Deacon Craig Camello and his wife, Pam. (Courtesy photo)
Hawaii’s permanent deacons
Special to the Herald
This article is adapted from a feature that previously appeared in the April/May 2023 edition of the “Faith in Motion” newsletter at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Kailua-Kona.
The journey to Deacon Craig Camello’s entry into the diaconate has always been a journey bound in faith — a journey that began when he was an infant.
“Our Christian initiation, as we all know, begins on the day of our baptism,” Deacon Camello said. “For some it may come at a time when Christ enters our minds and hearts, and for some it may come at a time of near death. Some may enter the journey when their parents felt it was time for understanding of life with Christ.
“As for me, it was 10 days after the day I was born as my parents were told I was very sick with intestinal problems. Although our parents were young at that time with two children already in diapers, their faith kept them strong.”
Deacon Camello’s parents soon found that his ailment was too much for them to manage, so his father’s mother took him under her care for most of his infant years.
“My grandmother, full of God’s belief with cultural healing, nursed me through my first four years and then handed me back to my parents,” Deacon Camello said. “Throughout my childhood life, our parents ensured my siblings and I had an enriched Catholic education by having us attend St. Joseph School in Waipahu, until we graduated from Saint Louis High School.”
As Deacon Camello moved to a life on his own, he was struggling with his faith. He attended church only when necessary, or at Christmas and Easter.
“(It only) hit me as I was moving to the Big Island, my father said to me, ‘All I ask you to do, is to give our Lord one hour of your time per week and go to church,’” Deacon Camello said.
His arrival in Kailua-Kona in October 1990 sparked his journey back to the church.
He found himself in the pews at St. Michael the Archangel Church, attending Mass every Sunday.
“It was then (when) I furthered my talents with music ministry where I met Pam and her children,” he said. “It was from that moment onward my journey in faith with God was deepened by joining our love with the sacrament of holy matrimony.
“We continued our music ministry together at St. Michael’s from 1991 to 2003, having to lead our youth Mass, youth ministry and other ministries of our parish.”
The couple and their children then spent nine years in Hilo, where they shared their music ministry at Sacred Heart Church in Pahoa and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Papaikou while their youngest daughter attended St. Joseph School and Waiakea High School.
In 2012 they returned to the Kona area, attending St. John the Baptist Mission Church in Kealakekua and St. Benedict Church in Honaunau.
As the Camellos continued their music ministry, Deacon Jerry Nunogawa (who passed away in 2013) shared his life as a deacon during Masses of vocations.
“His belief of vocations was that it is a religious desire to dedicate one’s life to serve others spiritually in the name of God’s love and compassion, which is a special gift from his son, Jesus Christ,” Deacon Camello said. “Focused on the music at hand, much of what was said at that time really went over my head — only to learn that (my pastor at the time) had made reservations for Pam and I and two other couples to attend a deacon inquiry weekend at (St. Stephen Diocesan Center) on Oahu.”
Deacon Camello and Pam joined the diocese’s five-year permanent deacon formation program, and he was ordained on Feb. 2, 2018 “with Pam and our children, Sidney, Stacey and Chelsea, along with my parents, Roy and Angie, my mother-in-law Esquiela, better known as Stella, and our faith community here at St. Michael the Archangel Church.”
Deacon Camello’s life has grown even sweeter through his faith.
“I find my role in the parish to be humbling with a life of joy and love of God,” he said. “It is one of spreading the good news of the Gospel.”
Deacon Camello acknowledged that we live in a secular society with many challenges.
“We all strive to live a life of Christ in our own vision and will, but it can be blurry at times,” he said. “The light dims at times and then it will light up as it is filled with joy and love. When darkness enters our lives, it can be difficult to cope with the understanding of ‘What it is, is what it is’! We find ourselves dealing with many changes in our work life, our family life, and even our faith life.
“All these situations have given me a desire in becoming a deacon to be, and build, a support system for our parish and to assist our pastor in reaching out to our parishioners’ needs and wants — to find ways of comfort and peace in our hearts through the Word of God that we hear every week, every day.”
