By Anthony Selvanathan
Special to the Herald
This reflection is appearing in the Hawaii Catholic Herald on Sept. 12 — the same day the church celebrates the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, the patronal solemnity of the Society of Mary, also known as the Marianists.
For more than 140 years, the Marianists have shaped Catholic education, parish life and community in Hawaii with their distinct charism.
Ask any alumnus of Saint Louis School or Chaminade University of Honolulu, and they will tell you the Marianists are ohana. I experienced this family spirit as a student at Chaminade, where “the brothers” were companions in faith as much as educators.
As the Marianist Rule of Life reminds us, “In Mary’s name and with her spirit, we unite in community to continue her mission of bringing Christ to the world.” That mission has guided the Marianists’ presence in the islands since 1883.
The Marianists came that year to staff Saint Louis School, then called Saint Louis College, which was founded by fathers of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The school moved to Kalaepohaku in 1928, and in 1955 the Marianists established Saint Louis Junior College, which became Chaminade University of Honolulu by 1977. They have also served parishes such as St. Anthony in Wailuku and Holy Family by the airport.
The Marianists have instilled a heritage of community and fidelity to Mary — a spirit that calls us to live faith in relationship with God, the Blessed Mother and one another.
The roll call of Marianists who shaped Catholic life here is long and inspiring. It includes Brother Gabriel Bertram Bellinghausen, the first Marianist principal of Saint Louis whose photographs preserved the Hawaiian Kingdom; Father Robert Mackey, founding president of Chaminade University and a respected civic leader; and Father Francis Nakagawa, who promoted ministry among Hawaii’s Japanese Catholic community.
I am especially grateful for the Marianists who shaped my vocation — Brother Dennis Schmitz, co-founder of the Big Island Liturgy and Arts Conference, who broadened my liturgical vision; Father Martin Solma, the current rector and vice president of mission and identity at Chaminade; Brother Allen Pacquing, a visible witness to vocation; Brother Brandon Alana, whose mentorship as a student campus minister helped me embrace ministry; and Father George J. Cerniglia, who left an indelible mark as rector and vice president of mission and identity at Chaminade during my student years.
They have helped many peers and me deepen our faith in Christ and build foundations for growth as young adult Catholics, instilling the Marianist spirit of community, service and devotion to Mary.
The Marianists, past and present, have touched countless lives in Hawaii and continue to be a blessing to our islands. Today, the Marianist family continues to grow through the witness of brothers, priests and lay members who share in Mary’s mission of bringing Christ to the world.
On this feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, we give thanks for their presence and pray for their future mission.
In closing, I share with you the Marianist Doxology, a prayer that Marianists chant at the end of meals and prayer: May the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit be glorified in all places through the Immaculate Virgin Mary.