Father Norbert Lacuesta Leyrita, age 87, entered eternal life on Oct. 10, 2019. Father Leyrita was born on June 6, 1932 in Lambunac Iloilo Philippines, the son of Simeon and Candida Lacuesta Leyrita. He was ordained a priest on Dec. 21, 1963 by Bishop Manuel Yab at St. Sebastian Cathedral, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines.
Father Leyrita came to the United States in 1976 to serve in the Diocese of Grand Rapids. In April 1976, his first assignment was as associate pastor of St. Francis de Sales (Holland). In June 1976, he was appointed chaplain at Hackley Hospital in Muskegon. In February 1979, he was appointed administrator of St. Joseph Parish (Weare) and St. Vincent Mission (Pentwater). In June 1982, he was appointed administrator of St. Jerome Parish (Scottville) and St. John Cantius Parish (Free Soil), and in June 1988, as administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Shelby) and Our Lady of the Assumption Parish (Rothbury). In July 1994, he was appointed to serve full-time in Hispanic ministry with residence at St. John the Baptist (Hubbardston). In July 1995, he was appointed administrator of St. Anthony Parish (Saranac).
On March 6, 2001, Father Leyrita was incardinated in the Diocese of Grand Rapids and given senior priest status on July 3, 2001. (See below for information about incardination.)
Funeral arrangements:
Visitation:
Wednesday, October 16, 4 – 8 p.m. with the rosary at 7:30 p.m.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church
3000 Winston Rd.
Rothbury, MI 49452-9721
Mass of Christian Burial:
Thursday, October 17, 11 a.m.
Bishop David Walkowiak presiding
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church (see above for address)
Burial at Our Lady of the Assumption Cemetery
May Father Leyrita now rest in eternal peace and enjoy the fullness of the glory of the Lord he served. Please remember him in your prayers.
About incardination:
An ordained priest or deacon may be excardinated from one diocesan Church and incardinated into another at the judgment of the local ordinaries, i.e. the diocesan bishops. Once this occurred, canonically, Father Leyrita became a priest of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, subject to the authority of the presiding bishop and his successors. For more information, see Canons 265, 266.1, 267.1, 268.1, 269.
