointments effective July 1:
- Father Samuel Loterte, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Hilo since 2009, will move to Aiea as parochial vicar of St. Elizabeth Church.
- Father Paterno Labasano, currently parochial vicar at St. Joseph, will head to Mary, Star of the Sea Parish in Waialae-Kahala as parochial vicar. Father Labasano had served in previous years at the East Honolulu parish.
- Father Wilbert Laroga will become pastor of St. Joseph. Father Laroga travels to Hilo after a term as parochial vicar at Mary, Star of the Sea.
- Father Zaldy B. Norba will be the new parochial vicar at St. Joseph.
The Missionaries of Faith order has appointed Father Chacko Muthootil pastor of St. Rita parish in Haiku, Maui, starting July 1.
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts has assigned beginning Sept. 1 Father Ajith Kumar Antony Dass as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Wahiawa. Father Dass has been parochial vicar at St. Ann Church in Kaneohe since last year.
