Michael Springer, the director of the ‘Aha Mele concert of choirs, shows Maureen Saturnio, chairwoman of the East Hawaii vicariate’s Year of Faith committee, the final copy of “We Sing Our Faith,” the anthem he has composed for the concert. (Photo courtesy Maureen Saturnio)
Oahu: multicultural day moves to Star of the Sea Parish grounds
The Oahu event celebrating the close of the Year of Faith, originally planned for Kapiolani Park, has been moved to the grounds of Star of the Sea Church in Waialae-Kahala.
The Catholic Cultural Celebration, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Nov. 23 will feature a prayer service, entertainment, music, games and food. The day will end with Mass in the church at 5 p.m.
Organizers hope to attract several thousand Catholic parishioners from across Oahu to the free event.
Other islands and vicariates are planning their own events.
The day will open with a one-hour multicultural prayer service led by Bishop Larry Silva. A running slate of entertainment will include local Catholic entertainers and Catholic parish and school choirs, bands and dance troupes.
Food will be sold by parish and commercial vendors.
Pope Benedict XVI established the Year of Faith — Oct. 11, 2012, to Nov. 24, 2013 — as a “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world.”
Bishop Silva opened the special year in Hawaii on Oct. 9, 2012, with a Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Kalihi-Palama. The neighbor islands inaugurated the Year of Faith with their own Masses.
To encourage observance of the Year of Faith in the diocese, the bishop formed a planning committee to plan events and publish a resource booklet for parishes.
The first day of the Year of Faith, Oct. 11, 2012, marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council by Pope John XXIII, and the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church by Pope John Paul II. The last day, Nov. 24, is the Feast of Christ the King.
In his letter last October promoting the Year of Faith, Bishop Silva said the special time “is meant to renew the entire People of God to not only receive the faith and rejoice in it, but to share the faith boldly with others.”
“We pray that this Year of Faith will make us a more missionary church,” he said, “not simply concerned about our own internal needs, but reaching out to others who … still want desperately to hear the message of hope that will set their hearts on fire.”
Pope Benedict’s Year of Faith follows church tradition as popes through the ages have set aside particular times for Catholics to deepen their understanding of the faith. In 1967, Pope Paul VI announced a Year of Faith for the 1,900th anniversary of the martyrdom of Sts. Peter and Paul.
East Hawaii: concert of parish choirs
The East Big Island Vicariate will celebrate the conclusion of the Year of Faith with the choir concert Aha Mele (Singing Together), 2:30-4 p.m., Nov. 24, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Papaikou.
Choral groups from the vicariate parishes and St Joseph Elementary School in Hilo will perform for the event, which is dedicated to the memory of Deacon Jerry Nunogawa, who created the vicariate’s Year of Faith committee. Deacon Nunogawa died this year.
The East Hawaii vicar Jesuit Father Michael Scully, who is pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, will be the host, along with his parishioners.
The chairwoman of the Year of Faith committee, Maureen Saturnio, sought to organize an event in which all eight parishes of the vicariate, some nearly 90 miles apart, could not only celebrate, but participate in.
Inspired by a concert at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Saturnio conceived of Aha Mele, a gathering of parish choirs celebrating of the achievements of the past year and anticipating a future of welcoming people home to the faith.
A variety of choirs of children, youth, adults and seniors will together open the event with the anthem, “We Sing Our Faith,” composed especially for Aha Mele by concert director Michael Springer. Gloria Mendoza-Watson on piano and Michael Russell on violin will accompany the opening and closing numbers.
Springer is a liturgical accompanist at St. Joseph Parish in Hilo who participated in the U.H. concert.
Kauai: fellowship with Jesse Manibusan
The Kauai Vicariate is planning an islandwide, day-long, inter-faith rally for youth Nov. 10 at the Kauai Memorial Convention Hall in Lihue featuring nationally-known musician and motivational 
speaker Jesse Manibusan,
The rally’s theme is “Be a light in the world.” With its fun-filled fellowship activities, it is designed to reach out to young people of all faiths, even those unaffiliated with a religion.
Manibusan will use his lively brand of music, comedy and storytelling to connect with the participants in two long sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
The rally hopes to offer an opportunity for practicing and non-practicing Catholic youth and others, in grades 9-12, to experience a conversion and enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
The day will open at 8:30 a.m. with praise and worship and close with a 3 p.m. Mass.
Maui: youth rally and faith formation
The Maui Vicariate will have two events to close the Year of Faith, one for young Catholics, the other a faith formation conference for catechists and others.
The Maui Vicariate Youth and Young Adult Board will cap the Year of Faith with a celebration Nov. 11 at Christ the King Church in Kahului.
The day-long event will include “ice breakers,” workshops, discussions, a Mass and a praise and worship concert. Participants will come from Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
The day will be the third youth and young adult Year of Faith rally for the Maui Vicariate. The first, with the theme “Got Faith?,” taught attendees the basics of being a Christian. The second rally, “Keeping the Faith,” encouraged participants to remain true to their beliefs. The final closing rally will focus on living Catholic Christian lives.
The diocesan Office of Religious Education is organizing the annual Maui Faith Formation Conference Nov. 23-24 at St. Anthony School in Wailuku. The conference will offer classes and workshops on evangelization, Scripture, doctrine and other church topics.
West Hawaii: music, parish volunteer tribute
The five parishes of the west Big Island Vicariate will celebrate the end of the Year of Faith Nov. 15-16 with a concert, inspirational talks and a ceremony honoring outstanding parish volunteers. The theme of the events “Journey to Jesus.”
Mainland Catholic musician Jesse Manibusan will perform and Benedictine Sister “CC” Celeste Cabral will speak at an evening aimed at youth and young adults, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Nov. 15, in the Makaeo Pavilion at the Old Kona Airport. The admission “fee” is two or more cans of food for the food pantry.
The activities on Saturday, Nov. 16, begins at with an 8 a.m. registration, followed by praise and worship led by Manibusan. Sacred Hearts Father Herman Gomes will speak about the Year of Faith and St. Damien and St. Marianne while children’s activities occupy the younger ones.
Lunch will be followed by the annual Island Treasures ceremony honoring volunteers from St. Benedict, St. Michael, Annunciation, Sacred Heart, Hawi, and Our Lady of Lourdes parishes. The day ends at 2:30 p.m.
