Father Marvin Samiano, Father Steve Nguyen, Father Mark Gantley

Father Marvin Samiano named as diocese’s new judicial vicar

By Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald

Bishop Larry Silva has appointed Father Marvin Samiano as judicial vicar for the Diocese of Honolulu and the director of the Office of Canonical Affairs starting on July 1. He replaces Father Mark Gantley, a priest of the Diocese of Syracuse, who has held those positions since September 2007.

Father Samiano, who was named a tribunal judge on June 1, will work full-time in his new position. Father Steve Nguyen was appointed for a three-year term to assist him as a part-time tribunal judge.

The judicial vicar is the chief judge and judicial officer in the diocese, second only to the bishop. Judicial vicars must be priests with a licentiate degree in canon law.

Father Samiano earned his licentiate in canon law from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in May. Father Nguyen completed his canon law degree from the same university a semester earlier and is the associate pastor at St. Anthony Parish in Kailua.

Bishop Silva hired Father Gantley as an interim judicial vicar while the two diocesan priests finished their degrees. He took over from Father Joseph Grimaldi who left Hawaii to serve in the Diocese of Monterey, California

Vicar general Father Marc Alexander said that Father Gantley has done much more than act as a placeholder in his nearly two years in the diocese.

“He’s helped us to see canon law as a real gift and resource for the mission of the church rather than something that’s restrictive and punitive,” he said. “He takes canon law and makes it very accessible to people.”

Father Alexander said Father Gantley’s accomplishments include restructuring the tribunal office, developing the tribunal staff, and revising marriage policies. He also led the Mission Cooperative Program, which oversees requests made by outside mission groups wanting to solicit aid in the diocese, and reorganized Hawaii’s Catholic lay associations.

The vicar general added that Father Gantley not only knows his law but “finds a way to try and help people” with it particularly in the many marriage annulment cases that come through the tribunal.

After July 1, Father Gantley returns to parish work in the Diocese of Las Vegas, where he had been assigned prior to coming to Hawaii.

“We’re confident that those succeeding him will build on what he’s done for the diocese,” Father Alexander said.

Assisting Fathers Samiano and Nguyen in the tribunal office are Mary Duddy, moderator of the tribunal chancery, and Lori Gress, secretary and ecclesiastical notary. Duddy’s moderator position was created under Father Gantley.