By Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
“I need to see you,” said Marianist Brother Edward Brink, Vice-President for Mission and rector of Chaminade University of Honolulu, trying to pin me down for a meeting amid both of our busy campus schedules.
“How about 7:30 a.m.?” I suggested.
That became 2 p.m. as we found a common break between meetings.
Checking in with the receptionist, he ushered me past his office toward president Lynn Babington’s office. I was a bit confused until president Babington greeted me with a lei and said “Congratulations! You have been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Chaminade Heritage Award.”
As a 1985 graduate of Chaminade, I began to wonder how many other religious and clergy serving in the islands and abroad were prepared for ministry through this small but mighty college-become-university. I recalled being taught by Chaminade’s first president, Marianist Father Robert R. Mackey, and how the campus lived and breathed of the Catholic intellectual tradition and Marianist spirit.
I sought the assistance of Marianist Brother Thomas P. Jalbert, archivist at Chaminade’s Sullivan Family Library, and himself a graduate. Paging through old school yearbooks, Chaminade publications and his own memory, he was able to compile a list of 99 religious and clergy graduates. This list is understandably a partial one as data from religious orders in the islands past and present is incomplete. I estimate it includes perhaps two-thirds of those religious and clergy who attended the university
In addition, the permanent diaconate formation program of the Diocese of Honolulu has convened its 10th class of deacon hopefuls. These men and their wives have an opportunity to earn a master’s in pastoral theology at Chaminade as part of their formation.
What is most impressive about this list of graduates is the breadth and depth of ministries they have been engaged in: education, psychology, social service, nursing, business, spirituality, congregational leadership, campus ministry, parish ministry, mission work, church pastors and even a bishop.
This has equated to more than 99 laborers equipped to lead in their fields, continuing to make a difference in the world, affecting countless more lives with the values and support cultivated at the only Catholic university in Hawaii. (Of those listed, a number have left religious life, and some have died.)
Religious and clergy who graduated from Chaminade
Marianists
Class of 1962
Brother Stanley Caires, SM
Brother John Haster, SM
Brother Lawrence Janda, SM
Brother James A. Dods, SM
Brother Edward Gerhard, SM
Father James Orsini, SM (now a diocesan priest)
Father John (Jack) Russi, SM
Brother Eugene Saromines, SM
Brother John Wiscaver, SM
Brother Terence Wong, SM
Brother Rudolph Zimbra, SM
Class of 1963
Father Vincent Branick, SM
Brother Frank Gomes, SM
Father Robert Head, SM
Brother John Leary, SM
Father Theodore Ley, SM
Father Raymond Malley, SM
Class of 1964
Brother Robert Hoppe, SM
Father Charles Oyabu, SM
Brother Kevin Regan, SM
Brother Bill Ross, SM
Class of 1965
Brother Joseph Agius, SM
Brother Ernest Bebe, SM
Brother Daniel DeMattos, SM
Class of 1966
Brother Howard Hirota, SM
Brother Dennis Maloney, SM
Class of 1967
Brother Simeon Alop, SM
Brother Ronald Dempsey, SM
Brother William Farrell, SM
Class of 1968
Brother Kale Aluli, SM
Father Tim Eden, SM
Brother Jim Wiswell, SM
Class of 1969
Brother Ronald Allen, SM
Brother Joseph Bebe, SM
Brother Michael Chu, SM
Father Rodney DeMartini, SM
Brother James Guinasso, SM
Brother John Robinette, SM
Brother Carlo Silvestri, SM
Class of 1970
Brother Anthony Holzgang, SM
Brother Stephen Gunther, SM
Brother Michael Wiltse, SM
Class of 1971
Brother Thomas Jalbert, SM
Brother Dennis Schmitz, SM
Class of 1972
Brother Raymond Abregano, SM
Brother Thomas Heinle, SM
Class of 1973
Brother Stephen Ramirez, SM
Class of 1974
Father Timothy Kenney, SM
Class of 1985
Brother Thomas Redmond, SM
Class of 1989
Brother Jose Degorio, SM
Class of 1994
Brother Dennis Bautista, SM
Class of 2004
Brother Brandon Alana-Maugootoga, SM
Brother Norman Capinpin, SM
Sisters of the Sacred Hearts
Class of 1963
Sister Katherine Frances Miller, SSCC
Class of 1965
Sister Mary Joseph Araki, SSCC
Sister Regina Mary Jenkins, SSCC
Sister Mary Charlotte Kahalewai, SSCC
Sister Mary Dolorine Pires, SSCC
Class of 1966
Sister Helene Wood, SSCC
Sister Mary Bernard Gomes, SSCC
Class of 1967
Sister Cecile M. Duarte, SSCC
Sister Mary Plateros, SSCC
Class of 1970
Sister Marie Celeste Lactaoen, SSCC
Class of 1972
Sister Claudette DesForges, SSCC (now a CSJ)
Class of 1974
Sister Claire Anne DeCosta, SSCC
Class of 1979
Sister Charla Jane Reeves, SSCC
Class of 1985
Sister Irene Barboza, SSCC
Class of 2016
Sister Vandana Narayan, SSCC
Fathers of the Sacred Hearts
Class of 1973
Father Clyde Guerreiro, SSCC
Class of 1974
Father Herman Gomes, SSCC
Class of 1975
Father Lane Akiona, SSCC
Class of 2015
Father Lusius Nimu, SSCC
Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Class of 1962
Sister Rose Loraine Matsuzaki, OSF
Sister Candida Oroc, OSF
Sister Stephen Marie Serrao, OSF
Sister Helen Agnes Ignacio, OSF
Class of 1965
Sister Jeanette Joaquin, OSF
Class of 1968
Sister Laura Abat, OSF
Class of 1971
Sister Charlene Epil, OSF
Class of 1973
Sister Rose Fatima Leite, OSF
Class of 1975
Sister Agatha Perreira, OSF
Class of 1979
Sister Jovita Agustin, OSF
Sister Miriam Dionese Cabacungan, OSF
Class of 1984
Sister Severine Bartolome, OSF
Class of 2009
Sister Patricia Schofield, OSF
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Class of 1967
Sister Claudia Wong, CSJ
Class of 1973
Sister Marcelina Felipe, CSJ
Class of 1974
Sister Frances Blasque, CSJ
Diocesan priests
Class of 1971
Father Eli Carter
Father Dennis Koshko
Class of 1973
Bishop Amando Samo (Bishop of Caroline Islands)
Mgsr. Gary Secor
Mgsr. Terrence Watanabe
Class of 1974
Father Nathan Mamo
Class of 1978
Father Michael Owens
Maryknoll Fathers
Class of 1971
Father Clyde Phillips, MM
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Class of 1972
Father Robert Allanach, OMI
Dominican Sisters of
the Most Holy Rosary
Class of 1985
Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Class of 2013
Sister Maria Olivia Fuentes, OP