The diocese’s seventh permanent diaconate class stands with Bishop Larry Silva, center, at St. Stephen Diocesan Center, May 17, 2014, after the Rite of Acolyte liturgy. (HCH file photo)
Bishop Larry Silva will ordain 13 men as permanent deacons in January in four ceremonies on three islands. The candidates, who range in age from 36 to 71, have been preparing for the reception of the sacrament for five years.
The group is the diocese’s seventh class of deacons since 1981 when the first class was ordained, bringing the number of active deacons working in Hawaii to 65, eight of whom belong to other dioceses.
Here is the schedule of ordinations Masses:
- David Kane: 10 a.m., Jan. 17, Immaculate Conception Church, Lihue, Kauai
- Joseph Aglia: 10 a.m., Jan. 24, St. Joseph Church, Hilo, Hawaii
- Jose Ancheta, William Friese, Romeo Ganibe, Eric Kim, Raul Perez: 7 p.m., Jan. 30, Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, Honolulu
- Jose Almuena, Keith Cabiles, Stephen Kula, Joseph Soon, John Tolentino, Michael Weaver: 10 a.m., Jan. 31, Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, Honolulu
Refreshments will be served after each ceremony.
Bishop Silva said that like the rest of Hawaii’s deacons, this class is “diverse.”
“We need such diversity to minister to the various people and groups in our diocese,” he said.
The bishop said that the candidates have had “particular training in working with the sick and the dying,” skills that “will be valuable in many other areas as well.”
“Their commitment to serving the needy and the poor is also a gift,” he said.
This class began its formation for the diaconate with an aspirancy year starting on Jan. 8, 2010. They officially became candidates for the permanent diaconate through a Rite of Candidacy on Jan. 16, 2011.
The group is a mix of ethnicities, spanning 35 years in age but mostly in their 50s and 60s, coming from across Oahu and two neighbor islands. All but one are married. They represent a wide range of occupations, from mason to gas station manager to airplane mechanic to president of a non-profit organization. One is retired.
The men and their wives have been meeting one weekend a month since 2010 at St. Stephen Diocesan Center in a formation program directed by Deacon John and Kathy Coughlin and a team of four other deacons and their wives. They also took classes at Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Each has earned 66 equivalent credits in theology, Scripture, ecclesiology, canon law and homiletics.
The diaconate is one of the church’s three holy orders, the others being priest and bishop. Candidates for priesthood are also ordained as deacons as a step to priestly ordination. Their diaconate is often called “transitional” to distinguish it from the “permanent” diaconate, which is open to married men and does not lead to priesthood.
Deacons may read the Gospel, preach and assist the celebrant priest at liturgical events. They also witness church weddings and preside at baptisms and funerals among other duties.
“The deacon is a living icon — sacrament — of the connection between service at worship and service in the everyday world of family, work and the body politic,” Bishop Silva said. “The more we are reminded of this call, the stronger our church will be.”
The bishop wants to increase the numbers of deacons in Hawaii. For the first time, the diocese has two concurrent deacon classes, one three years behind the other, instead of a single formation process every five years.
“I would love to have at least one or two deacons in every parish, and some in non-parochial ministries as well,” he said. “Some of our deacons are already involved with ministering to merchant marines, to prisoners, to the sick and to specific ethnic groups.”
He said that ordinations every five years were not enough to make up for the loss of deacons through death or retirement.
The diocese’s eighth diaconate class, now in mid-formation, has 14 candidates scheduled for ordination in 2018. In 2015, the diocese will conduct information sessions for potential candidates for a ninth class, which will begin its aspirancy year in 2016.
Bishop Silva ordained the diocese’s last class of deacons, which numbered 17, in 2007. In 2008, he appointed four deacons from Micronesia to serve in Hawaii parishes.
The bishop expressed a “heartfelt gratitude to Deacon John and Kathleen Coughlin, who have very ably and wisely directed the deacon formation program.”
He also thanked others who contributed to the training — other deacons and wives, Chaminade University professors, pastoral supervisors, spiritual directors — and “all those who have supported our deacon candidates in their journey toward ordination.”
“I am most grateful to the wives and families of our soon-to-be-ordained deacons for the accompaniment and support,” he said. “Mahalo and blessings to them all!”
