Deacon Eric Kim, right, congratulates newly ordained Deacon Joseph Soon at Cohort 7’s final ordination ceremony on Jan. 31, 2015, at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu. (HCH file photo / 2015)
By Lisa Dahm
Hawaii Catholic Herald
In every family, each member has a special charism that helps them to best serve the others. Deacon Joseph T. Soon will best be remembered by Cohort 7 — the group of men with whom he shared a five-year deacon formation journey — as the humble, introspective one who was sincere and steadfast in his ministry.
“Joe was the most down-to-earth person in our class,” said Deacon Eric Kim of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Ewa Beach, who was Deacon Soon’s close colleague and friend. “He wasn’t a lot of pomp and circumstance, but he had a deep faith. It was really good we could rely on each other.”
Deacon Soon died Sept. 1 at age 54. Born in Moto’ofua, Western Samoa, he was married to Onolata “Ono” Soon; they have one daughter.
The future deacon entered formation for the permanent diaconate in 2010, and Bishop Larry Silva ordained Deacon Soon and his Cohort 7 brothers in early 2015.
Deacon Soon served at Blessed Sacrament Church in Pauoa until health-related issues prevented him from participating in active ministry.
Father Steven Nguyen, pastor of Blessed Sacrament, said Deacon Soon embraced his suffering and took up his cross while he endured a long illness.
“He was a very humble person,” Father Nguyen said. “He never complained and was well-loved by the parishioners.”
Father Nguyen had the opportunity to anoint Deacon Soon the day before he died.
“That night after I anointed him, I talked with him a little bit,” Father Nguyen said. “I gave him a hug, and I told him, ‘Deacon, I love you.’”
Father Nguyen said that Deacon Soon’s family is very involved in their parish. Ono Soon is the coordinator for lectors, a minister of the holy Eucharist and prepares students for first holy Communion through the religious education program. Their daughter is an altar server.
“His family was very important to him,” Father Nguyen said. “They are good, authentic people.”
Deacon Kim visited Deacon Soon in late August.
“He (could) barely hear, but he was really happy to see me and upbeat, and it kind of inspired me,” Deacon Kim said. “We all ‘hope in the hope’ of eternal life, and we know what is coming for us. He was a really good example of that the last time I saw him. He was a man of deep faith and very inspiring.”
Humility and humor
Father Khanh Pham-Nguyen, the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Honolulu who passed away just two months ago, recommended Soon for the formation program.
Deacon Michael Weaver, the director of permanent deacons and an instructor at Chaminade University of Honolulu who serves at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Kailua, was one of Deacon Soon’s peers in Cohort 7. He said he immediately saw the future deacon’s humility and subtle humor as he began his formation.
“He was so humble, and that continued up until the day he died,” Deacon Weaver said. “He was such a quiet person, but we quickly realized when we listened to his homilies, it was obvious to everyone that Joe understood. He was so pastoral and had this quiet sense of humor. He had everything you would want in the deacon.”
Deacon Will Friese, a fellow Cohort 7 member from St. Jude Church in Kapolei, said that Deacon Soon and his wife were both were friendly, open and genuine, whether worshipping at Mass, praying a rosary or praying the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the daily prayer of the church recited by priests, deacons and religious in the morning or evening.
“He was very focused, very devout in his liturgies and in his prayers,” Deacon Friese said. “You could see that readily, and it wasn’t pretentious or false. It was a legitimate, very sincere approach.”
“Deacon Joe was a devoted servant of the Lord, a true example of Christ’s hands and feet in our world,” said Deacon Romeo Ganibe of St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church in Mililani, also a Cohort 7 member.
He said he will always cherish Deacon Soon’s kindness, humility, joyful spirit and sincerity.
“Rest in peace, my brother,” Deacon Ganibe said. “You will be deeply missed.”