By Lisa Dahm
Hawaii Catholic Herald
When we die, we all leave a legacy behind.
While we’re here, we get to decide how much we will improve our parishes and advance the faith of generations who will follow us — children, grandchildren, neighbors and whole communities.
With a bit of planning and the help of experts, all people — from those with only a widow’s mite of two copper coins to the riches of King Solomon — can leave their parish a better place through their generosity.
To help more Catholics plan their future while there is still time, the Diocese of Honolulu holds Legacy Sunday each year that gives parishioners an opportunity to explore how they can influence the future.
Legacy Sunday is scheduled for Aug. 15-16 this year, though pastors may shift it according to their parish’s schedule.
Expert guidance
The Hawaii Catholic Community Foundation securely manages endowments and planned gifts for the Diocese of Honolulu, ensuring the money entrusted to it by parishioners is used exclusively for the long-term benefit of parishes, schools and ministries.
HCCF, a nonprofit corporation that is separate from the diocese, was created in 2008 to provide a way for people to direct their monetary gifts to programs and projects important to them.
People who leave a planned gift through HCCF automatically become a Legacy Society member, and their names will be placed on a memorial wall in the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu.
Lisa Sakamoto, financial officer for the Diocese of Honolulu, said that many parishioners prefer to have HCCF give their donation to their parish when the time comes.
“Having (their donation and the specifics for its distribution) at HCCF gives donors some assurance that, regardless of the rotation of leadership, they know that their legacy is going to be remembered the way they intended it,” Sakamoto said. “HCCF has become a very valuable entity for the church to provide that assurance.”
Always on the move, Sakamoto also wears the hat of interim development director. In her more than 20 years working for the diocese, she has helped many parishioners to shape how they will be remembered.
At a mainland conference two years ago, Sakamoto met Laura Meier, a California estate planning attorney and author of the book “Guided by Grace: A Catholic Journey through Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning.”
Sakamoto thought Meier’s wisdom would help Catholics in Hawaii better understand the importance of planned giving, so she invited Meier to speak at parishes on several islands this past summer.
In her presentation, Meier discussed critical topics unfamiliar to many people, such as probate, guardianship of children, choosing beneficiaries and leaving a legacy that honors future generations.
“How many people in Hawaii have an estate plan?” Meier asked the audience at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Kailua-Kona in June. Surprising the audience, her answer was “everyone.”
Hawaii already has a default plan of probate for people who have more than $100,000 in assets. Probate can take more than a year and can cost up to 7% of a deceased person’s estate.
Foster care and judges will choose guardians for their children, and after someone dies, the person will no longer have an opportunity to choose his or her legacy without an estate plan.
“This is an education that could help all of us be a lot more thoughtful in preparation for leaving our own legacy before we leave this world,” Sakamoto said of the information Meier provided in person and through her book.
Leaving a legacy
While planned giving is an important part of a person’s legacy, it starts in the hearts of all parishioners who can make a difference in their own church even with small steps.
Father Konelio “Lio” Faletoi, stewardship director for the diocese and pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church, has transformed his own parish over the past 20 years into a thriving, welcoming place.
He imbues parishioners with a sense of ownership in their church by identifying their talents and encouraging them to use them to serve Christ and others.
“Everything is a gift from God — our time, our talent, our treasure, everything is (a) pure gift from God,” Father Faletoi said.
“We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us — their legacy,” he added. “It was through their belief, and they lived out their discipleship. They gave of their time, their talent. They were living the Gospel.”
In considering one’s own legacy, Father Faletoi suggested asking a few questions in light of Matthew 25:14-30, which tells the story of three servants who were given talents.
Start with an examination of what was done with God’s talents and gifts that he bestowed. Consider: Did you bury them or use them for the good of others? Did you multiply them? How do you really want to be remembered? Was your life worth it?
How do you see yourself as a beloved child of God?
“Everyone, in a very small way, is living a legacy to their parish already through their treasure as they’re sharing their blessings with the church,” Father Faletoi said. “They are already leaving a legacy because they believe in it and they want the mission of the church to continue.”
Father Faletoi said that often, Catholics must take a big step when they realize they want to do more with their faith and be part of the solution in their community.
“We have to join together and walk the faith together,” Father Faletoi said. “‘E hiki mai kou aupuni’ (‘Thy kingdom come’) — it’s the Lord’s will.”
To learn more about planning giving, visit the Hawaii Catholic Community Foundation’s website at www.hawaiicatholiccommunityfoundation.org/legacy-society or pick up a brochure at your parish.