At the ordination Mass of Father William “Pila” Tulua, some of the Diocese of Honolulu’s seminarians pose with Bishop Larry Silva and vocations director Father Rheo Ofalsa, who is to the left of the bishop. (HCH PHOTO)
Annual collection needs more support to cover Hawaii seminarian education
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Any parent who has saved or paid for a child’s higher education knows that learning doesn’t come cheap.
That remains the case for the Diocese of Honolulu to support its seminarians through the coursework and degrees that will make them Hawaii’s future priests.
Seminarian appeal envelopes
It costs roughly $40,000 a year per seminarian during their four years of post-graduate theology study, according to Father Rheo Ofalsa, the diocese’s vocations director. (By comparison, tuition, room and board for the University of Notre Dame is more than $60,000 a year).
Those seminarians who enter formation at the undergraduate college level are responsible for paying for their own bachelor’s degree tuition, though the diocese can loan the funds. Mount Angel Seminary costs $34,528 a year for tuition, room and board.
Those entering the seminary who already have a college degree have to take two years of pre-theology (philosophy), the cost of which the diocese covers.
With nine seminarians currently in their pre-theology or theology studies, that’s about $360,000 a year in tuition alone the diocese pays.
To help cover those costs, the Vocations Office holds an annual Seminarian Education Fund appeal, which aims to offset the cost of seminarian tuition.
This year’s seminarian second collection takes place July 21-22. The appeal amassed $135,000 in 2017-2018.
“That’s really the generosity of our parishioners,” said Lisa Sakamoto, the diocesan finance officer.
But the appeal doesn’t fully cover tuition expenses or other costs like seminarian books, medical insurance, a $400 monthly stipend, one round trip flight a year to and from school, and the general expenses of operating the vocations office.
Those costs have to come out of other areas of the diocesan budget. For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the diocese will tap into a With Grateful Hearts vocations endowment that was just recently fully funded. And parish assessments help as well. But there’s still a deficit, Sakamoto and Father Ofalsa said.
So the appeal is essential and even further generosity toward it would help cover more seminarian costs, Father Ofalsa added.
Academic steps toward ordination
Confused about what educational steps seminarians take to reach the priesthood here in Hawaii? Here are the typical paths.
No college degree?
- Get a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon. Pay your own way with possible loan from the Diocese of Honolulu.
Already have a college degree?
- Take two years of pre-theology (philosophy) coursework at St. Patrick Seminary in California. Diocese covers cost.
After completing your philosophy degree or pre-theology studies:
- Spend four years earning a master of divinity in sacred theology at St. Patrick Seminary or, for older seminarians, Sacred Heart Seminary at Hales Corner, Wisconsin. Diocese covers cost.
- Between second and third year of master’s program, seminarians spend a “pastoral year” working at a parish in Hawaii.
After third year of theology master’s program:
- Ordained to transitional diaconate. Diocese covers most costs of ordination Mass and celebration.
After graduating with master’s degree in fourth year:
- Ordained to priesthood. Diocese covers most costs of ordination Mass and celebration.
Some of the Diocese of Honolulu’s seminarians and discerners with Bishop Larry Silva (center) and Father Rheo Ofalsa (right) in Kalawao, Molokai, on a recent retreat to the Kalaupapa peninsula. Photo: Courtesy Father Rheo Ofalsa
Hawaii’s candidates for priesthood
Here is a current list of the seminarians for the Diocese of Honolulu, along with their level of studies, their home parish and their summer assignments.
- John Akau: Entering Pre-Theology II, St. Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park, Calif.; from St. Joseph, Hilo; assigned to St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani, this summer
- Preston Jay Castro: Entering Theology I, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. Joseph, Waipahu; assigned to St. Catherine, Kapaa, Kauai, this summer
- Kevin Clark: Entering Theology I, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. Rita, Nanakuli; assigned to St. Elizabeth, Aiea, this summer
- Deacon Romple Emwalu: Entering Theology IV, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church, Mililani; assigned to St. Michael Church, Kailua-Kona this summer
- James Alexander Held: Entering Pre-Theology II, St. Patrick Seminary; from Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace; assigned to St. Ann, Kaneohe, this summer
- Kurt Meyer: Entering Pre-Theology II, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. Philomena, Salt Lake; assigned to St. Theresa, Kihei, this summer
- Dario Rinaldi: Entering Theology III, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. Joseph Church, Makawao, Maui; assigned to Queen’s Medical Center, Honolulu, for Clinical Pastoral Education this summer, while living in residence at the chancery
- Arrion Rosales-Llantos: Entering Theology I, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. Michael, Kona; assigned to Resurrection of the Lord, Waipio, Oahu, this summer
- Ese’ese Tui: Entering pastoral year at St. Michael Church, Kailua-Kona; from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach; assigned to Pali Momi Hospital, Aiea, for Clinical Pastoral Education this summer, while living in residence at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City
- Vincent Vu: Entering Theology IV, St. Patrick Seminary; from St. Theresa Co-Cathedral, Honolulu; assigned to the same this summer
