All photos: Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald
Priest vestments ready to be worn
Processional
Caroline Islands Coadjutor Bishop Julio Angkel, bishop of Romple Emwalu’s home diocese
Deacons
Phap Vu, Father Vu’s brother delivers the second reading in Vietnamese.
The bishop asked the priest candidates if they were worthy. Assured that they were, he said, “Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose Ahn and Romple, our brothers, for the order of the priesthood.”
Acknowledging the congregation
Bishop Silva’s homily
Pledging of fidelity, “respect and obedience” to the bishop and his successors
Father Vu’s parents
Litany of Supplication
Father William ‘Pila’ Tulua, who was ordained last year for the diocese
Father Emwalu’s mother puts leis on him after he’s vested as a priest for the first time.
Bishop Silva then anointed their hands with holy Chrism, carried in a calabash carved from the wood of the Islands’ first kiawe tree, planted by Hawaii’s first Catholic missionaries.
The bishop then passed to the new priests the bread and wine that would be used for the Mass, symbolizing their authority to celebrate the Eucharist.
The symbolic rituals of ordination completed, the bishop sealed the rite with the fraternal kiss of peace, a full two-armed embrace of each, to another round of applause and cheering. The concelebrating priests followed suit, some exchanging smiles and brief words, some kissing the new priests’ hands.
Vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor
Bringing up the gifts
The first blessing goes to the bishop