HCH/Anna Weaver
Bishop Larry Silva’s assistant Joy Bulosan in her office with her fourth floor co-workers behind her, from left, Brendan Porick, Rachel Bannigan, Elina Simon and Darlene Cachola.
Bishop’s new assistant operates at ‘diocese’s highest levels’
By Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald
Bishop Larry Silva has a new go-to person with his appointment on Oct. 19 of Joy Bulosan as his administrative assistant.
Bulosan is no stranger to the diocesan chancery. Since 2007 she has been vicar general Father Marc Alexander’s executive assistant. Prior to that job, Bulosan lived in Japan for four years where she worked at Osaka Gakuin University as a visiting lecturer fellow. From 2000-2003 she was the Manoa-Punahou Catholic Community’s general administrator.
Bulosan has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in communications. She replaces Karren Ransom, who was in the position since Nov. 3, 2008.
Bulosan answered a few questions by e-mail about her new job and overseeing the workings of the chancery’s fourth floor, where the offices of Bishop Silva, Father Alexander, vicar for clergy Father Khanh Hoang, and their assistants are located.
Can you give a brief description of the bishop and vicar general’s office operations?
We’ve been making adjustments to our administrative team to find the best fit for all of the offices on the fourth floor. Since I have moved to the position of administrative assistant to the bishop, Elina Simon has moved into my former position as executive assistant to the vicar general. Darlene Cachola remains as the administrative assistant to the Office of Clergy. We also have two young office clerks, Rachel Bannigan and Brendan Porick, who assist us with mailing, filing, answering phone calls and using technology to make us so much more efficient. As a team, we are called upon to communicate, plan and organize at the diocese’s highest levels.
What are your expectations of your new job?
It keeps me on my toes. I’m just hoping that I’m the “fit” Bishop Silva is looking for. I remember my first day I was in the midst of all of the Damien canonization events when I heard the cathedral’s noon bells ringing. It felt like I had been working 15 minutes and not four hours.
What do you think the challenges will be?
My biggest challenge is probably to buy back as much time for the bishop as possible. He is such a busy man, and I challenge myself to understand the dynamics of our church, the priorities of the diocese and the priorities of the bishop.