The Holy Catholic Priest

I saw him climb the altar steps His white head bowed in prayer,
His hands, those grace full hands of his Bless all assembled there.
And in his face, that holy face, I saw the years gone by
And all the love and sacrifice They meant for you and I.
The Sacred Host, the Golden Cup Raised time and time again,
The hallowed feet that rush to serve In ways that never end.
We thank you, God, for this great gift To say the very least,
The incense of humanity
The Holy Catholic Priest.

Kate Watkins Furman

Check out Ed's beautiful blog for another of Ms. Furman's poems on the Holy Catholic Church. Click here

Ash Wednesday at Cathedral

Procession, with Bishop Larry as the presider at the 12 noon Mass. The five altar servers are my children. It is always a joy for them to serve at Mass, an honor to do as homeschoolers.

8 Questions for Father Joe Hennen

Photo Source and article courtesy of the Hawaii Catholic Herald

Father Joseph Hennen, 69, hails from Ghent, Minn., where he and his four brothers and one sister grew up. He attended the Crosier House of Studies and St. Francis University in Fort Wayne, Ind., and was ordained a Crosier priest in 1967. He later worked for 22 years in an adolescent drug treatment program in Daytop, N.J. In 2003, Father Joe began assisting regularly during Christmas, Easter, and summer at St. Theresa in Kihei. He moved to Hawaii in 2008 and is the resident priest at Malia Puka O Kalani Parish in Keaukaha, Hawaii.

5. Who is your favorite saint?

She’s not a saint yet, but Mother Marianne Cope is my favorite holy person. I have chronic lymphocytic leukemia. When I spoke with Bishop Larry four years ago about joining the diocese and told of my disease, he said, “You need a cure and Blessed Marianne needs another miracle for her canonization. Let’s get the two of you together!” That’s the first I’d heard of her. Since that day, she’s become my best friend. She’s one fantastic woman, who lived the words on my ordination card. I wish I could be half the person she was. I made a retreat to her Syracuse motherhouse and will go again soon.

You can read the rest of Father's answers to the 8 questions here

Please keep Father Joe in your prayers.

New Blog Added to the Sidebar - Me - A Priest of Jesus Christ?

Me- A Priest of Jesus Christ?

A Catholic Priest gives a little encouragement to the reluctant young man called to be a Priest

Father Daren is Back in Hawaii

Father Daren Zehnle is back in Hawaii for his annual winter retreat.  If you see him around town, especially at the Cathedral, be sure to say aloha!

No, the Holy Father did not accompany Father to Hawaii.

Photo courtesy of Father Daren.

Thank you, Fr. George!

Rev. George Alengadan, Ph.D.

Director of Clergy and Deacon Formation

Diocese of Oakland

Thank you, Fr. George for all the Masses you celebrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace while Fr. John Berger was on retreat and convention!

Fr. George is a warm and very dedicated priest. One of his assests is the ability to tell jokes that are well tied in with the gospel. One is more likely to remember the readings of the day because of the way he presents them.

Again, thank you, Fr. George!

Priest Postcard Appreciation Campaign

Alter Christi - Appreciation Postcard Campaign

The mission of this project, Year of the Priest, Appreciation Post Card Campaign is as follows:

In this year of the priest, I promise to fulfill my commitment to offer spiritual gifts for every priest living in my diocese and to make this known by mailing one of these cards to each one of them as I accomplish my daily spiritual works for them.

H/T Jane of Spiritual Mothers of Priests