Funeral services will be held Jan. 30 in Holy Innocents Church, 3455 West Bangs Ave., Neptune, for Father Leon S. Buni, a priest of the Diocese, who died Jan. 24 in Toms River. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue to 11 at which time a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated.

Father Buni was born in 1950 in Panay, Capiz, Philippines. He prepared for the priesthood in St. Pius X Seminary, Roxas City, and St. Vincent Seminary, both in the Philippines.

He was ordained a priest March 19, 1975, in Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Roxas City, by Bishop Antonio F. Frondosa, and served in the Philippines until 1986.

Upon arriving to the Trenton Diocese, Father Buni served as a parochial vicar in St. Dominic Parish, Brick; St. Mary Parish, Middletown; St. Mary of the Lake Parish, Lakewood; St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville; St. Raphael Parish (now part of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish), Hamilton; St. Joseph Parish, Toms River; Christ the King Parish, Long Branch; St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, and Holy Innocents Parish, where he had been assigned since July 1.

Father Buni has also served as administrator of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel; chaplain for the Serra Club of Trenton and chaplain of Morris Hall/St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center, Lawrenceville.