BISHOP LARRY SILVA | MASS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Priests and deacons surround Bishop Larry Silva during the consecration at the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit at St. Ann Church in Kaneohe on Aug. 16. Most of the clergy in attendance are assigned to parishes with a Catholic school or work at one. (HCH Photo | Anna Weaver)
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
At the opening Mass for the Hawaii Catholic school year, Bishop Larry Silva focused his homily on shoring up the Christian bedrock.
“There is only one solid foundation on which to build, namely Jesus Christ,” the bishop said in his homily at the Aug. 16 Mass of the Holy Spirit for Oahu Catholic school educators.
“I think it is extremely important that, as we gather at the beginning of the school year, we celebrate the Eucharist together so that we can check the foundation upon which our Catholic schools are built.”
Bishop Silva talked about the 175th anniversary Mass of the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace that was to take place that evening. He mentioned that when renovations began on the cathedral, it was good news to hear that the church’s foundation was structurally sound. In contrast, he said, the 10-year-old Cathedral of Christ Our Light in Oakland, California, is experiencing foundational issues.
“Once we put up a building, we take the foundation for granted. We presume it will hold for decades if not centuries,” he said. “And yet this contrast of the two cathedrals shows that we should never take foundations for granted.”
Educators during the Liturgy of the Eucharist at the Mass of the Holy Spirit. HCH Photo: Anna Weaver
Pennsylvania abuse reports
The bishop’s message about a foundation cemented in Christ touched upon the recent sexual abuse reports from Pennsylvania, which had been released a few days prior.
“Now we see that building on the foundation of personal achievement has caused tremendous pain not only to the victims of abuse but to all people of faith,” he said. “It is obvious that the foundation of Jesus Christ would not have supported these terrible crimes.
“And now we must recommit to rebuilding on a firmer foundation of the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.”
Michael Rockers, Hawaii Catholic Schools superintendent, mentioned the Pennsylvania abuse report in his closing remarks as well, turning to the 20 priests in attendance and saying, “Let me assure you that the news in Pennsylvania saddens all of us but doesn’t affect one iota of the respect we have for the leaders we have in Hawaii.”
“We deeply appreciate your presence here today because it deepens and affirms our love for you,” Rockers said.
Bishop Larry Silva gives the homily at the Mass of the Holy Spirit. HCH Photo: Anna Weaver
Christ-centered schools
Bishop Silva also touched upon how Catholic schools must combat poverty and homelessness and be countercultural in a society that glorifies the “deification of the self.”
Hawaii Catholic schools have seen a 20 percent decrease in Catholic school enrollment in the last decade, according to the Hawaii Catholic Schools office. But Bishop Silva reminded the educators in attendance that they need to be cautious in how they go about trying to bring in more students.
“Does our need to increase enrollment lead us to shift our foundations so that we shift from the self-giving love of Jesus Christ to the self-achieving trajectory of our culture?” he asked.
St. Ann Church in Kaneohe, where the annual Catholic educators welcoming Mass has taken place for many years, was filled to capacity with overflow seating in its side chapel. Two teachers in attendance said they were committed to their work in Catholic schools.
Wendell Bacnis, an eighth grade teacher at Maryknoll School, said he feels he can “make a big difference in the lives of my students and eventually in society at large.”
“I’m able to weave the morals and values of Christ and the church into my curriculum,” said Bacnis, who has taught at Maryknoll for 13 years.
Jessica Russell was a first-time Mass of the Holy Spirit attendee. She left a public school job to teach kindergarten and first grade at St. Michael School in Waialua this year. She says she commutes 40 minutes each way to the small North Shore Catholic school because she values Catholic education.
“It’s a beautiful school and they are really focused and centered on God. That was really attractive to me there,” she said.
Russell noted how loud and clear all the singing and prayers were at the day’s Mass. “It was gorgeous to see so many Catholic school teachers worshipping God,” she said.
After Mass, there was a brief refreshment break and a talk by Jonathan Doyle, an internationally recognized speaker on Catholic education. Hawaii Catholic school principals and pastors came together for a roundtable discussion as well.
The Hawaii Catholic Schools department organizes the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit and related talks each year.
