(Photo courtesy of Dann Ebina)
Bishop Larry Silva presents Father Konelio Faletoi, pastor of St. Michael Parish, Kailua-Kona, with an apostolic blessing from Pope Francis, July 1, at the diaconate ordination Mass for Arrion Rosales-Llantos. The occasion was Father Faletoi’s 30th anniversary of ordination.
The blessing was arranged by St. Michael parochial vicar Father Jaroslaw Skrzypek.
For his 25th ordination anniversary in 2017, Father Faletoi told the Hawaii Catholic Herald that his family was a “very important influence on my vocation.”
“There were many priests who inspired me as I was growing up: Cardinal Pio Tuafinuu, Msgr. Alan Nagai, Father Frances Shimono, Father Clarence Liu, Father Gary Colton, Father John Ward; and the priests who assisted me during my formation, Msgr. Gary Secor, Father Robert Giguere, Father Frank Norris, Father John Chandler, Father Patrick Freitas, Bishop Richard Garcia, Bishop Larry Silva, and others were all responsible for my calling and priestly formation.
“I have been blessed with wonderful religious women who inspire me and always pray for me: my aunt, Sister Antonina Maria Bernard, who is a Carmelite nun in Samoa, my cousin Sister Celestina Faletoi, Sister Denise Vincente, Sister Davilyn Ah Chick, Sister Charlene Eppi and others.
“I have enjoyed being a priest and look forward to another 25 years.”
Father Faletoi was born Aug. 21, 1965, in Wahiawa, Oahu. He was previously the parochial vicar at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Papaikou; a U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army reserve chaplain; and a parish priest at Our Lady of the Mount Parish, Kalihi, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Ewa Beach, both on Oahu.
He has been pastor of St. Michael the Archangel since 2004. He shepherded the parish through a destructive 2006 earthquake that made the original church unusable and the building of a new St. Michael’s.
