Bishop Larry Silva has appointed Father Mark J. Gantley, a priest of the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, who has been working in the Diocese of Las Vegas for the past six years, as the new judicial vicar for the Diocese of Honolulu. He arrived in Hawaii on Aug. 28.

According to vicar general Father Marc Alexander, his appointment, which is listed in this issue of the Hawaii Catholic Herald in the bishop’s “Official notices” column (page 2), was effective Sept. 1 and will last “2-3 years.”

He replaces Father Joseph A. Grimaldi who is “on loan” to the Diocese of Monterey where he works as a hospital chaplain.

As judicial vicar, Father Gantley, 42, will head the diocese tribunal office acting as chief diocesan judge, primarily in marriage cases. He will live at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace rectory in Honolulu. His office is at St. Stephen Diocesan Center.

Father Gantley was ordained in 1991 in Syracuse where he served as an associate pastor in three parishes for 10 years. In 2001, he moved to the Diocese of Las Vegas to work as an associate pastor and parish administrator.

Studying over the course of four summers at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Father Gantley earned his licentiate in canon law, or J.C.L. degree there in 1998.

A judicial vicar must be a priest and must have a licentiate in canon law.

In the Diocese of Syracuse, Father Gantley was a judge in the tribunal, where he ruled in marriage cases and revised and updated diocesan procedures. In Las Vegas, he helped write policies for marriage preparation and the sacraments of initiation.

Father Gantley is also listed as one of about 25 “Catholic experts” on Eternal Word Television Network’s (EWTN) Internet website where he answers viewers’ questions on canonical and liturgical matters.