Thomas L. Gross
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Thomas L. Gross is a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. He was born in Minnesota and later ordained to the priesthood in 1975 as a member of the Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross (Crosier Fathers). He moved to Hawai‘i and was assigned as parochial vicar to his first parish, Saints Peter and Paul in Pawa‘a in 1985. After being incardinated into the Diocese of Honolulu, he was later named pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Church. He was subsequently appointed as pastor of Saint John Vianney Church in Keolu Hills. He was appointed as one of two vicars general by Msgr. Francis DiLorenzo.
In accordance with Canon law, Father Gross was elected diocesan Administrator by the diocesan College of Consultors on May 28, 2004 during the vacancy left by Msgr. DiLorenzo. Gross was the first non-episcopal cleric to lead the Diocese of Honolulu and its 66 parishes consisting of about 233,000 Roman and Eastern rite Catholics since the founding of the diocese in 1941. As diocesan Administrator, Father Gross' exercise of ordinary jurisdiction was limited; if effect he could not appoint wew pastors or purchase or sell church assets. Bishop Clarence Silva re-appointed Father Gross as one of his two vicars general. Father Gross will step down as Vicar General on February 1, 2006, the date that Father Marc R. Alexander assumes that office.
