70
70 years a religious
Sister Rose Annette Ahuna, OSF
Born: 1930, Hilo
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Community
Past ministries: 61 years in education at schools in New York, Honolulu and Hilo; four years at St. Elizabeth Convent and Bishop Home in Kalaupapa, Molokai
Present ministry: Retired; community service; St. Marianne Cope presentations at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Reflection: As I celebrate my 70th anniversary, I cannot help but reminisce about the many people God has placed in my path as stepping stones to his service. Therefore, I gratefully credit:
- My parents and family, dedicated colleagues in my ministries, the guidance and encouragement of superiors and administrators, Sisters with whom I have lived and am privileged to live with, students I have taught and with whom I have been associated.
- The freedom of time set aside for prayer, meditation and vacations, the travel opportunities and enjoying God’s world of creation.
- The opportunity of being present for Mother Marianne Cope’s canonization in Rome, appreciating our priceless Franciscan heritage and sharing our Catholic faith with the global world.
- Accepting our community’s request for volunteers to Kalaupapa at St. Elizabeth Convent/Bishop Home with Sister Theresa Chow for four years, giving me an insight into Mother Marianne’s administrative wisdom, deep prayerfulness, protective and compassionate love, untiring patience and determination in improving the patients’ lives.
- The dedication of the Sacred Hearts priests, following St. Damien’s footsteps, in serving all those living throughout the peninsula.
In prayerful celebration, I thank each one of you for being part of my Franciscan journey!
70 years a religious
Sister Theresa Chow, OSF
Born: 1928, Kingman, Arizona
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Past ministries: Teacher in New York, Ohio, Hilo, California; parish minister in New York, California, New Mexico, Kauai; volunteer in Kalaupapa for eight years
Present ministry: Retired; volunteer at St. Francis Hospice
Reflection: I grew up in a Taoist environment, went to a Buddhist temple to honor a relative that died, the arrival of a newborn baby and to celebrate Chinese New Year. At the temple, a monk would chant prayers, words I did not understand. We burned incense. That was the extent of my time at the temple.
My first experience with Christianity was through neighborhood children who attended a parochial school. They recited the Our Father, Hail Mary, Act of Contrition and Prayer to the Guardian Angel. Another phrase I heard very often was: “If you do something bad, God will punish you.” These were repeated at play. I very seldom heard these words again.
My life changed drastically when my sister suddenly appeared in my life. She had just graduated from high school. Our family had been scattered and separated since the death of our biological mother. I grew up having a “guardian” at age 3. I did not know where our two brothers were.
My sister became my savior and cared for me until my graduation. She was the oldest and I the youngest. I made up my mind to go to church one day. I thought, “Shall it be Protestant, Episcopal, Mormon, Christian?” I decided on the cathedral at Fort Street because it was on the bus line, convenient and easier to get to than other churches. I met a priest there, talked with him and promised to return weekly for instructions. I went home and told my sister that he wanted to see her too. This was not true but I did not want to go alone. Before long we were baptized on the feast of the Assumption, Aug. 15. One thing led to another and Sacred Hearts Father Matthew Lochs, who baptized us, suggested I attend a vocation retreat at St. Francis Convent in Manoa. The Franciscan Sisters made me feel at home. After being a Catholic for only two years, I began my life as a Sister of St. Francis.
The highlight of my religious life was the privilege and honor to be present at the exhumation of St. Marianne Cope in Kalaupapa. I watched the forensic team dig, document and meticulously brush every piece of bone and place it in the exact position found in the grave. My last wish was to touch Marianne before she was finally laid in the zinc case ready to be transported to our motherhouse in Syracuse, N.Y. I wanted the connection with this beautiful, holy person, feel her spirit of sacrifice, her great love of the less fortunate, and her Franciscan charism. I placed my hands on her skull and with a silent prayer, a final goodbye, thanked her for her love, devotion, care and dedication for all the abandoned and dejected souls of Kalaupapa.
70 years a religious
Sister Mary Edward Sugioka, OSF
Born: 1930, Pearl City
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Past ministries: Teacher in the primary grades; also worked in the medical records department at St. Francis Hospital
Present ministry: Retired
Reflection: I am a convert to the Catholic faith. And I am ever grateful for this gift as well as my vocation to the Franciscan Family. I am the only Catholic in my family. I joined the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities after graduating from St. Francis High School in 1948.
Most of my teaching career was spent in the primary grades as I enjoy youngsters.
I taught at St. Joseph Elementary School, Hilo, for 14 years in grades two and one. Returning to Syracuse, I taught grades three and four at Assumption Academy. Before retiring, I worked in the Medical Records Department at St. Francis Hospital-West in Ewa. Today I am totally retired.
70 years a religious
Sister M. Ancilla Yim, OSF
Born: 1927, Honolulu
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Years of service in Hawaii: 27 active years, nine years in community and prayer ministries
Past ministries: In New York, catechist, elementary and secondary teacher, principal, college librarian; in Hawaii, teacher, librarian, principal at St. Joseph School, Hilo; counselor, administrative assistant at St. Francis School, Honolulu; program director, Hawaii Region Sisters of St. Francis Associates
Present ministry: Prayer ministry
Reflection: Sister Ancilla grew up as a Catholic and graduated from Sacred Hearts Academy under the loving guidance of her Catholic father and Buddhist mother. Margaret (her birth name) and her sister Theresa were very active in the Sodality at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral. Although an alumna of Sacred Hearts Academy, Margaret entered the Sisters of St. Francis whom she met when her sister Winnie attended St. Francis Convent School. She truly exemplifies the virtues in the Prayer of St. Francis.
Sister Ancilla’s educational ministry spanned the elementary to collegiate levels. The sound of music filled her soul as a pianist and organist, and later as a choir member at St. Pius X Church. She once skillfully directed a double cast of “The Sound of Music” at St. Joseph School, Hilo, complete with “real” Sisters of St. Francis on stage. In the final years of active ministry, Sister Ancilla shared her Franciscan knowledge and spirituality as director of the Hawaii Region Associates.
Sister Ancilla has always enjoyed the attention and affection of her family who faithfully visit their sister and Auntie Margaret with treats of Chinese food, treasuring her gentle, quiet spirit and beaming smile. Her sisters, Toni and Winnie, and the Yim family look forward to honoring her 70 years of faithful commitment.
60
60 years a religious
Brother John H. Campbell, SM
Born: 1940, Brooklyn, New York
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Past ministries: Teacher, track coach, Chaminade Preparatory School, Florida; assistant novice master; president, Chaminade-Madonna School, Florida; guidance counselor, Saint Louis School
Present ministry: Retired, spiritual director, counselor, Marianist board member
Reflection: Brother John H. Campbell, S.M., was born in Brooklyn in 1940. He attended Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York, before entering the novitiate in August 1958 and professed his first vows as a member of the Society of Mary in 1959.
In August 1962, he graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor of science degree in biology and was sent to Chaminade Preparatory School in Hollywood, Florida, to teach biology, math and religion and began the cross-country and track teams which eventually won three state championships.
In 1964, Brother Campbell left Florida to be the assistant novice director in Virginia and studied at the University of Virginia graduating with a master’s degree in school psychology.
He returned to Chaminade in 1968 and taught religion and psychology. In 1985 he became the first president of Chaminade and was involved in the merger of Chaminade High (all boys) with Madonna Academy (all girls). In 1995, He began his second term as president of Chaminade-Madonna.
In 2003 he was asked to mission at St. Louis School as a member of the guidance department until 2010 when he retired. He continues to be in mission as a spiritual director, individual and couples counseling, retreats and a member of three Marianist boards. He also was chairman of the Honolulu diocesan pastoral council.
60 years a religious
Sister Geraldine Ching, OSF
Born: 1940, Honolulu
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Past ministries: Leadership for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Present ministry: Director of Mission and Ethics Programs at St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii
Reflection: I have enjoyed all my ministries. As an educator and school administrator I learned the role and importance of servant leadership. As a leader in my community of sisters, I learned that culture plays a huge role in how we interact with others. In my current role as mission leader, I am humbled and awed by my lay colleagues who remind me every day that they are part of a huge legacy that they plan to move well into the future!
60 years a religious
Sister Francine C. Costello, CSJ
Born: Philippines
Community: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Past ministries: Hawaii — Teacher, St. Anthony, Kailua; novice director; Hispanic ministry; receptionist, St. Patrick School; CSJ Congregational Leadership Team; CSJ Vocation Committee. 21 years in Peru — educator in Catholic and public high schools; religious formation of adults in rural communities; diocesan Human Rights Advocate Team; pastoral ministry; parish administrator; CSJ Vocation Formation Team
Present ministry: Health care director for the Sisters of St. Joseph in Hawaii; CSJ/LARC vocation committee
Reflection: I love my community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. As a member of 60 years I am becoming the person, the woman God calls me to be, “of all that a woman is capable,” our description of growing into wholeness and holiness.
Serving God’s people in Hawaii and in Peru challenged me to meet their needs in their cultural, current and social situations. They call me to creativity, to alternate and possible means. More important is that I learned and continue to learn from them, from their cultural viewpoint.
I’m grateful to my community for the experiences in other cultures — Peru, Chile, Mexico, Japan, Gulu-Uganda. Their people are marked by their hospitality to the ”stranger” among them, evident in the Old Testament, and in a new way, in Jesus as he lived welcoming everyone without distinction. This is our Aloha. Aloha with joy!
60 years a religious
Brother Frank Gomes, SM
Born: 1940, Makawao, Maui
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Past ministries: Teacher at Saint Louis School, Honolulu, and St. Anthony High School, Wailuku; missionary to Mexico; Hispanic minister in California and Hawaii; parish pastoral worker; caregiver
Reflection: I was the second of three sons of Frank Jr. and Lucy De Rego Gomes. Alexander and Johnny were my constant companions as we grew up in a Catholic family and educated in Catholic schools. Sunday Mass was part of the routine along with visiting our grandparents at Haleakala Ranch. We even had clothes reserved for wearing only on Sunday.
I attended St. Joseph Elementary School in Makawao under the watchful eyes of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. I was an altar server for 10 years. After graduating, I attended St. Anthony High School with the Marianist priests and brothers as teachers.
I became a member of the Marianist family in 1959. I was happy to be part of the faculties at Saint Louis High School on Oahu, and my alma mater on Maui.
Mexico called and I served the beautiful people of Apaseo El Grande, Guanajuato. I was happy there and in the poverty of the people of God I saw Christ.
In 1993, I entered Hispanic ministry at St. Maria Goretti Parish in San Jose, California, and founded the Santee Mission that is still alive and well.
I returned to Hawaii to serve the Spanish-speaking Catholics on Oahu and Maui. I also visited the Hispanic inmates at Halawa Prison.
A call from my brother Johnny in 2003 took us back to Makawao were we lived together until his unexpected death in 2018. This time together gave us the great opportunity to be parishioners again at St. Joseph Church. Johnny rang the church tower bell every Sunday and I served as lector and/or eucharistic minister. I also directed adult Bible study and served on the parish council.
The greatest joy, and a confirmation of my vocation, came with the time I spent with Johnny. Caring for him was like touching the Lord. If Johnny was not the Word of God, then God never spoke. He taught me how to love and how it felt to be loved. He gave me a new life. I miss him. The saddest moment came when I put Johnny to rest alongside my mother and father, a grave that we both had visited many, many times before.
Life continues with great things remaining to be done under the guidance of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, to bring Christ to his people and to “do whatever he tells you.”
We need to work harder toward stopping all abortions. Yes, we can. Si, se puede.
60 years a religious
Sister Norberta Judith Hunnewinkel, OSF
Born: 1941, Evanston, Illinois
Franciscans: Sisters of Saint Francis of the Neumann Communities
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2012
Years of service in Hawaii: 10
Past ministries: Teacher and social worker
Present ministry: Retired; volunteer at the Saint Francis Adult Day Center
Reflection: I am one of two children in the Hunnewinkel Family. Our family moved many times (I’m an expert at packing!) throughout the United States due to my father’s employment. I finished high school, while boarding at the Convent School in Syracuse, New York.
I decided to enter our community, impressed with the sisters’ joy and I wanted to make a difference in the world. I had an interesting novitiate with 29 other women. I continued a very mobile lifestyle in community, moving every few years (What a way to see multiple convents!) I taught for 19 years, mostly at elementary levels. After a short stint in Peru, I received my master’s degree in social work and spent 25 years ministering in The Hoboken Shelter. Now in Hawaii, I have ministered in various areas within the Saint Francis Health Care System, where I now volunteer.
My life as a Sister of Saint Francis has been filled with joy, sorrow, challenges, and so many blessings with the people through which I ministered. I feel truly blessed!
60 years a religious
Father Christopher Patrick Keahi, SS.CC.
Born: 1937, Honolulu
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Past ministries: Provincial superior, vice provincial, seminary professor, provincial secretary, vocational director, superior of St. Patrick Monastery. Pastor at St. Joseph, Maui; St. Augustine, Waikiki; Maria Lanakila, Lahaina; Holy Cross, Kauai; Blessed Sacrament, Honolulu; and St. Michael, Waialua. Associate pastor at Holy Trinity, Kuliouou; St. Joseph, Waipahu. Police chaplain for the Honolulu and Maui Police Departments
Present ministries: Chaplain, Sisters of the Sacred Hearts; military contract priest for Joint Base Pearl Harbor/Hickam and Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe
Reflection: I have enjoyed 54 years of active priestly and religious ministries.
60 years a religious
Sister Jean Larm, CSJ
Born: Kaneohe, Oahu
Community: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Past ministries: 45 years as a teacher, caregiver, housekeeper
Reflection: My story begins when the 11th child was born to Grace and Yune Larm in Kaneohe, Oahu, the night of March 2, 1935. My education was mostly in public schools except for two and a half years at St. Ann School, before we moved to Honolulu. I graduated from Farrington High School, attended the University of Hawaii, became a Catholic at 21. During my instructions the seed for my vocation was planted. However, because I was a convert, I had to wait two years. So I finished my senior year and taught a year at St. Theresa School.
I entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Los Angeles and taught at St. John the Evangelist School and Star of the Sea School in San Francisco before returning to Hawaii. I made my final vows and taught at St. Joseph, Waipahu, St. Anthony, Kailua, Christ the King, Maui, St. Theresa, Honolulu and Holy Trinity, Kuliouou.
The highlights of my 60 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet are all the gifts and blessings God has gifted me with: the many friendships made with sisters in different provinces, my family, parents, school staffs, children, parishioners, other religious orders, priests, deacons and even strangers. There are places I have been that were beyond my expectations, constant surprises that God blesses me with: the Holy Land, Rome for the canonization of our own St. Damien, an experience of winter by spending time in all our provinces, and many places right here in the United States.
I am truly blessed and forever grateful to God for the hundredfold he has gifted me with. And I will strive to live what God requires of me: to act justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly with God, and to serve one another.
60 years a religious
Sister Katherine Francis Miller, SS.CC.
Born: 1939, Honolulu
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Past ministries: Educator at Sacred Hearts Academy; novice mistress; provincial; general councilor
Present ministry: Campus minister and theology teacher, Sacred Hearts Academy
Reflection: Some of my joys and highlights as a Sister of the Sacred Hearts have been experiencing the closing of the Second Vatican Council in Rome; working with young women in campus ministry at the Academy; working for a month with indigenous people in Ecuador; serving Ethiopian refugees and domestic workers in Rome; and living out my ministry of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament every day for the past 60 plus years.
60 years a religious
Sister M. Agatha Perreira, OSF
Born: 1939, Amauulu, Big Island
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Past ministries: Teacher in Hawaii for 14 years, in New York for 11 years, California one year, clerk stenographer in Kalaupapa hospital for one year, special services technician, receptionist St. Francis Medical Center West, 13 years a sacristan at St. Francis Convent
Present ministry: Retired
Reflection: “There are many reasons why I answered the call to religious life. Mass, prayer, the Sodality of Mary, my parents, and the Sisters of St. Francis were all channels toward God’s call being answered. Therefore, reflecting on my 60 years as a Sister of St. Francis, I thank God for continued blessings.”
60 years a religious
Sister Margaret Leonard Perreira, CSJ
Born: Ewa, Oahu
Community: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Past ministries: Teacher and administrator in elementary schools in California and Hawaii; service in congregational leadership and as the community treasurer and assistant archivist
Present ministry: Semi-retired and assistant community archivist.
Reflection: Ewa was my birthplace and hometown for the first 18 years of my life. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to attend Sacred Hearts Academy for 12 years and Chaminade College for one year, the first year it became co-ed, commuting from Ewa to Kaimuki daily.
In September of 1958, I entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Los Angeles. Within the next eight years, I completed my formation, received my BA and MA degrees and taught for four years in elementary schools in California before returning to Hawaii in 1966 with five other island girls who entered in 1958. We professed our final vows at St. Theresa Church, now the co-cathedral. The “homecoming and final profession” was indeed a highlight with parents, relatives, friends, former teachers and classmates at both the eucharistic celebration and festive luau. The attendance at this profession ceremony made it obvious that the sisters had made a difference in the lives of our laity.
With a grateful heart and joyful spirit, I spent nearly 50 years ministering in elementary schools in Hawaii as teacher, administrator and computer instructor. My educational ministries on Oahu and Maui included St. Theresa School in Kalihi, St. Anthony School in Kailua, St. Joseph School in Waipahu, St. Anthony Grade School on Maui, Star of the Sea School in Kahala and St. Patrick School in Kaimuki.
My goal was to prepare students for adulthood with an emphasis on integrity, morality and discipleship. There was also a summons toward community service as vice-province treasurer, on the vice-province leadership team, then caregiver for my mom and presently assistant archivist for my community.
Ministering to all without distinction — students, parents, coworkers and parishioners through love and service in word and deed — has been a great source of joy and blessing. I am truly grateful to God, my parents, teachers, Sisters and Fathers of the Sacred Hearts, and my CSJ community for their love, guidance and inspiration.
60 years a religious
Sister Patricia A. Rapozo, OSF
Born: 1939, Hilo
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Past ministries: Teacher for seven years in New York and nine years in New Jersey; served in Hawaii for 44 years
Present ministry: Spiritual services liaison sponsorship
Reflection: My motto for my entire life as a Franciscan Sister has been, “To love. To serve. To share.” It is not based on any particular Scripture. It is what I fashion my life around doing. The ministries I currently engage in at St. Francis Spiritual Services are a continued extension of my commitment to love, to serve, to share. If you live one day at a time for the love of Jesus, Mary and all the Angels, you will be blessed daily.
60 years a religious
Sister Sara Sanders, CSJ
Born: 1940, Oklahoma
Community: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Year arrived in Hawaii: 1980
Years of service in Hawaii: 39
Past ministries: Teacher of grade school, high school, and adult education; high school campus minister; curriculum writer on the natural history of Maui; coach and athletic trainer; school administrator; school librarian; congregational leadership; parish choir director and cantor
Present ministry: Chemistry teacher at St. Anthony High School, Wailuku; parish choir member; member of the Catholic Charities Maui Leadership Council
Reflection: My years in ministry as a Sister of St. Joseph have taken me to Arizona and several California cities where I have met and served with many wonderful people. But it is here in Hawaii that I found that the Spirit of Aloha meshed perfectly with our community’s charism of inclusive love, including love of earth — our common home.
I am so proud of all “my kids” who have grown into loving parents, servant leaders who assist others through their professions, and active members of their civic communities where they actively engage in and promote Catholic social teaching — the mission of Jesus to bring all together as one in the Father.
Accepting the call to become a Sister of St. Joseph has been the best decision of my life!
60 years a religious
Sister Beatrice Helelani Tom, OSF
Born: 1940, Honolulu
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Past ministries: Served in New York state and Hawaii, back and forth, in the areas of education, pastoral care and spiritual retreats
Present ministry: Healthcare
Reflection: Early in her religious life, Sister Beatrice Tom served as a school teacher at various schools in New York state and at St. Francis School in Honolulu. In the mid-1970s, she was the director at Covenant House in New York City, assisting homeless and at-risk youth.
In the late-1970s and early 1980s, Sister Beatrice served as assistant administrator at St. Francis Hospital and the Stella Maris Retreat Center. She later went on to be the chief executive officer for the St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii. Sister Beatrice currently serves as president at Our Lady of Keaau on the Waianae coast.
She says, ‘’My greatest joy is helping God’s people along with my fellow Sisters at the St. Francis Healthcare System.”
50
50 years a religious
Brother Daniel J. Casey, CFC
Born: 1950, Chicago
Community: Congregation of Christian Brothers
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2014
Past ministries: Teacher and administrator at Christian Brother high schools in Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, California and Honolulu; congregational leadership in Illinois and New Jersey.
Present ministry: On sabbatical, not in full-time ministry; member of Honolulu Diocesan Pastoral Council; member of the executive committee, Leadership Association of Religious Congregations
Reflection: I am the oldest of five children, educated in grammar school by the Sisters of the Holy Cross and in high school by the Christian Brothers. I have degrees from Lewis University, Romeoville, Illinois; University of Notre Dame and the University of San Francisco.
As a teacher and administrator, I have always been energized by the spirit of young people. I have been blessed by a supportive, prayerful, and joy-filled community life.
Leadership has given me the opportunity to appreciate the complexities and holiness of the human condition. Leadership has also given me the opportunity to travel to six continents, exposing me to the beauty of our global community.
Experiences of prayer, spiritual direction, retreats, programs, spiritual reading and more have helped me grow in my relationship with God.
50 years a religious
Father Thomas Young Bok Choo, SS.CC.
Born: 1942, Honolulu
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Past ministries: Parish priest at St. Ann, Kaneohe; St. Patrick, Kaimuki; St. Joseph, Makawao; St. Augustine, Waikiki
Present ministry: Retired
Reflection: Father Choo was born and raised in Honolulu, growing up in Kaimuki, where he attended St. Patrick’s School and Saint Louis High School. The highlight of his years in the ministry was helping to plan and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine Church. The 2004 festivities included a Hawaiian music concert, hula and a big steak dinner across the street at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Hotel.
50 years a religious
Father Michel W. Dalton, OFM Cap
Born: Brooklyn, New York
Community: Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin
Year arrived in Hawaii: 1996
Past ministries: Parish priest on Guam; pastor at St. Elizabeth Church, Aiea, and Immaculate Conception Church, Ewa; vicar of the Leeward Oahu Vicariate, now the Leeward and Central Oahu Vicariates; member of the Bishop’s Administrative Advisory Council; chairperson, Presbyteral Council
Current ministry: Pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Kuliouou, Honolulu
Reflection: After my ordination to the priesthood in 1978 I embarked on the wonderful journey of serving God’s people on the Continental United States, on Guam, and on Oahu. It has been a great adventure to be able to meet so many good people and learn from their life experiences. One of my passions is to preach the Word of God effectively. I often say that I’m a shepherd who loves to preach and a preacher who loves to shepherd. I sincerely hope to be able to do this for many more years.
One of my ministry-passions is to work with our deacons and to assist in the retreat portion of their formation program. It is exciting to minister with them.
In my spare time I enjoy being outdoors, going on long walks, and even taking in a round of golf every now and then. I also enjoy traveling and have been blessed in being able to see many countries and to visit religious sites and places of natural beauty. My life and ministry have been full of rewarding experiences.
50 years a religious
Sister Anne Clare De Costa, SS.CC.
Born: 1948, Honolulu
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Past ministries: Served in various capacities in Hawaii at Sacred Hearts Convent, Sacred Hearts Academy, St. Ann Church and School, St. Patrick Church and School, St. Anthony Retreat Center
Present ministry: Director of education, St. Patrick Church and School; superior, St. Anthony Retreat Center
Reflection: My vocation started with the family life created by my parents Richard and Beatriz De Costa. We were a truly Catholic family in every sense of the word. We attended church together, volunteered and participated in parish events, prayers and novenas. All five of us children (one boy four girls) attended Catholic schools in elementary, high school and college. Our family was enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. We prayed the rosary as a family.
While attending St. Theresa School in Honolulu, I felt the call to be a Maryknoll sister. At our eight grade graduation, Sister Mary Joseph said that we were starting a journey for the rest of our lives and this journey started now. For high school, I attended Sacred Hearts Convent and Sacred Hearts Academy. The first time I entered the convent chapel, I knew this was where the journey would continue.
God blessed me with experiences and opportunities to reach out to children, families and so many other people along the way. It hasn’t always been easy; it wasn’t always where we would have travelled. But this journey has constantly and always found its source and reason in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
50 years a priest
Father Albert Gene Garcia, SS.CC.
Born: 1942, Honokaa
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Past ministries: Teacher at Damien Memorial High School and Star of the Sea Elementary; pastor at Sacred Heart, Waianae, St. Ann, Kaneohe and St. Michael, Waialua; associate pastor at St. Anthony, Maui, Sacred Hearts, Waianae, St. Patrick, Kaimuki, and St. Augustine Waikiki; chaplain to Sacred Hearts Sisters
Present ministry: Retired at St. Patrick Monastery
Reflection: In his 50 years of priesthood, he was noted for his musical composition of a Mass in Hawaiian that is still sung at Puuiki and Waianae Catholic Churches. Father Garcia is also an artisan whose art work can be seen at Bethany, Kaneohe.
50 years a priest
Father John A. Keenan, SSS
Born: 1942, New York City
Community: Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2004
Past ministries: Founder, clinical director of Trinity House, treatment center for priests and religious, Chicago; clinical psychologist licensed in Illinois and Hawaii; faculty, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois; Department of Psychiatry, Mercy Medical Center, Chicago; pastor, Sts. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church, Chicago
Present ministry: Vicar provincial, Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, American Province of St. Ann; formation of clergy and religious; consultant, permanent diaconate formation, Diocese of Honolulu; faculties to function in Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church; diagnosis and treatment; aviation psychology
Reflection: After high school, I had no doubt about my interest in the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and its founder’s passion for care of priests: formation, education, treatment, when necessary. After ordination, I received a PhD in systematic theology from Fordham University in 1980, and a PsyD in clinical psychology from the Chicago School in Chicago. Over the years, I have taught at Loyola University, Chicago, and DePaul University, Chicago.
In my years of ministry, the joys outweigh the sorrows and the highlights outshine the previous ones.
50 years a religious
Sister Esther B. Pagdato, OP
Born: 1945, Biscom, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental Philippines
Community: Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines
Year arrived in Hawaii: 1974
Year of service here: 23 years
Past ministries: Teacher at St. Joseph School, Makawao; St. Catherine School, Kapaa; St John the Baptist, Kalihi; St. Elizabeth School, Aiea; St. Finn Barr, California; Holy Angels, California; Kenya, Africa
Present ministry: Working at the House of Aloha, Waianae
Reflection: I felt the call of God when I was in first year college at St. Augustine University in Iloilo City. However, I kept the calling to myself. As the years went by, the call was so intense that I could not focus on my studies. So I decided to open up to my elder brothers and sisters and was ready to answer the call, but they were against it. Since I was far from them, being in college at another province, I left the university without their consent and joined the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines. After my temporary profession, the congregation sent me to the university to finish my studies. I had two years of teaching experienced in the Philippines. Then I was sent to Hawaii. My teaching experiences in different Catholic schools in Hawaii were filled with joy and truly memorable. God is so good!
The highlight of my ministry was in Kenya. I had the privilege of working with the teachers of different tribes as a religious education adviser and as a part-time administrator of a hostel for girls with physical handicaps. I had witnessed the tribal clashes and had the privilege of feeding and clothing people who were the victims of a dominant and powerful tribe. It was heartbreaking to look at displaced people who were forced to leave their homeland empty-handed. With joyful heart, I thank the Lord for gracing me with love and endless support throughout my 50 years of loving and persevering service.
50 years a priest
Father William Francis Petrie, SS.CC.
Born: 1941, Windsor, Ontario Canada
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Arrival in Hawaii: 2000 and 2012
Past ministries: Missionary to Hansen’s disease patients in India; pastor at St. Damien Church, Molokai
Present ministry: retired
Reflection: My 50 years of religious priesthood can be divided into 25 years of pastoral and administrative ministry in the United States and 25 years working in India with Hansen’s disease ministry sponsored by St. Teresa of Calcutta. Since retiring at age 75, I am at St. Patrick Monastery in Honolulu assisting with Sacred Hearts congregational archives with weekend ministry on Oahu’s North Shore. No words can describe my gratitude to God for my vocation to religious priestly life. I followed advice from Mother Teresa to “Do and be something beautiful for God.” What a continued blessing to do that in the land of Damien, Marianne and Dutton.
25
25 years a priest
Father Constantino T. Atinaja Jr.
Born: 1968, Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Community: Diocesan priest, Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
Arrived in Hawaii: 2018
Past ministries: Parish priest in the upland parishes of Neuva Segovia
Present ministry: Parochial vicar, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Ewa Beach
Reflection: Father Constantino T. Atinaja Jr. is a diocesan priest from the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia in the Northern Province of the Philippines. He was ordained on Dec. 17, 1994, in his home parish St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur.
Most of the years of his priestly ministry were serving in the upland parishes of Nueva Segovia. Life in these parishes was laidback. There was no electricity, no television, no phone, no internet. Vehicles were not accessible to the villages especially during rainy season. He had to reach these remote places by foot or on horseback. The presence of the insurgents called New People’s Army and the military was another challenge he had to face. It was a hard priestly life but he was harder. He derived strength and joy in recognizing God among the people in the peripheries.
Father Atinaja, 50 , is an adventurer and a nature-lover. He likes hiking, mountain biking, fishing and gardening. He is also a great lover of sports. For him, “Sports is the new frontier of evangelization.” He founded the Metro Candon Badminton Club which organizes fun games and tournaments in his home province. He is known as the “priest-coach.” He coaches amateur basketball teams.
He arrived in Hawaii on Aug. 3, 2018. Working as a priest-missionary in the Diocese of Hawaii is for him a grace-filled opportunity that enriches his priestly ministry. He is small in height but has a big heart. He humbly admits that he does not have much to offer to the diocese except his heart. With 25 years in the priesthood, he is “tried in life” but “graced as ever.” With a grateful heart, he said, “Reaching this milestone of my life and ministry is a pure grace!”
25 years a priest
Father Joseph Ramelo R. Diaz
Born: 1968, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
Community: Diocesan priests, Diocese of Tagum Philippines
Arrival in Hawaii: 2006
Past ministries: Administrator, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Honokaa, St. Jude Parish, Kapolei
Present ministry: Parochial vicar, St. Anthony Parish, Kailua; vocation director for the Diocese of Honolulu, starting June 1, 2019
Reflection: I am a son to the late Melchor Gloria Diaz and the late Carmen Ramos Diaz. I have only one sibling, Sister Maria Camela Diaz of the Carmelite Sisters of the Philippines. I am overwhelmed by the fact that God loves me even with my many shortcomings. I am truly blessed that God has graced and blessed me to be his priest for the last 25 years. I cannot thank him enough.
25 years a priest
Father Khanh S. Hoang
Born: 1968, Da Nang, Vietnam
Community: Diocesan priest
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2003
Years of service in Hawaii: 16
Past ministries: Vicar for Clergy; parish priest at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Honolulu, and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City
Present ministry: Pastor, St. Jude Parish, Kapolei
Reflection: Father Khanh Hoang was born during the Tet Offensive of 1968 in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam. He grew up during the Vietnam war and eventually escaped the country by boat with his brother and one sister in 1978 and landed in Hong Kong. He came to the United States in 1980 and has lived in California, Texas, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, and now Hawaii.
Father Khanh entered the seminary in the ninth grade in 1982, actually to accompany his cousin who wanted to study for the priesthood. Eventually his cousin left and got married. Father Khanh continued and was ordained for the Diocese of Colorado Springs, Colorado, on June 4, 1994. He moved to Hawaii in 2003 because of allergies.
Father Khanh had always wanted to be a doctor. It was his years in the seminary and his service at soup kitchens, nursing homes, juvenile homes and prisons that slowly changed his goal from doctor to priest. Father Khanh feels happy with the vocation to the priesthood, especially the challenge, the dedication, and service he can offer to God and the church. On his day off, he enjoys playing golf and swimming.
Father Khanh’s favorite quote is “Service is love made visible.”
25 years a religious
Sister Novie Omictin, OP
Born: 1973, Hagonoy Guihing, Davao Del Sur, Philippines
Community: Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2008
Years of service in Hawaii: 7
Past ministries: Kindergarten teacher in the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Present ministry: Teacher at Rosary Preschool in Waipio
Reflection: The fervor and desire I felt before choosing to become a religious sister continues to grow stronger each day. Now that I am about to celebrate 25 years of religious calling as a Dominican Sister, I am grateful. I am a jolly kind of a sister who loves to play the guitar. I am always joyful wherever I’m assigned and I am ready for any task in the mission. Psalm 23rd proclaims, “The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want.” This is one of my favorite verses I used to recite during my younger years. I’m finding that this psalm helps me to remain dedicated and faithful in my spiritual growth.
Also, sayings like “Bloom wherever you are planted,” helps me to be willing to accept tasks with a joyful heart. I am always fulfilling my responsibility to the best I can for the common good, and for the glory of God. I want to keep blooming and being fruitful in my simple way of living out my vows.
I am so grateful to God for keeping me in his mercy and for keeping my vocation alive in me. But to do my part, I must take care of myself with lots of sacrifices and prayers. My special prayer is for strength to conquer all of my weaknesses. I also pray that I may never get tired from doing what is good in the service of his people and for his glory. The Lord has been so faithful to me no matter what, I do believe and trust him to answer my prayers.
25 years a priest
Father Francisco Nicomedes S. Sanchez
Born: 1962, Butuan City, Philippines
Community: diocesan priest, Diocese of Butuan
Arrived in Hawaii: 2013
Past ministries: Served 18 years in the Philippines
Present ministry: Hospital ministry chaplain at four major hospitals in Honolulu; chaplain of the Visayan community at St. Anthony Parish, Kalihi; Mass celebrant on Mondays and Sundays at the Carmelite Monastery in Kaneohe; and Eucharistic minister on Sundays for a priest in a nursing home.
Reflection: Father Sanchez’ parents are Primo Sanchez and Editha Sescon. He has one sister, Maria Corazon. He entered the seminary in 1986 and was ordained in 1994 for the Diocese of Butuan. In 2018, he had major surgery in San Diego to remove blood clots from his lungs, repair his heart, and undergo a heart bypass.
Father Sanchez was grateful to Bishop Larry for permission for the surgery. He thanks those who prayed and supported him during the successful operation. After a year, he could run again.
God is good!
25 years a religious
Sister Ermelinda Tagnipez, OP
Born: 1973, Calinog, Iloilo, Philippines
Community: Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2001
Years of service in Hawaii: 18 years.
Past ministries: High school teacher in the Philippines; teacher at Rosary Preschool, Waipio; St. John the Baptist Catholic School, Kalihi; Holy Angels School, Colma, California. Studied and received certification in phlebotomy in California. Studied to be clinical nurse assistant and worked as a CNA in the hospital and a nursing home. Managed and procured a license for the Dominican Sisters’ House of Aloha care home in Waianae. Studied to be a patient care technician and worked part-time at Pearl City Nursing Home.
Present ministry: Teacher, St. John the Baptist School. On-call patient care technician at Pearl City Nursing Home
Reflection: God is God no matter what, and my role as a religious is to do what God wants me to be, because he knows what is best for me. For having reached this milestone of my religious life is God’s gift to me, and my gift to HIM. Despite all of the sacrifices that I’ve encountered, still I am what I am. Nothing can separate me from my love for God. And I thank him for all his blessings showered upon me.
My life as a Dominican has been fulfilled by numerous opportunities from being a teacher to a caregiver. Working in various schools, a hospital and a nursing home makes my life interesting, very enriching and fulfilling. Also, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my congregation for trusting me and for allowing me to work in various ministries. On the day of the celebration I would like to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to my beloved father. Also, I’m grateful to my mother and to my entire family, my friends and benefactors for all their support. Thank you! God bless you all!
25 years a priest
Father Exsequel J. Tuyor
Born: 1967, Hijo, Maco, Davao, Philippines
Community: Diocesan priest, Diocese of Tagum
Year arrived in Hawaii: 2011
Past ministries: In the Diocese of Tagum, member of the Board of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council, and vicar forane for two vicariates
Present ministry: Administrator of St. Anthony Parish, Kailua
Reflection: Getting to know and working with all the parishioners, seeing the smiles on the parishioners’ faces gives me energy to serve with a joyful heart.
