On the day of Global Rosary Relay June 19, 2020 - Diocese of Honolulu

By Easter Almuena
Special to the Herald

In this day and age, we continue to perfect the use of technology. Sometimes accessing its use is not enough when necessary parts go missing. This is what happened with malfunctions we experienced during the livestreaming of the Sorrowful Mysteries in our diocese Friday, June 19.

Prior to the event, equipment belonging to operator John Fielding was taken from a certain location, disabling Hawaii’s part in the livestream of the global rosary relay, a worldwide recitation of the rosary sponsored by Worldpriest. Nevertheless, the rosary, said in four churches in Hawaii, was completed.

Deacons and their wives and our newly ordained transitional deacon led different mysteries: Deacon Pat and Cora Constantino in St. Joseph Church in Makawao, Maui (Agony in the Garden); Deacon Tom and Evie Adams in Sacred Heart Church in Hawi (Scourging at the Pillar); Deacon David and Gloria Watson in St. Joseph Church in Hilo (Crowning with Thorns); and Deacon Ace Tui in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (The Carrying of the Cross); and Deacon Joe and Easter Almuena (Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord) also in the cathedral.

The plan was to simultaneously use livestream and Zoom, focusing on one location to the next.

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace completed the recitation of the Sorrowful Mysteries. About 20 parishioners joined in, seated six feet apart in observance of social distancing. We were glad to have Deacon Modesto Cordero director of the Office of Worship; Denise Oliveira, secretary to Bishop Larry Silva; and Darlene Cachola, daughter of Deacon Pat and Cora Constantino, join us.

Our thanks to Fielding for all his technical services and all those who spiritually joined us!

When technology doesn’t work we return to the basics. In fact, this experience brings us to a better place where we can be gathered spiritually with the same goal of praying for our priests — every Thursday. Worldpriest has created an offshoot of the Global Rosary Relay called Rosary Thursday, where people from all over the world pray weekly the Luminous Mysteries for our priests; or, for those who pray the rosary as a daily regimen, to consciously offer it up for the same intention.

In our diocese, we pray first and foremost for Bishop Larry Silva, our priests, and all priests around the globe — for their sanctification, to be good shepherds, and in thanksgiving for their priestly vocation.

Easter Almuena is the Worldpriest repesentative for Hawaii.

Renewing ourselves this Advent

Fr. Khanh Pam-Nguyen 

St. Stephen Catholic Church, Nuuanu

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says the Lord.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her

that her service is at end…” (Isaiah 40:1-2a).

God paints a picture of hope for his people of the present time. Though the message above is thousands of years old, it comes to us new because God is capable of making things new. He himself is ever-new, ever-fresh.

The Lord comforts us in our journeys. Understanding this is a gift that is renewing to the heart and mind. Undoubtedly, part of that understanding is willingness to engage in the mission to bring God’s comfort to his people. No one is exempted; for, by virtue of baptism, the call has been powerfully and wonderfully laid within us. The baptismal birthright allows us to recognize the natural flow God intends for his children to follow; in this case, because we have received God’s comfort, we are to share that comfort with others.

To be a comfort to people is to understand also the need to embrace God fully, to surrender to him completely knowing that his kingship shall reign in our lives; that God can be trusted to govern us with justice, mercy, and infinite love; that God will take care of our needs; that God will lead us to the path of eternal light.

In our journeys to God, let us continuously be engaged in the renewal of our relationships with him. Let us continue to be in tune with his Word. Let us be passionate also in allowing grace to work for us as we read writings inspired by the Holy Spirit that make us grow.

A joyful Advent to all!



More resources for Advent, or anytime of the year:

1. In Conversation with God by Fr. Francis Fernandez

I cannot be happier than I already am for having purchased the series In Conversation with God. Of seven volumes that cover the Latin Church's liturgical readings, it is a companion to a spiritual journey that accentuates God working in the ordinariness of life. You can be sure to see yourself working in the mundane with God's vigor and grace.

2. The Way, Furrow, The Forge By St. Josemaria Escriva (a priest who founded Opus Dei)

This one is a three-volume set of writings by St. Josemaria meant to ensure anyone a heightened desire of intimacy with God. The counsels are simple yet deep enough to jar the mind and heart that they may listen more attentively to the voice of God. When one desires to follow, it is a good beginning of a journey that leads to both challenges and joys. This book is worth having in a journey to one's final end, where end itself is bliss of eternity. 

"What a marvelous time in which to renew your desire, your nostalgia, your real longing for Christ to come — for him to come every day to your soul in the Eucharist. The Church encourages us: Ecce veniet! — He is about to arrive!" (St. Josemaria Escriva, The Forge, 548).

Growing in Holiness: Modesty and Chastity

Pope Benedict XV

For meditation:

"One can not sufficiently deplore the blindness of so many women of every age and station. Made foolish by a desire to please, they do not see to what degree the indecency of their clothing shocks every honest man and offends God. Most of them would formerly have blushed for such apparel as for a grave fault against Catholic modesty. Now it does not suffice to exhibit themselves on public thoroughfares; they do not fear to cross the threshold of churches, to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and even to bear the seducing food of shameful passions to the Eucharistic Table, where one receives the Heavenly author of Purity."  

-Benedict XV, Sacra PropediemJune 1, 1921, n. 19

For the spiritual mothers: We are not consecrated virgins, but great are the riches to learn from the writings of Pope Pius XII on Encyclical of Pope Pius XII on Consecrated Virginity.

"To prayer must be added frequent and fervent use of the Sacrament of Penance which, as a spiritual medicine, purifies and heals us; likewise it is necessary to receive the Eucharist, which as Our predecessor of happy memory Leo XIII asserted, is the best remedy against lust.[111] The more pure and chaste is a soul, the more it hungers for this bread, from which it derives strength to resist all temptations to sins of impurity, and by which it is more intimately united with the Divine Spouse; 'He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him.'[112]" Sacra Virginitas, #63, Encyclical )

The eminent way to protect and nourish an unsullied and perfect chastity, as proven by experience time and again throughout the course of centuries, is solid and fervent devotion to the Virgin Mother of God. In a certain way all other helps are contained in this devotion; there is no doubt that whoever is sincerely and earnestly animated by this devotion is salutarily inspired to constant vigilance, to continual prayer, to receive the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist. Therefore in a paternal way We exhort all priests, religious men and women, to entrust themselves to the special protection of the holy Mother of God who is the Virgin of virgins and the 'teacher of virginity,' as Ambrose says,[113] and the most powerful Mother of those in particular who have vowed and consecrated themselves to the service of God." Sacra Virginitas, #64, Encyclical )

Sources cited: 

111. Leo XIII, encyclica Mirae caritatis, d. 28 Maii, a. 1902; A. L. XXII, pp. 1902-1903.

112. Io. VI, 57. 

113: S. Ambros., De institutione virginis, c. 6, n. 46; PL XVI, 320.

Video: Fr. Barron on Spirituality of Advent

Pono, Living the Aloha Spirit

Aloha!

What you will read are the last paragraphs of Fr. Daren J. Zehnle's blogpost and homily. This homily was delivered at the 6:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace on the 2nd of September, the day before Fr. Daren left for his present home Springfield, Illinois. Fr. Daren has been a regular visitor to the Islands -- mostly Oahu for about seven years now -- and he hopes to one day become a kama'aina. He already is to many of us, who have known him for many years now, and even to those who had just met him when he was here on Oahu for a 17-day visit. His spirit embodies aloha as we Islanders know it. He blends in -- perfectly! Perhaps, if you didn't know that he was a visitor, you might have thought that he is a local.

The homily below touches my heart in a special way. I have always regarded Communion of Saints as one of God's most beautiful inventions. Pono most certainly gives communion of God's saints a definitive message that we love each other in the spirit of righteousness -- always with God's spirit -- and letting that spirit live on as we encounter more brothers and sisters -- even those who are not so like us -- and always, with an ultimate loving and natural gesture and desire to walk hand in hand towards our heavenly home, as brothers and sisters in Christ would! Our brother and sister saints in heaven would agree, as they pray for pono to become more and more a reality in our daily life here in our earthly home.

Praise our Lord and Master for Pono!

A few days ago I walked past a young man wearing a t-shirt that read, “Keep Calm and Live Pono.”  That simple phrase stuck with me.  It is taken, in part, from that poster of the Ministry of Information and, of course, from the motto of the Kingdom and State of Hawai‘i: “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘Aina i ka Pono,” “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”. 

Pono is generally translated as either “righteous” or “righteousness.”  Biblically speaking, to be righteous is to live in right relationship with God and in right relationship with man, it is to live as one should be living.  As you know, pono can also mean goodness and morality and duty and virtue and proper.  In short, we might well say that to live pono is to live justly and we know that the “one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”  So it is that we could paraphrase the motto of Hawai‘i: “The life of the Christian is perpetuated in righteousness” because the one who lives justly will make their way to the Father’s house. 

To live pono is to live a life of love, a life of aloha; it is to conform ourselves always to Christ crucified, to love as he has loved.  It is this law that has been placed within us and that we must observe carefully because it will save our souls.  May the Lord strengthen us in this holy endeavor and bring us safely into his presence.  Amen.

Arch. Fulton Sheen: The Meaning of Mass, Part I

The Begger Priest

Picture source

You can read this beautiful story involving Venerable John Paul II and a priest here

Original source: The Deacon's Bench

Mahalo to Cathy