By Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald

Alfred Guerrero has always been ahead of his game. The college student has been teaching religious education since he was an eighth grader, sat on parish committees in his early teens, and took college courses while still in high school. Now, at age 19, Guerrero is the right-hand man of the rector of Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu, Father William Kunisch.

“I’ve felt this call to serve,” he said, since he was a young altar server.

Though baptized Episcopalian, Guerrero grew up attending Mass at the co-cathedral. After his family started going to Our Lady of the Mount Church in Kalihi Valley, he became involved in the parish’s youth group.

At the same time he was finishing his preparations for reception into the Catholic Church, Guerrero was helping teach catechism. After he became Catholic in 2001, he became even more involved in parish life, teaching religious education classes, serving on several committees, and acting as the Oahu youth vice-president of FACE — Faith Action for Community Equity.

Guerrero began working at the co-cathedral’s reception desk in April 2007. In November, Father Kunisch created the “assistant to the rector” position for him. The job has five areas of responsibility: religious education coordinator; pastoral care work such as baptisms, funerals and annulment advocacy; master of ceremonies at many co-cathedral liturgies and overseeing other liturgical ministries; office administration; and what he calls “other assigned duties.”

He said that when people find out he’s only 19, they are often surprised and he guesses a little impressed. Guerrero doesn’t enjoy the paperwork the job requires but likes meeting and working with a diverse group of people at the parish.

“It touches me down deep when I in turn can touch these people,” he said.

Being assistant to the rector is a full-time, paid position, but Guerrero still manages on Mondays and Wednesdays to attend Honolulu Community College, where he’s gone since graduating from Farrington High School in 2006. He said when he gets stressed with school and the 40 to 60 hours a week he puts in at the co-cathedral, he hangs out with his friends, goes to the beach, or “I just sleep on it.”

Father Kunisch describes Guerrero as humble, very mature, and excellent at his job.

“He helps all of us see the big picture and helps us move forward together,” he said.

With his large experience in church ministry, it’s not surprising to learn that Guerrero plans to enter Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon in fall 2009 to study for the priesthood for the Diocese of Honolulu. Right now he’s taking general liberal arts courses at HCC that he hopes will all transfer to the seminary.

But he says some of the best preparation he has now for being a priest is his current job.

“You deal with people all the time. You see the ups and downs,” he said. “If I do become a priest, it will make this job that much more fulfilling. It won’t just be a job; it’ll be a ministry and a lifestyle.”