Father Lito Says Goodbye to St. Paschal, Hillcrest Hospital

The Rev. Joselito Hitosis, who arrived here in 2008 to help at Church in Highland Heights, has been assigned back to his native Philippines.

Part of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, the Rev. Hitosis was on loan to the Province of Saint Ann and was known to many as "Father Lito."

"It was kind of an adjustment at first," he said of his time here, which included serving as a chaplain at . "I really appreciated the people working with me."

In a column he wrote last year for the Province of St. Ann Newsletter, the Rev. Hitosis said that he discovered how significant his presence was to people in need at the hospital.

"I discovered a lot of medical issues that can be discussed with families in their moment of need," he wrote. "They often ask me to sit with them and assist them in whatever discernment and decisions they are trying to make for the good of their loved ones. For me, this is a real learning experience and a precious moment."

The Rev. Hitosis said it can be very demanding to minister to sick people and those in need.

On his new assignment, he will be working with students.

"I'll be a chaplain in the Catholic University of the Philippines," he said. "It's a big challenge, actually. We plan the whole program."