Bishop Larry Silva, center, poses with 14 permanent deacon candidates and their wives in the St. Stephen Diocesan Center chapel after conferring on them the ministry of lector. (HCH photo | Anna Weaver)
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
On the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 13, Bishop Larry Silva designated 14 deacon candidates for the Diocese of Honolulu as lectors in the Rite for the Institution of Lectors.
The candidates and their wives are Kin Shin Cheng and Maria Chan, Keoki and Lisa Wood, Andy and Centa Ragasa, Averiet and Debra Soto, Joel and Lily Narusawa, David and Denise Oliveira, Charles and Gwenda Mapa, Rey and Roxanne Torres, Jonathan and Huyen Lam, Sandor Hernandez Morales and Meali’inani Duarte Hernandez, Rey and Jo-Ann Dinulong, Henry and Divina Costales, Jeff and Jennifer Calamayan, and Savili and Evelyn Bartley.
The rite is a major step on the path to becoming a permanent deacon, allowing the candidates to read the Word of God, except for the Gospel, at liturgical assemblies. The next step will be the Rite of Acolyte.
This group of candidates, Cohort 9, is so named because they are the ninth deacon formation class for the Diocese of Honolulu since permanent deacons were instituted in Hawaii. Bishop John J. Scanlan formed the first class in September 1978 and ordained the first eight permanent deacons in December 1981.
Eighteen men in Cohort 9 completed an aspirancy year in 2016 and went through the Rite of Candidacy in January 2017. They have met once a month for the past two years for formation weekends, which includes training on homiletics, sacramental rubrics and parish administration.
They also take theology coursework at Chaminade University and receive pastoral field experience in hospital, prison and social ministry.
While church law prevents women from being ordained, the deacon candidate’s wives were required to take the training alongside their husbands.
Cohort 9 is guided by core team mentors Deacon Keith Cabiles and his wife, Hazell, Deacon David Kane and his wife, Anne, Deacon Francis Leasiolagi and his wife, Alofa, and Deacon Michael Weaver and his wife, Cecelia.
Deacon John Coughlin and his wife, Kathy, oversee the deacon formation program.
