CANDIDACY RITE
Ese’ese “Ace” Tui, a seminarian of the Diocese of Honolulu, stands during the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders, Feb. 27, in the main chapel of St. Patrick’s Seminary and University. (Photo courtesy of St. Patrick’s Seminary)
Ese’ese “Ace” Tui, a seminarian of the Diocese of Honolulu, publicly declared his intention to pursue priesthood with six others at a Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders, Feb. 27, in the main chapel of St. Patrick’s Seminary and University. Oakland Bishop Michael Barber celebrated the Mass.
Bishop Larry Silva and Archbishop Michael J. Byrnes of the Archdiocese of Agana, Guam, concelebrated.
The other seminarians were from the Archdioceses of San Francisco and Agana and the Dioceses of Santa Rosa, California, and Suwon, Korea.
In his homily, Bishop Barber spoke about the major commitment the men were making through the rite and how the ceremony used to include tonsure, the practice of cutting or shaving hair from the seminarian’s head as a sign of religious devotion and humility.
Tui is completing his last two years of theological studies at Saint Patrick’s Seminary. He was scheduled to be ordained a transitional deacon on May 15, 2020, though COVID-19 may change that date.
Oakland’s Bishop Michael Barber presided at the Feb. 26 Mass at St. Patrick Seminary and University’s main chapel. Honolulu’s Bishop Larry Silva, at far left, and Archbishop Michael J. Byrnes of the Archdiocese of Agana, Guam, at far right, concelebrated the Mass. (Photo courtesy of St. Patrick’s Seminary)