Starting July 1, the Diocese of Honolulu will have a new vicariate when the Leeward Oahu Vicariate is split in two into the Leeward Oahu and Central Oahu vicariates. Each division will encompass six parishes.

In announcing the change, Bishop Larry Silva said that Leeward Oahu is the largest vicariate and “continues to experience rapid population growth.” He added that the vicars throughout the diocese advised that it would be “pastorally expedient” to divide the vicariate.

The decision brings the number of Hawaii vicariates — geographical groupings of parishes overseen by one of its pastors called a “vicar forane” — to nine.

The new Central Oahu Vicariate will include the parishes of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pearl City; Our Lady of Sorrows in Wahiawa; Resurrection of the Lord in Waipio; St. Elizabeth in Aiea; St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in Mililani; and St. Michael in Waialua and its Sts. Peter and Paul Mission at Waimea Bay.

Father Larry Fisher, who is retiring as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, said that his parishioners would sometimes get confused when told that their central Oahu church fell within the Leeward Vicariate.

“To be lumped with Leeward is kind of a misnomer,” he said. Beyond clearing up the confusion, Father Fisher said he thinks the change “will make it a little easier to work with six parishes rather than 12 parishes.”

The new Leeward Oahu Vicariate will have the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Ewa; Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ewa Beach; Sacred Heart in Waianae; St. Joseph in Waipahu; St. Jude in Makakilo; and St. Rita in Nanakuli.

St. Rita’s pastor, Father Alapaki Kim, thinks the split is “a wise decision.”

“I think in terms of future planning it is big,” Father Kim said, citing studies done by the diocese showing that the present Leeward Oahu vicariate could rival the population size of Honolulu in another 20 years. “I think it’s good planning to start organizing for that contingency now.”

The outgoing administrator of St. Jude Parish and newly appointed vicar for clergy Father Khanh Hoang said, “We [in the Leeward Vicariate] have been talking a long time about sharing the ministry, sharing the resources. I think that [new vicariate] will enable the parishes to do that in a smaller chunk.”

The bishop has also assigned new vicars and Diocesan Pastoral Council members for both vicariates, effective July 1.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help pastor Father Scott Bush becomes the Leeward vicar, and new St. John Apostle and Evangelist administrator Father Manuel Hewe will be vicar of Central Oahu.

The Diocesan Pastoral Council’s current Leeward Oahu representative Linda Cacpal will be the Central Oahu representative, and Bernadette Galang will join the council as the Leeward Oahu representative.

The other vicariates are Windward Oahu, East Honolulu, West Honolulu, Maui (including Lanai and Molokai), East Hawaii, West Hawaii and Kauai.