Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Father Kenneth Doyle | Confirmation at a high school?

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Q: Recently, at a Catholic boys’ high school, the priest who is the campus minister gave first holy Communion and also (during the same ceremony) the sacrament of confirmation to six young men. I’m certain that the priest received permission from our bishop to do this, but I have two questions. First, isn’t the local […]

Father William J. Byron, SJ: What is that graduation speech really saying?

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“I never saw a hearse towing a U-Haul,” remarked a friend of mine the other day. He was talking about the problem of materialism in contemporary life and the need to find ways of convincing the young that there is a whole lot more to life than making money and piling up possessions. That comment […]

Report: Papal encyclical named after St. Francis prayer of praise

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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment will be titled “Laudato Sii” (Praised Be), a line from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of Creatures,” and will be released June 16, said the head of the Vatican publishing house. Salesian Father Giuseppe Costa, speaking at an event in Naples May 30, told reporters that […]

Archbishop Oscar Romero to be beatified May 23

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People carry large portraits of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero during a rally in late March in San Salvador to pay tribute to the late archbishop, who was assassinated 35 years ago. (CNS photo/Roberto Escobar, EPA) The Salvadoran church leader was murdered trying to protect his flock from an abusive military dictatorship VATICAN CITY — Salvadoran […]

Pope: Two new Palestinian saints radiated God’s love

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A banner showing new Saint Marie-Alphonsine hangs from the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Francis celebrates the canonization Mass for four new saints in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican May 17. The pope canonized four 19th-century nuns. The new saints are: Marie-Alphonsine and Mary of Jesus Crucified, both from historic Palestine; Jeanne […]

Survey shows increase in Americans with no religion

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WASHINGTON — A major study of the religious landscape of the United States shows a continuing decline in the number of people who consider themselves part of any religion, with the largest shift occurring among the “millennial” generation. The Pew Research Center survey of 35,000 people, conducted in 2014, found that the percentage of Americans […]

Pope tells Swiss Guards to arm themselves with the Gospel and a rosary

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Swiss Guard recruits stand at attention during their swearing-in ceremony at the Vatican May 6. Thirty-two new recruits were sworn in on the anniversary of the 1527 attack in which 147 Swiss soldiers died defending the pope. (Photo by Paul Haring)   VATICAN CITY — Wearing armor and carrying medieval-era weaponry — halberds and swords […]