Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Archives for December 2022

Pope Benedict’s spiritual testament: ‘Stand firm in the faith’; His funeral to be simple.

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  By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Retired Pope Benedict XVI’s final message to Catholics around the world was: “Stand firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused!” Less than 10 hours after informing the world that the 95-year-old pope had died Dec. 31, the Vatican press office released his spiritual testament, […]

Bishop charged with conspiracy to undermine Nicaragua, spread false news

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By Catholic News Service MANAGUA, Nicaragua — A Nicaraguan bishop held for nearly four months was formally charged during an unannounced Dec. 13 court date, marking his first appearance since being detained. Bishop Rolando Álvarez Lagos of Matagalpa was accused of conspiracy to undermine the country and propagate false news, according to a statement from […]

Christina Capecchi: First notes: music, prayer converge

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TWENTY SOMETHING From the beginning, there was music. It signaled the parade of life — comings and goings, mornings and evenings. The chirping of birds. The clatter of dishes. The croaking of frogs. Guido Monaco, an 11th-century Italian, loved it all — especially the chanting of monks. It confirmed what he had always sensed: Sometimes, […]

The (real) 12 Days of Christmas

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You may know the song “The 12 Days of Christmas,” but did you know that according to the liturgical calendar, Catholics mark an actual 12 days of Christmas between the Nativity of the Lord on Dec. 25 and ending the day before Epiphany, Jan. 6? Here are those days. Dec. 25 – Solemnity of the […]

Priest’s funeral brings together lives he touched over 83 years

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By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The funeral Mass for Father Patrick Henry Freitas Dec. 7 brought together people in Honolulu’s Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa whose lives he had touched in his 83 years on earth and his 57 years of priesthood — former parishioners including a group from rural Maui, catechists whom he taught […]

Pope’s 2022: A year dominated by war, problems walking

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — While 2022 finally saw the publication of Pope Francis’ constitution reforming the Roman Curia, the biggest news and the biggest changes in his ministry came from Russia’s war on Ukraine and from the pope’s own problems walking. Knee problems forced the pope, who will celebrate his […]

Melody of love

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A reflection on Yo-Yo Ma’s Kalaupapa concert among the headstones By Sisters Alicia Damien Lau and Barbara Jean Wajda Special to the Herald “Melody of Love.” That seems a fitting description of the moving performance of Yo-Yo Ma as he made his borrowed cello sing with the energy of all those who have ever lived […]

Photo: For the cause of peace

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Bishop Larry Silva, center, poses with delegates from the World Federation Japan Religious Committee on Dec. 6 in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. The group was in Hawaii on their annual pilgrimage to pray for world peace while participating in Pearl Harbor memorial services. Members of Hawaii’s Japanese Catholic Community were also […]