Viriditas2: Soul Greening
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The Durocher family has a long connection with Chaminade University. Anthony graduated this year, while his sister Julia will enter her junior year this fall. Both are from St. Catherine Church in Kapaa, Kauai.
Sr. Malia: Did both of you choose Chaminade?
Anthony: It was my choice, but definitely a guided one. My parents, especially my mom, strongly encouraged it. Honestly, it was also easy because so much of my family was already here. My brother Joseph was in the master’s program when I arrived as a freshman, and several cousins were attending too. I was basically joining the family tradition. Now my younger brother Andrew is coming next year.
Julia: Our parents really wanted us to attend Chaminade, and we’re both grateful we did. We’re four siblings, and even more cousins are coming soon, so the Chaminade connection keeps growing.
Sr. Malia: Many students, once away from home, begin exploring or reclaiming faith for themselves. What keeps you grounded?
Julia: We had a strong upbringing in the faith, but eventually you have to choose it for yourself. What helps Anthony and me is realizing that God is our Creator. If we don’t live the way he created us to live, we won’t fully live out our purpose. God’s ways are not about restriction, but about love and leading us toward true happiness. Some experiences deeply shaped us. We attended the Steubenville youth conference, went on pilgrimage to Rome and even met the pope. Being surrounded by thousands of young people all worshipping together was powerful. Sitting there, worshipping alongside millions of Catholics around the world, we both realized: God is real. And if God is real, then we have to live in alignment with that truth.
Sr. Malia: Who helped point you in those directions?
Julia: We were active in youth ministry at St. Catherine’s. The Rome pilgrimage also came through Chaminade, which gave us another opportunity to grow in faith.
Anthony: I first attended a Steubenville conference when I was 19, and honestly, that was the turning point for me. It lit the flame for my own personal faith journey, not just the one my parents introduced me to. I remember my pastor at the time, Father Nick Apetorgbor, asking me, “How do we reach young people?” Back then I didn’t know how to answer. Now I would say: bring them out of their comfort zones. Take them to conferences, pilgrimages or experiences where they encounter other young people who share their faith. Those trips are fun, but they’re also spiritually transformative. When you return home, life still has ups and downs, but the path has been set before you. You can choose to keep that flame alive.
Sr. Malia: How do you keep the flame going?
Anthony: By accepting the mercy of God. Faith is not about being perfect. Every day is another choice to grow closer to him.
Julia: The flame is never steady all the time. There are moments when you feel distant. When that happens, I simply pray: “Holy Spirit, set the fire in my heart again and rebirth me in my faith.”