By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald
Bishop Larry Silva is celebrating 27 out of 44 parish Confirmation ceremonies in the diocese this year. Vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor will celebrate 17.
Most confirmations are administered during the season of Easter — this year from Easter Sunday, April 15, until Pentecost Sunday, June 4. Some of the ceremonies will occur after that.
Next year will be the last year in which confirmations will be administered as a regular practice to high school students.
Last year the diocese introduced a five-year process which will restore the reception of the three sacraments of initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion — to their “original” order. After the process is completed in 2020, confirmation at all parishes in Hawaii will be received in the second grade, with first Holy Communion.
Baptism will still be regularly given to infants. First Penance, though not a sacrament of initiation, will continue to be administered in the second grade, before Confirmation and first Holy Communion.
Each Hawaii parish was given the option of making the transition to the original order in 2018 (group one), 2019 (group two) or 2020 (group three).
In its transition year, on Pentecost, the priests of each parish group will confirm all children in grades two through 12. The following year, the bishop will confirm children at their first Holy Communion Mass.
In 2018, priests in group one parishes will confirm those in grades two-12 on Pentecost, May 20. That year, the bishop will confirm those in ninth grade and above in groups two and three.
In 2019, the bishop will confirm the second graders in group one. The priests in group two parishes will confirm those in grades two-12 on Pentecost, June 9.
In 2020, the bishop will confirm second graders in groups one and two. The priests from parishes in group three will confirm those in grades two-12 on Pentecost, May 31.
In 2021, the bishop will confirm all second graders. The vicar general will continue to administer some of the confirmations for the bishop.
The one parish not affected by these changes is the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. It already has been administering the sacraments in their original order for about 20 years.
Diocese of Honolulu 2017 confirmation schedule
April 23
- 10:30 a.m., Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace [Bishop Silva]
- 6 p.m., St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani [Msgr. Secor]
April 30
- 9:30 a.m., St. George, Waimanalo [Bishop Silva]
- 11 a.m., St. John Vianney, Kailua [Msgr. Secor]
- 5 p.m., Our Lady of Sorrows, Wahiawa [Bishop Silva]
- 5 p.m., Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City [Msgr. Secor]
May 6
- 5 p.m., Sacred Heart, Punahou/St. Pius X, Manoa [Bishop Silva]
- 5 p.m., Immaculate Conception, Ewa [Msgr. Secor]
May 7
- 3 p.m., Vietnamese Community (Co-Cathedral) [Bishop Silva]
- 5 p.m., St. Elizabeth, Aiea [Msgr. Secor]
- 6-9 p.m., Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa [Bishop Silva]
May 11
- 6 p.m., Ascension Mission, Puako [Bishop Silva]
May 12
- 6 p.m., St. Joseph, Hilo [Bishop Silva]
May 13
- 6 p.m., St. Ann, Kaneohe [Msgr. Secor]
May 14
- 8:30 a.m., Our Lady of the Mount, Kalihi [Bishop Silva]
- 9 a.m., Newman Center, Manoa [Msgr. Secor]
May 20
- noon, St. Philomena, Salt Lake [Msgr. Secor]
- 5 p.m., Holy Cross, Kalaheo/St. Theresa, Kekaha [Bishop Silva]
May 21
- 7 a.m., Immaculate Conception, Lihue [Bishop Silva]
- 9:30 a.m., St. Raphael, Koloa [Bishop Silva]
- 11 a.m., St. Patrick, Kaimuki [Msgr. Secor]
- 5 p.m., St. Catherine, Kapaa [Bishop Silva]
May 26
- 6:30 p.m., St. Theresa, Kihei [Bishop Silva]
May 27
- 10 a.m., Holy Rosary, Paia [Bishop Silva]
May 28
- 9 a.m., St. Mary, Hana [Bishop Silva]
- 10:30 a.m., Mary, Star of the Sea, Waialae-Kahala [Msgr. Secor]
- 4 p.m., Holy Trinity, Kuliouou [Msgr. Secor]
June 3
- 10 a.m., St. Joseph, Waipahu [Msgr. Secor]
- noon, St. John the Baptist [Bishop Silva]
- 5 p.m., Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach [Bishop Silva]
- 5 p.m., St. Michael, Waialua [Msgr. Secor]
June 4
- 8:30 a.m., Holy Ghost Mission, Kula [Bishop Silva]
- 8:30 a.m., Holy Family, Honolulu [Msgr. Secor]
- noon, Hispanic Community, Christ the King, Wailuku [Bishop Silva]
June 7
- 5 p.m., St. Augustine, Waikiki [Msgr. Secor]
June 10
- noon, Sts. Peter and Paul, Honolulu [Bishop Silva]
- 5 p.m., St. Rita, Nanakuli [Bishop Silva]
June 11
- 10 a.m., Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Waikane [Msgr. Secor]
July 8
- 7:30 a.m., Sacred Hearts, Lanai [Bishop Silva]
- 6 p.m., St. Joachim Mission, Punaluu [Msgr. Secor]
July 16
- 10 a.m., Christ the King, Kahului [Bishop Silva]
Aug. 5
- noon, St. Anthony, Wailuku [Bishop Silva]
Sept. 9
- 5 p.m., St. Joseph, Makawao [Bishop Silva]
Sept. 19
- 6 p.m., Latin Rite, Blessed Sacrament, Pauoa [Bishop Silva]
