Tommy and Rosanna Figuera (Photo courtesy of Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP)
VIRIDITAS2: SOUL GREENING
This conversation was recorded by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP, for the Hawaii Catholic Herald
Rosanna: This has been my church long before kindergarten. I am now 73 years old. Tommy and I have been married 54 years.
Tommy: I was born and raised here. This church was my playground. I remember asking Father Tom Miyashiro (the pastor then) if I could serve Mass. He said, “Tommy boy, you cannot serve Mass until you receive your first Communion.” The third time I asked, he told me, “Monday through Friday before you go to school, stop at the church. When you make your first Communion, you can serve Mass on Sunday.” Making my First Communion was the most exciting thing as I served at Mass the following Sunday.
Rosanna: He continues to serve Mass sometimes even now.
Tommy: That happens when one of the kids is not able to make it to church. Otherwise, I am in charge of church maintenance. However, we are really fortunate here at Immaculate Heart of Mary as our priest, Father Stephen (Macedo), he can repair things. He even repaired the blue car. He even changes tires.
Rosanna: You can also hear people saying: “Tommy, the faucet is running.” “Tommy, the toilet is broken.” “Tommy, …”
Tommy: Ministerially, I also visit the homebound. There are about 18 parishioners I bring the Eucharist to every Wednesday. Father Stephen makes his rounds every couple of months. Sometimes I feel bad that I get upset with my cousin who is 94 years old. He fell and got hurt and is really stubborn. But I remember Jesus asking, “Did you visit me when I was sick?” There is also a lady who always smiles when I visit her. And another, who wasn’t that responsive, but who made the sign of the cross and said the “Our Father” the other week.
Rosanna: I have a church cleaning group. I kind of organize the activities, odds and ends, and the Eucharistic ministers. We have always been involved in the church. I feel it is because of our continued giving that we are rewarded for being faithful and serving. Even through major losses and periods of uncertainty, for me, all that I have in life I feel has just fallen into place because I give to the church. I actively do things, I actively serve.
Tommy: When we first built this house, we had one room that was just a toy room. It was empty. The church didn’t have enough classrooms. So, religious education teachers and kids would come to our house for classes. Even when we had home Masses, the same room was set up as a little church.
Rosanna: I have taught religious education for over 20 years. When my Monica was a little girl, not yet in school, Sister Geraldine came up to me and said that she needed teachers. I replied that I had my little one. Thank God, Monica was good. I put her in the back of the classroom with her books and toys and said, “Mom has to teach.” She played by herself and never came up to me while I was teaching. When you do things for Jesus, you may not have as much as other people have. But you are satisfied, you are happy.
