Bishop Larry Silva, wearing shades to hide the effects of eyelid surgery, gives a homily highlighting historic events in the diocese and the faith of Island Catholics. (HCH photo | Darlene Dela Cruz)
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Catherine Hughes got a better seat this time — inside the church — for the Mass celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Honolulu Sept. 10 in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.
She had been present with her mother on the same day three quarters of a century earlier to witness the installation of Bishop James J. Sweeney and the elevation of the Hawaii mission to the status of diocese. But then, the overflow crowd forced the mother and daughter to view the ceremony from the outside sitting on a limb of what Hughes remembers as a mulberry tree, getting a glimpse of the high Mass through an open stained glass window
Catherine Hughes, left, who was at the installation of Bishop James J. Sweeney 75 years ago, poses with Alice Secor Sept. 10 in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. Secor’s father Manuel Baptiste was one of the officials who welcomed Bishop Sweeney to Hawaii 75 years ago. (HCH photo | Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP)
“It was really a big event,” she said, at what in those days was commonly called “the mission” rather than the cathedral.
This time around, with about 400 people attending, there was room in the church. More than 60 priests concelebrated and 15 deacons participated.
Hughes seemed to recall the original service having more of a “Hawaiian influence,” especially through the “very prominent” Hawaiian sodalities dressed in their finest holokus and lauhala hats with the feather lei bands.
But the 75th anniversary celebration, presided over by Bishop Larry Silva, had its own cultural touches beginning with an entrance oli chanted by Ikaika Bantolina leading a cohort of Hawaiian royal societies to reserved pews in the cathedral.
Also in the procession were representative couples from each Island carrying a lei made from the flower of that island.
The bishop, wearing dark sunglasses to hide the effects of recent eyelid surgery, began his homily by reciting a list of historic events of the past 75 years.
Kevin Fajardo places flower lei representing each of the Hawaiian Islands on the statue of Our Lady of Peace, patroness of the Diocese of Honolulu. (HCH photo | Darlene Dela Cruz )
“For 75 years the Diocese of Honolulu has witnessed all of these triumphs and tragedies,” he said. “Sometimes they have shaken the faith of people, and sometimes both triumphs and tragedies have deepened their faith and made it even more alive and relevant.
“Today we thank God that we have been called as one church in these beautiful Hawaiian Islands to give witness to Jesus in good times and in bad.”
The prayers of the faithful were read in 10 languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Samoan, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Portuguese, Chinese and Chuukese. A final prayer intended to be delivered in Hawaiian was read in English instead.
The music was a mix of contemporary hymns and Gregorian chant. After Mass, as the island leis were brought outside to be placed on the statue of Our Lady of Peace, cantor Robert Mondoy led a sung litany of the names of all the parish patron saints in Hawaii.
After the celebration 400 bento lunches were served under large white tents erected on the mauka side of the cathedral.
The day before, Bishop Silva flew to Maui to celebrate the diocesan anniversary at St. Anthony Church in Wailuku with about 15 priests and a multi-parish choir.
