Bishop Checchio announces new priestly appointments

METUCHEN – Bishop James F. Checchio has announced the following priestly appointments. Unless otherwise noted, all appointments are effective July 1, 2024.

May God continue to grant these priests and all clergy in our diocese the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, the words needed to proclaim the Gospel, and joy in their hearts as they minister to His people.

Newly ordained:

• Reverend Steven Bolton, CO, newly ordained priest, to Parochial Vicar, Holy Trinity Parish, Bridgewater, and Vice Rector, Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan,     

• Reverend Randy Gamboa Espinoza, newly ordained priest, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Magdalen de Pazzi Parish, Flemington,  

• Reverend Thien Ban (Joseph) Ho, newly ordained priest, to Parochial Vicar, Immaculate Conception Parish, Spotswood,     

• Reverend Larrydom Magdasoc, newly ordained priest, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Bernard of Clarirvaux Parish, Bridgewater,  

• Reverend Dawid Malik, newly ordained priest, to Parochial Vicar, Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, Metuchen,  and

• Reverend Van Ai (Peter) Phan, newly ordained priest, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Bartholomew Parish, East Brunswick.

• Reverend Cyril Offiong, SDV to Administrator, Saint Anthony of Padua Parish, Port Reading, effective August 1,

• Reverend Jason Pavich, from Administrator, Saint Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish, New Brunswick, to Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Whitehouse Station, effective August 1, and

• Reverend Michael Tabernero, from Director of Catholic Identity, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School,  Edison, to Pastor, Saint Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish, New Brunswick, effective August 1.
  
  

 Parochial Vicars, Teachers, and Other Priestly Assignments:

• Reverend Jun Joseph Alquiros, from Parochial Vicar, Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, to Theology Teacher, Immaculata High School, Somerville; Father Alquiros will reside at Our Lady of the Mount Parish, Warren,

• Reverend Keith Cervine, from Interim President, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Edison, to Executive Secretary, College of Consultors, while remaining as Pastor, Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale, 

• Reverend Timothy Eck, II, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Bartholomew Parish, East Brunswick, to Theology Teacher, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Edison, while remaining as Director, Office of Divine Worship; Father Eck will reside at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, South Plainfield, 

• Reverend Joseph Illes, from Parochial Vicar, Immaculate Conception Parish, Somerville, and Director of Catholic Identity, Immaculata High School, Somerville to Advanced Studies, Catholic University of America, effective June 1,

• Reverend Wilson Jerusalem, released from ministry as Parochial Vicar, Saint Philip and Saint James Parish, Philipsburg, to return to his home diocese,

• Reverend Imre Juhasz, at the request of his Archbishop, released from service as Parochial Vicar, Holy Family Parish, New Brunswick, and Coordinator of the Diocesan Hungarian Apostolate, while continuing to offer Mass and other Sacramental Ministry to the Hungarian community at Holy Family Parish, effective August 1,

• Reverend David Keyes, to Director of Catholic Identity, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Edison, while continuing as a Theology Teacher at that same high school,

• Reverend Vibin Kollannur, SDV, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Cecelia Parish, Iselin, to ministry as assigned by his religious order,

• Reverend Oliver Lacorte, released from ministry as Parochial Vicar, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Parish, Bridgewater, to return to his home diocese, effective June 10,

• Reverend Jose Lim, from graduate studies, Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, to Parochial Vicar, Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale,  

• Reverend Matthew Marinelli, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Magdalen de Pazzi Parish, Flemington, to Parochial Vicar, Parish of the Visitation, New Brunswick, and part time Chaplain, The Catholic Center at Rutgers,

• Reverend Ignatius Okoroji, SDV, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Cecelia Parish, Iselin,

• Reverend Gustavo Rodriguez Perez, from Parochial Vicar, Parish of the Visitation, New Brunswick, to part-time Parochial Vicar, Immaculate Conception Parish, Somerville, while remaining as Coordinator of Hispanic Evangelization,

• Reverend Fredy Triana Beltran, CO, from Parochial Vicar, Immaculate Conception Parish, Spotswood, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Philip and Saint James Parish, Philipsburg, 

• Reverend James Tucker, from Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Fords, to Catholic Chaplain, Parker at Somerset, while continuing in ministry in the Tribunal; Father Tucker will reside at Our Lady of Peace Parish, North Brunswick, effective October 1, and

• Reverend Ronal Vega Pastrana, from part-time Theology Teacher, Immaculata High School, Somerville, to part-time ministry in the Office of Hispanic Evangelization while continuing as Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Bernardsville.

• Reverend Robert Gorman, effective June 15,

• Reverend Kenneth Kolibas, effective October 1,

• Reverend Leonard Rusay, effective August 1,

• Reverend William Smith, effective August 1, and

• Reverend Michael Venditti, effective July 1.