Newly ordained Damien Memorial alum Father Chris Yakkel poses with Damien classmates who attended his ordination, from left, Lt. Vince Zieser, Mckenna Nakamura, Father Yakkel, Rex Katahara and Kasey Kawaguchi. (Photo courtesy of Ken Snow, Catholic Times)
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
A Damien Memorial School graduate with plans to become a U.S. Air Force chaplain was ordained to the priesthood last month in Ohio.
The Diocese of Columbus’ Bishop Robert J. Brennan ordained Father Chris Yakkel as a diocesan priest at St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus on May 25. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, the head of the Archdiocese for Military Services, concelebrated and also vested Father Yakkel in his new priest stole and alb.
Yakkel, 30, comes from a military family and graduated from Damien when his father, retired Air Force colonel Ron Yakkel, was stationed on Oahu. Four of Father Yakkel’s Damien classmates made it to his ordination and first Mass.
Father Yakkel recently earned his master’s degree in divinity from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus.
He is currently a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves and will spend three years doing pastoral work in the Diocese of Columbus before going on loan to the Archdiocese of Military Services as a chaplain.