Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney installed Father Vidal Gonzales, Jr. as pastor of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township on Aug. 3 during a Mass he celebrated on Aug. 3.
Father Sean McDonnell, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Lake Hopatcong, and Father Alex Nevitt, administrator of St. Bonaventure Parish, concelebrated the Mass. Father Jose M. Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, was master of ceremonies.
Deacon Eric Kispert and Deacon Joe Harris, both of Notre Dame, assisted with the liturgy. The Knights of Columbus also participated in the Mass.
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Bishop Sweeney named Father Gonzales pastor of Notre Dame last year.
A native of the Philippines, Father Gonzales was ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 2009, by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli. He was appointed parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic in 2009 and of St. Therese in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township in 2011.
Father Gonzales became the administrator of St. Jude Parish in Hopatcong in 2013. He was elevated to pastor the following year. In 2018, He was appointed pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Sparta.
In 2014, Father Gonzales was named diocesan consultant to the Diocesan Commission for Catholic Filipino Ministries, while continuing as pastor of St. Jude and then St. Kateri.
Father Gonzales, in 2017, was named assistant diocesan vocations director and Vocations Board member for more than two years while pastor of St. Kateri.
In 2023, Father Gonzales was appointed to the diocesan Priest Personnel Board for a two-year term, serving as pastor of St. Kateri and later Notre Dame.
