Deacon Julio Muritok Akapito, who came to Hawaii 11 years ago from Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia with a broad range of achievements in politics, law, education, sports and religion, and who, for the past seven years served immigrant Micronesian Catholics as a deacon at two parishes on the Big Island’s east side, died Aug. 13 at his home in Keaau. Originally ordained for the Diocese of the Caroline Islands, Akapito, a father of 12, was 70.
Bishop Larry Silva will preside at the deacon’s funeral at St. Joseph Church, Hilo, 11 a.m., Aug. 29, preceded by visitation beginning at 8 a.m. His body will be returned to Chuuk for burial.
Deacon Akapito was one of four Micronesian deacons living in Hawaii whom Bishop Silva invited in 2008 to participate in ministry in the Diocese of Honolulu.
The only one of the four residing on the Big Island, Akapito was sent to Sacred Heart Church in Pahoa in 2008 and in 2011 given the additional assignment of St. Joseph, Hilo. He had offices at both churches.
According to David Watson, business manager for St. Joseph Parish in Hilo, Akapito worked exclusively with the Micronesian community, providing preparation for marriages and baptisms, presiding at funerals and hosting a regular “Micronesian Mass.”
“He was a real gentle, kind, thoughtful man,” said Watson.
Akapito did sacramental preparation and funerals at Sacred Heart Parish as well. According to parish secretary Bernice Walker, the deacon also “did a lot of counseling,” hospital ministry and served as a “go-between” and translator between the local and immigrant cultures.
“He gave beautiful homilies,” Walker said. “He spoke to people in a way that you could relate.”
Akapito was born on Chuuk on May 27, 1945. He studied at Eastern Oregon State College and the University of Guam.
In Micronesia, he was a leader in the fields of politics, law, education and sports.
As an educator, he was both a classroom teacher and school administrator. He served as the vice principal and acting principal for Chuuk High School and was the director of Chuuk State’s Headstart program for four years.
He served for many years as a lawyer in private practice and also worked for the Chuuk State Supreme Court carrying out a variety of duties including that of temporary judge for special cases.
Akapito was a member of the Congress of Micronesia from 1976 to 1979 when it was still a trust territory of the United States. With the creation of the Federated States of Micronesia in 1979, he was one of its first members of congress, serving until 1981.
From 1990 until 2000, he was the director of administration for the Chuuk State Legislature. In 1992 he was president of the first Chuuk State constitutional convention.
In the field of sports, Akapito served as president of both the Chuuk Athletics Association and the Athletic Federation for the Federated States of Micronesia which dealt with international competitions. Specializing in track and field, Akapito was certified by the International Olympic Committee as a level 1 coach/official.
Akapito was also a eucharistic minister and pastoral council member in several parishes in the Diocese of the Caroline Islands.
Akapito first came to Oahu with his wife Kantita in 2004 for medical treatment, returning home to Chuuk in 2005 for his diaconate ordination. In 2006, he flew back to Honolulu for more treatment and then to the Big Island where for two years he was dean of students and taught social studies at the High School of the Pacific in Kealakekua.
In a 2008 interview in the Hawaii Catholic Herald, Deacon Akapito said that he had intended to return to Chuuk once his health improved, but decided to stay when he saw how much Micronesians in Hawaii needed assistance with cultural and language issues.
“The diaconate means service and as a deacon I’m supposed to personify what that service is — working for others, especially the needy and the poor,” he said. “I consider my people the needy and the poor because of cultural and other disadvantages.”
Being assigned to the Diocese of Honolulu is “an honor and feeling of responsibility that I’m really going to do something in the community,” the deacon said.
Deacon Akapito is survived by his wife Kantita Akapito of Keaau; his sons Marius (Sanrine) Akapito and Bartholomew Akapito of Chuuk, Marcellus (Vida) Akapito of Pohnpei, Silvanus (Darmy) Akapito and Nicholas (Q-Me) Akapito of Oahu, Jonathan Akapito, Eliakim Akapito and Frantisek Akapito of Hilo; and daughters Sylvia (Narcisso) Sebastian of Chuuk, Gracelyn Akapito and Rachel Leah Akapito of Guam, Maria (Tifer) Refit of Hilo.
He is also survived by brothers Ireneus Akapito, John Akapito, Elias Tipeno and Eliseus Akapito; and sisters Vita Skilling, Rita Mori, Micaela Rudolph, Anna Maria Yomai and Margarita Akineo; and 21 grandchildren.
