Our Lady of Good Counsel Church was filled with energy and joy Sept. 4 as its school celebrated 60 years of welcoming students. (Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Our Lady of Good Counsel School first opened its doors on Sept. 2, 1964, and for the past 60 years has provided quality Catholic education to students from across Oahu.
The Pearl City campus celebrated this milestone on Sept. 4 with a jubilee Mass, attended by the entire school as well as parents, alumni and former faculty and staff. State Sen. Brandon Elefante was also on hand to present a special proclamation from the state Legislature.
Bishop Larry Silva celebrated Mass. He was joined by more than a half-dozen priests, including Our Lady of Good Counsel Church’s pastor and parochial vicar, Sacred Hearts Fathers Santhosh Thottankara and Herman Gomes, and current and former pastors of churches in the Leeward Oahu and Central Oahu-Molokai vicariates.
Our Lady of Good Counsel was the first parochial school to open in Oahu’s Leeward community, according to a history provided by the school.
Fittingly for a school Mass, students provided much of the assistance during the liturgy — as greeters, altar servers, lectors, gift bearers and members of the choir.
Bishop Silva in his homily praised Our Lady of Good Counsel School for being a place that helps students “know the Lord Jesus … to know that you can go to him at any time with any need and hear you.”
“And even if he doesn’t answer you right away,” Bishop Silva said, “it teaches you how to engage your own talents and gifts that God has given you so that you can be part of the answer.”
At the conclusion of Mass, along with Elefante’s presentation of the state Legislature’s proclamation, Principal Chantelle Luarca displayed a proclamation from Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi declaring September as “Our Lady of Good Counsel School Month.”
Bishop Larry Silva presided at the jubilee Mass. (Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)
