Courtesy Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Viriditas2: Soul Greening
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Changing schools in the sixth grade was hard for me as I was younger than my classmates. However, it was at St. Joseph School in Hilo that I learned about the Lord. At school, I was able to spend my days with people who encouraged my relationship with Christ. This made the long days worth it.
By the time I reached my sophomore year, my theology teacher, Mrs. Chrislyn Villena, and I decided that the school needed a student-led campus ministry. We realized that students were not as close as they were before to each other and to Christ. I wanted to bring everyone together through Christ.
That summer, I attended CLI-HI (Christian Leadership Institute-Hawaii). I learned a lot of leadership skills during the institute. These I used to start the Campus Ministry at St. Joseph. The following school year, I created a core ministry team through which we planned prayer services, school-wide Masses and community service projects. Overall, the core team was able to bring an increased presence of God’s light onto our campus.
In the summer of 2023, I brought my core team members to CLI-HI. There they gained the same leadership skills that I had learned. We prayed together before the Blessed Sacrament asking for God’s grace and guidance.
At the end of that trip, I declared to my team and my adviser that I had fallen in love with God so much that I was ready to receive the sacraments. Everyone was excited for me. They will always be huge inspirations in my decision.
As I waited to receive my sacraments, the team and I completed the same activities as the previous year, but also grew, strengthened and sustained our ministry.
We added new collaborations with a tri-campus prayer service: St. Michael on Oahu, Sacred Hearts in Lahaina and St. Joseph in Hilo met online to pray together. I slowly assigned more tasks to each of the team members so that they would be prepared to fully lead Campus Ministry after I graduated at the end of the school year.
Finally, I was baptized, confirmed and received my first holy Communion. My team was by my side during the Mass and was so proud. I have made amazing brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to push me in my faith and relationship with Christ.
I am proud to say that I am an alumna of St. Joseph’s class of 2024. St. Joseph will be sending three new delegates to CLI-HI this summer.
Get to know God and just trust in him. Go to Christ in his sacraments and in his church. Fall in love with God and trust that he will make everything right. I have experienced many moments that were low in life, but it is with trust that I am able to testify to God’s love and presence in mine.
