Msgr. Gary Secor blessed the new walkway dedicated to the late Father Louis “Harry” Yim. (Courtesy Sts. Peter and Paul Church)
By Mel Labrador, Sts. Peter and Paul Church
Special to the Herald
Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Honolulu celebrated the feast day of its patron saints on June 29 with a special evening Mass followed by a blessing ceremony.
The 5 p.m. Mass was concelebrated by Msgr. Gary Secor, vicar general of the Diocese of Honolulu; Father Khanh Pham-Nguyen, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church; and Marianist Father Roland Bunda.
Msgr. Secor then presided over the dedication and blessing of the newly completed Memorial and Donor Wall, as well as a new walkway dedicated to Father Louis “Harry” Yim. After the blessing, the celebration continued with dinner.
The evening was further enhanced by musical and hula presentations. These events not only commemorated the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul but also were a significant moment in the parish’s ongoing development, blending spiritual celebration with community recognition and gratitude.
The celebration marked the culmination of phase I, “Shaping the Future,” of the parish’s capital campaign, which focused on funding the recent purchase of the Emmaus Crossroads Center for Community Care and Action (771 Amana St.). The acquisition represents a substantial expansion of the parish’s footprint and capabilities for community outreach.
Phase II, “Shaping for the Future,” is set to begin in September.
The new walkway that connects the church to the recently purchased Emmaus Crossroads Center is dedicated to the memory of Father Yim, who died in October 2022 at age 93. He was the first graduate of St. Stephen Diocesan Seminary in Kaneohe to be ordained a priest, and his interest in the history of the Catholic Church in Hawaii left the diocese with many carefully investigated stories of its rich past.