Aloha

 

By Celia K. Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald

What does a diocese do when the editor of its award-winning newspaper announces his retirement after four decades on the job?

That’s the situation the Diocese of Honolulu faced last year when Hawaii Catholic Herald editor Patrick Downes made official his plan to retire at the end of this month. His announcement kicked off a long, thorough process to find someone who could fill his shoes.

Of course, there’s no one who could truly replace Patrick, whose impact on the Hawaii Catholic Herald is immeasurable. Any candidate who applied for the job would have to demonstrate that he or she is committed to doing the best job possible.

Readers might have guessed by now that, based on our last names, I’m related to Patrick. He is my father, and one of my biggest inspirations.

I’ve watched him run the Hawaii Catholic Herald for as long as I can remember and even had opportunities to contribute to the paper in my teenage years. That exposure definitely helped influence my decision to dive into journalism in high school and commit to it as a career.

I’ve worked in Honolulu’s newspaper industry since college, when I completed several internships at The Honolulu Advertiser. After The Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin merged in 2010 I was hired by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, where I most recently served as news editor — responsible for handling national and international news.

Even though I’ve gained a ton of skill and experience from nearly two decades in the daily newspaper industry, the thought of applying for Dad’s job was nerve-wracking, to say the least.

The knowledge and relationships that Dad has gathered and nurtured over the years are immeasurable. His ability to convey information and connect communities at the state, national and even international levels is truly inspirational and something to aspire to.

Though I faced these lofty standards, I also was confident in what I believe to the core: that newspapers are invaluable sources of knowledge and connection for people, and that I would do whatever it took to ensure that the Hawaii Catholic Herald could continue to serve our state’s Catholic community.

The application process took several months as the diocese embarked on a nationwide search for candidates. Toward the end I was interviewed by the search committee and by Bishop Larry Silva himself — two daunting but necessary steps so all parties could meet each other and determine whether the job and candidate were a good fit.

It was truly a blessing to receive the phone call last month offering the position of Hawaii Catholic Herald editor/director. I am honored to be given the opportunity to continue Dad’s work, and my biggest hope is that I can honor and maintain his excellent track record of informing, connecting and inspiring Hawaii’s Catholic community.

Some things about me

• I have two siblings — an older sister who lives on the mainland with her family, and a younger brother who lives in Hawaii.
• I have been married since 2018, and we have a 4-year-old spark plug of a daughter.
• I am a parishioner at Resurrection of the Lord Parish in Waipio.
• I am a 2003 graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy and a 2007 journalism graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• In my spare time I enjoy working out, doing crossword puzzles and reading. (HCH photo)