Graduates of the St. Patrick Seminary Class of 1977 gather around Bishop Larry Silva (Class of 1975) for a group photo Aug. 6 while celebrating their 40th anniversary of ordination following Mass at St. Theresa Church in Kihei. The group was hosted by St. Theresa pastor Msgr. Terrence Watanabe (front row, far right). Other members of the seminary class include, front row, from left, Father Denny Knurek, Father Larry Hendel, Bishop Randolph Calvo, Bishop Silva, Father Robert “Doc” Charm and Msgr. Watanabe. In the rear row, from left, are Msgr. Gary Secor, Father Fred Riccio, Father Tom Reilly, Father Steven Brown and Father James Fredericks. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Kurosaki)
Priests who graduated from California’s St. Patrick Seminary 40 years ago gather to celebrate on Maui
By Brian Perry Special to the Herald
This story, first published in the Aug. 7 issue of The Maui News, is used with permission. It is written by the city editor of The Maui News.
KIHEI — Members of St. Patrick’s Seminary Class of 1977 could have gone to Europe, Las Vegas or the San Francisco Bay Area to celebrate their 40 years of priesthood, but they chose to come to Maui where they’ve been hosted by their classmate, Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, pastor at St. Theresa Church in Kihei.
And, during Mass on Sunday at St. Theresa, it became clear that Msgr. Watanabe’s nine classmates weren’t simply attracted to Maui for its sun and surf.
As a seminarian, “Father Terry had a way of throwing great parties,” said Reno, Nevada, Bishop Randolph Calvo during his homily. “And he continues to outdo himself.”
Indeed, the St. Theresa parish community filled the church for Mass on Sunday and then rolled out the red carpet for Msgr. Watanabe’s classmates with music, hula and a luncheon in the church hall.
It was Bishop Calvo, though, who brought home the meaning of the priests’ four decades of service.
He quoted Dag Hammarskjold, the late Swedish diplomat, 1961 Nobel Peace Prize-winner and United Nations secretary-general, who said: “For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes.”
“A few simple words, but they reflect what’s in our hearts as we look back on 40 years and look ahead,” Bishop Calvo said. “These 40 years have been packed with joys, sorrows, experiences, people, challenges, ups and downs; in short — life, blessed with God’s graces.”
Bishop Calvo quoted from the Book of Proverbs, which says, “Without a vision, a people perish.”
He referred to the Mass’s second reading about the vision on a mountaintop that can be a “lamp shining in a dark place.”
“We need visions for they shine a light to guide us, give sense to lives, and point a direction for our journey,” said Bishop Calvo, a native of Guam. “Our faith in Jesus gives us vision. And this is what animated our ministry as priests these 40 years as we proclaim God’s word and celebrated the sacraments.”
Bishop Larry Silva not only celebrated Mass with members of the seminary class. He also celebrated his 68th birthday, with cake and a chorus of “Happy Birthday” from the St. Theresa choir and congregation.
Bishop Silva was two years ahead of the Class of ‘77 at St. Patrick’s in Menlo Park, Calif.
“They drove me crazy,” he said, adding that it was “fun crazy.”
He recalled working with Msgr. Watanabe on a 75th anniversary celebration of the seminary in 1973.
Bishop Silva said his main concern was “budget,” and Msgr. Watanabe’s was “whatever we could do.”
“He won, of course,” he said.
Msgr. Watanabe said he was “very excited” to have hosted his seminary classmates.
“Some I haven’t seen for 40 years,” he said.
Msgr. Watanabe was born in Wailuku on April 5, 1951, to Alan Watanabe and Eleanor Rocha. He attended Christ the King Elementary School in Kahului and St. Stephen High School in Kaneohe, Oahu. He holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Chaminade University in Honolulu and received his master’s of divinity in theology from St. Patrick’s Seminary.
Before becoming St. Theresa’s pastor in December 2008, Msgr. Watanabe was pastor at Holy Family and St. Philomena churches in Honolulu and rector at Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, also in Honolulu. Earlier, he was associate pastor at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua and Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Pearl City, both on Oahu.
Msgr. Watanabe is the former vicar-general for former Hawaii Bishop Joseph Ferrario and former moderator of the curia.
Now, Msgr. Watanabe serves on the Maui Advisory Board of Catholic Charities Hawaii, the St. Anthony Schools board of directors and the boards of directors of the Hawaii Medical Service Association, Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui and Mental Health Kokua, among others. He’s president of Faith in Action for Community Equity.
