Valerie and Gerald (Gary) Streff, new co-directors of the Respect Life office. (Photo courtesy of Dann Ebina)
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Bishop Larry Silva appointed on Sept. 8 Deacon Gerald (Gary) E. and Valerie Y. Streff as co-directors of the Respect for Life Ministry in the Diocese of Honolulu taking over from Paulette Vernay who retired in mid-July.
Deacon Streff continues his current diaconal ministry at St. Elizabeth Church, Aiea.
When the bishop asked the Streffs if they would accept this co-directorship, they had already been contemplating taking a “more active role in this ministry,” said Valerie in an email message to the Hawaii Catholic Herald.
“Oftentimes, saying ‘Yes’ can mean we have no idea what we are getting into,” she said, “but it can also mean we are stepping forward in faith, trusting God’s hand in guiding us through our faith journey.”
Gary was already the coordinator for St. Elizabeth’s respect life ministry. As such, he said he gained a greater interest in this aspect of Catholic social teaching.
“I became very interested in the political stance of government officials and their platforms,” he said, and became involved in advocacy for the pro-life-cause.
“I have served in a variety of social ministries during my life-long Catholic journey,” he said. “My biggest eye opener was participating in the March for Life activities at the Hawaii State Capitol over the last couple of years.”
“Catholic social teaching reinforced in us the importance of life and dignity of the human person and for preferential treatment of the poor and vulnerable,” Gary said. “If we do not care for our brothers and sisters in Christ, who will?”
The Streffs will have an office at St. Stephen Diocesan Center and will also work from home. They are getting pointers from their predecessor, Vernay. The couple will divide the workload accordingly, as well as work together on larger projects.
Valerie envisions the Blessed Virgin Mary playing a major role in this ministry.
“The nurturing, caring and the embodiment of maternal love is truly the perspective we are to set in presenting the life issues of society,” she said. “If we can influence others through this perspective, I think it will be a way to transform people’s views.”
Gary grew up on his family’s farm in Nebraska where, he said, in every direction there was “corn, corn and more corn.” The Vietnam war pulled him into the U.S. Air Force where he served as a logistician officer serving across the U.S. and Europe until his military retirement in 2012.
Valerie was born and raised in Hawaii. She attended the University of Hawaii, University of Gonzaga and Chaminade University of Honolulu. She retired after a career as a teacher in Hawaii’s Catholic schools.
Both had previous marriages. They just celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. They live in Kapolei.
Together the Streffs have eight children, 13 grandkids and two great-grandchildren.
Bishop Silva ordained Deacon Streff, a member of the diocese’s eighth permanent diaconate class, on Jan. 18, 2018.
After his ordination, the deacon was assigned to Resurrection of the Lord Parish in Waipio. On March 1, 2019, he was appointed to pastoral duties at St. Elizabeth Parish.
“Becoming a deacon is a most rewarding and humbling experience,” he said. “It paints a bigger and wider picture for us on how God’s hand is in everything. We just never realized the immensity of his love and grace that abounds everywhere.”
Valerie said that when she and Gary got married in 2005, they took to heart Mary’s instruction to the servants at the wedding feast at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you.”
“This has been our way of life since then,” she said. “We may not like some of the challenges we have faced, but when we discern and feel it is our calling, we hopefully meet the task of doing whatever he tells us.”
