Kainoa Fukumoto speaks at the Jan. 14 Red Mass in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. (Photo courtesy of Dann Ebina)
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
He was the first Red Mass speaker to begin his talk by taking a selfie with the congregation. Typical “millennial.” Which was the point.
Kainoa Fukumoto, 35, the founder and president of EPIC Ministry, a community of young Catholic adults in the Diocese of Honolulu, was the guest speaker at the Jan. 14 liturgy at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. The Red Mass is the church’s annual prayer to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance for Hawaii’s public servants. Bishop Larry Silva celebrated.
Fukumoto’s talk was informative, insightful and at times hilarious.
Dignitaries attending the Red Mass included Maui Mayor Mike Victorino, front, Lt. Gov. Josh Green and State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim. (Photo courtesy of Dann Ebina)
Fukumoto admitted being baffled at being asked to speak under the billing “local lay millennial,” considering last year he was the Red Mass piano player and the speaker was Vatican official and papal advisor Cardinal Peter Turkson.
But the bishop wanted a younger point of view this year.
The Mass was less well attended than past events, perhaps because of the wet, blustery weather and an unexpected hike in the cost of parking.
Seventeen priests and eight deacons participated.
At least five representatives from other faiths joined the opening procession.
About 25 members of Hawaiian royal societies, men in suits and red and yellow capes, women in black and white holoku, added a regal touch.
Potted red poinsettia plants, left over from Christmas, lingered post-season to accent the color-themed liturgy.
The 30 strong, vibrant, youthful voices of St. John the Baptist School choir from Kalihi, backed by electronic keyboard, guitar, drums and cymbals, directed by Jarrod Laumoli, provided the music.
The St. John the Baptist School choir provided a youthful sound at the Red Mass Jan.14 in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. (HCH photo | Patrick Downes)
Lt. Gov. Josh Green was there, as were Mayor Derek Kawakami of Kauai and Mayor Mike Victorino of Maui.
At least seven state representatives, two state senators, three Honolulu City Council members and one OHA trustee attended.
Also there was Lt. Col. Tyler Holland of the Marine Corps Base Air Station.
“E komo mai … welcome to you all,” the bishop said at the start, acknowledging all who had come together “so that we may do the Lord’s will to make this a more harmonious society.”
In his homily expounding on the Gospel reading about Jesus freeing a man from a menacing unclean spirit, Bishop Silva said that today’s unclean spirits are much more “suave and sophisticated.”
They are the malevolent spirits of “hopelessness,” “apathy” and “extreme individualism,” he said, evils which Jesus continues to cast out today.
Bishop Silva said that many of today’s youth are smart enough to recognize this.
“I thank God for so many youth who see through these lying spirits,” the bishop said.
In his 33-minute talk at the end of Mass, Fukumoto defined, differentiated and defended different age groups, from the “silent” generation, to the Babyboomers, to Gen-X, to generation Z. Millennials, he said are those in their 20s and 30s who fall between generation X and Z.
Priests raise their hands in a blessing over the public officials attending the Red Mass Jan.14 in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. (HCH photo | Patrick Downes)
Citing mostly online sources, Fukumoto described millennials as “tech-savvy, achievement-oriented, family-centric, feedback-seeking, team-oriented and job-hopping.”
One problem with millennials he said is that most of them rarely, if ever, go to church.
“But can we blame them?” he asked. “They grew up in households where religious indifference was more and more prevalent.”
“Most millennials are not leaving the church because they completely lost faith in Jesus Christ,” he said. “Rather, they lost faith in the institution.”
“What is the church doing to build the trust of its young adults?” Fukumoto said. “What is government doing to build the trust of this millennial generation?”
Like others his age, he is optimistic.
Kainoa Fukumoto’s selfie at the Red Mass. (Photo courtesy Kainoa Fukumoto)
“If the church and government can find a way to build these important bridges to engage millennials, there can develop an incredibly great force for good in our world,” he said.
“Millennials, more than any other generation, have the opportunity to utilize the information accessible to them and the technology available to them to reshape this world for the better,” he said.
Fukumoto challenged millennials “to spend less time on FaceTime and more time with face-to-face time, to continue to seek truth in this world, to not get lost in the ‘decision fatigue’ that plagues our generation, to pray for the spirit of guidance and wisdom especially for our church and government leaders, to be the change you wish to see, and to turn to the Jesus, who is Lord, in all your needs.”
“Don’t feel entitled,” he said, “feel empowered.”
Besides being the president of EPIC, Fukumoto is the principal of St. Michael School in Waialua. He and his wife of eight years, Yvonne, have three daughters.
The Red Mass is celebrated the week of the opening of the Hawaii State Legislature, which this year convenes Jan. 15.
Invitations are sent to members of the state’s executive, legislative and judicial branches, city and county officials, members of the military and representatives of other religious denominations. The Mass is open to the public.
A 700-year-old tradition in Europe, the Red Mass was introduced in the United States early last century and has become an annual event in Washington, D.C., and other major mainland cities. It has been celebrated in Hawaii since 1955.
The Mass is named for the color of the vestments used for a Mass of the Holy Spirit.
