Sacramental preparation Candidates for confirmation at Annunciation Parish in Kamuela on the Big Island, at a retreat April 14 to prepare for the sacrament, engage in an icebreaker activity. After a welcome and opening prayer, the youth stood in a circle and reached across with their right hands to grab the person’s hand across from them. Then they did the same with their left hand. The object was to untangle themselves by reaching arms over or under others to separate the pairs. They also filled out activity worksheets about the Holy Spirit, wrote letters to their parents and sponsors, played a “Leadership in the Spirit” version of Jeopardy and watched the movie “The Shack.” The day ended with Scripture readings from the feast of Pentecost and an evening Mass with parents. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Wells, Annunciation Parish)
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Thirty-two Hawaii parishes will participate in “Big Pentecost” this year, confirming 3,768 children and youth. These are the parishes that, on May 20, Pentecost Sunday, or on the vigil the evening before, will administer confirmation to those in second grade and older as the parishes move the sacraments of initiation to their “original order” — baptism, confirmation, first Holy Communion.
This year, according to figures tabulated by the diocesan Office of Worship, 3,768 children and youth will be confirmed statewide on May 20. Broken down by island, that’s 2,820 on Oahu, 465 on the Big Island, 137 on Kauai, 298 on Maui and 48 on Molokai.
By comparison, there were 1,200 confirmations total across the diocese last year, according to the 2017 Official Catholic Directory.
Parish priests have been delegated to confer the sacrament. Normally, confirmation is done by the bishop or his representative.
The number of those who will also receive their first Holy Communion is 932 statewide — 671 on Oahu, 147 on the Big Island, 28 on Kauai, 76 on Maui and 10 on Molokai.
Next year, 21 Hawaii parishes will transition to the proper order; the following year, the remaining 13 parishes.
Here are the 32 parishes participating in “Big Pentecost” this year. The parishes also include their missions.
- Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, Honolulu
- Annunciation, Waimea
- Immaculate Conception, Lihue
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Papaikou
- Maria Lanakila, Lahaina
- Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City
- Our Lady of Lourdes, Honokaa
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach
- Our Lady of the Mount, Kalihi Valley
- Our Lady Queen of Angels, Kula
- Resurrection of the Lord, Waipio
- Sacred Heart, Hawi
- Sacred Heart, Pahoa
- Sacred Heart, Punahou
- St. Anthony, Kailua
- St. Anthony, Kalihi
- St. Anthony, Papaaloa
- St. Benedict, Honaunau
- St. Catherine, Kapaa
- St. Damien, Kaunakakai
- St. Elizabeth, Aiea
- St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani
- St. John the Baptist, Kalihi
- St. John Vianney, Kaneohe
- St. Joseph, Hilo
- St. Joseph, Makawao
- St. Jude, Kapolei
- St. Michael, Kailua-Kona
- St. Pius X, Manoa
- St. Stephen, Nuuanu
- St. Theresa, Kekaha
- St. Theresa, Kihei
- St. Theresa, Mountain View
- Sts. Peter and Paul, Honolulu
