Original charter members, minus one, of the Chinese Catholic Club in 1925. (HCH file photo)
To celebrate its 90th year, the Chinese Catholic Club of Honolulu is inviting all former members, friends, interested Catholics, and whoever else would like to come, to join it for a buffet lunch, Sept. 26, at the Hawaii Prince Hotel in Waikiki.
The event, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is $25 for adults and $16 for children 6-10. Children under 5 are free. For information or tickets, contact Betty Chang, 395-1269, or Daphne Lee, 737-0972 or antidaf@aol.com.
The Chinese Catholic Club, which provides scholarships for Hawaii students and financial support for Hawaii seminarians, meets once a month at St. Patrick Church in Kaimuki. All are welcome to join the club. You don’t have to be Chinese or Catholic.
The club’s roots go back to what was then called Saint Louis College. There, in 1915, under the guidance of the Marianist Brothers, the Chinese Sodality was formed to promote an interest of Catholicism among the Chinese students.
Later, helped by Brother William Holzmer, a group of 10 graduates formed the Chinese Catholic Club at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. The club was chartered under territorial law on Feb. 14, 1925, and blessed on Sept. 13, 1925.
The chartered members adopted the motto, “Work and Pray.” Among the club’s goals was to “foster among its membership a true Catholic spirit” and to “render assistance to its members in their religious vocations.”
The Chinese Ladies Catholic Club was soon created as an auxiliary organization and both clubs engaged in service projects and other activities. Realizing they could be more effective if they joined forces, the two clubs united in 1938.
Over the years, the Chinese Catholic Club engaged in many spiritual, social and charitable works, both domestic and worldwide. Its projects included supplying clothing, books, toys, medicine and other goods for distribution in Asia and Pacific countries.
The organization has also supported Hawaii’s Chinese Carmelite Monastery whose first members arrived in the Islands from Hong Kong in 1973.
