Deacon Joseph Albert, left, assists Bishop Julio Angkel of the Diocese of the Caroline Islands at a Mass celebrated Feb. 15 at St. Joseph Church in Hilo. (Photo courtesy of James Dougherty)
By Deacon James Dougherty
Special to the Herald
Visiting Bishop Julio Angkel of the Diocese of the Caroline Islands in Micronesia, celebrated Mass for Micronesian and Palauan Catholics in the East Vicariate of the Big Island of Hawaii Feb. 15 at St. Joseph Church in Hilo.
The Diocese of the Caroline Islands covers the four Federated States of Micronesia: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap, as well as the independent Republic of Palau, all archipelagos consisting of about 2,000 small islands in western Oceania.
Bishop Angkel heard confessions for an hour before Mass. Chuukese penitents were delighted to have the Sacrament of Reconciliation available in their own language. East Vicariate priests are always willing to hear confession with their limited understanding of the Chuuk language, but it was a very special occasion for the islanders to avail themselves of their own bishop hearing their individual confessions in their own language. Chuukese penitential services always draw significant crowds on their home islands. Consensus, forgiveness and a sense of community are essential ideals in Chuuk culture.
For the Mass, the church was nearly full with approximately 200 people.
In his homily, Bishop Angkel encouraged families and clans to live a sacramental life and to find in the Catholic Church their ultimate fulfillment as a culture.
He recognized that it can be difficult for some to assimilate into the unique cultures on Guam and Hawaii, where many have immigrated, but said that the church would follow them wherever they went.
A welcoming atmosphere
He noted that the East Hawaii Vicariate had a welcoming atmosphere and climate, and that he was blessed to be able to stay with the Blessed Sacrament Fathers who staff the Hilo parish. The priests are eucharistic- and missionary-focused and have been outstanding in their service to Micronesians and other Oceanic peoples.
Bishop Angkel was assisted at Mass by Chuukese Deacon Joseph Albert, who serves the Micronesian and Palauan peoples in the East Big Island Vicariate from an office at Holy Rosary Church in Keaau. From there he conducts sacramental preparation and extensive pastoral work. Holy Rosary is part of St. Theresa Parish in Mountain View.
The bishop was invited to Hilo by Thomas Sorcy and Samuel Nathan, president and vice president respectively of the Chuukese Catholic Association of the East Vicariate.
On Thursday, Feb. 16, Sorcy and Nathan hosted a general meeting for all Micronesians and Palauans in the East Vicariate. The gathering was held in Sacred Heart parish hall in Pahoa, where the East Vicariate vicar forane Father John Molina is administrator. Bishop Angkel spoke about vocations to the priesthood and religious life within the subregion of Oceania. He said he was pleased that there are Chuukese deacons and a priest in the Diocese of Honolulu.
Bishop Angkel said he had readily agreed to lend Chuukese Deacon Joseph Albert to the Diocese of Honolulu three years ago. Deacon Albert had come to St. Theresa Church for Mass and gladly accepted the hospitality and support of St. Theresa pastor, Father Samuel Loterte, another Blessed Sacrament priest, to serve at St. Theresa Parish pending the approval and appointment of Bishop Larry Silva.
Bishop Angkel cited Deacon Albert’s service on Chuuk as head of Marriage Encounter. He was ordained a deacon in 1988 for the Diocese of the Caroline Islands for Uman Island in the state of Chuuk. He and his late wife had 12 children, nine of whom are living. He was involved in translating, typing and copying diaconate training materials from English into Chuukese for the Micronesian diocese. He also translated the Book of Tobit from English into Chuukese because the Chuukese Bible did not have several of the apocrypha books that are part of the Catholic biblical canon but were left out of the Chuukese Bible.
Bishop Angkel urged all present and their extensive families and clans to ask Deacon Albert for sacramental support and to participate more fully in their own local parishes. He said the Micronesian community needed to get more involved in their parishes and to participate in parish activities, not just Micronesian or Palauan activities. Then, they can bring their own culture to the larger Catholic Church, to re-evangelize all nations together with their brothers and sisters of the diverse and unique cultures of Hawaii.
Deacon James Dougherty is assigned to St. Theresa Church in Mountain View.
