Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

God’s mercy brings joy, comfort to those in need, pope says

by

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The mercy shown by God to his children can transform hearts and makes Christians become channels of that mercy to those in need, Pope Francis said. “In the midst of our own crises and our difficulties, divine mercy often makes us aware of the sufferings […]

Elise Italiano Ureneck: Learning to love the cry room

by

FINDING GOD IN ALL THINGS When I was a young, single professional living in Washington, I harbored a secret judgment against churches that had “cry rooms.” In my naivete, I considered parishes that built these spaces to be intolerant of young children. While I appreciate a reverent Mass, a silent church is a dying church, […]

Greg Erlandson: Evening news despair and Easter hope

by

AMID THE FRAY One of the best decisions my wife and I ever made was to keep our television out of the bedroom. We’ve never fallen asleep bathed in the blue glow of some late-night comic or some not-quite-funny comedy. The bedroom is our oasis. We may, however, do something almost as bad these days. […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: Is Jesus’ resurrected body human?

by

  QUESTION CORNER Q: Did the resurrected Jesus have a human body? (Carrollton, Georgia) A: It is a fundamental truth of Christianity that Jesus rose from the dead in his physical body. (This differs from the doctrine of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who hold that the post-resurrection Christ was spiritual, not physical.) Christians believe that the Jesus […]

Hosffman Ospino: Woman of wonders, lady of peace

by

JOURNEYING TOGETHER It is with sadness and puzzlement that our world witnesses the invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign nation, by its neighbor Russia, an exponentially more powerful country politically, economically and militarily. Of concern for everyone are the global consequences that this situation may unleash. Many fear the destabilization of Europe and potentially other parts […]

Father Kenneth Doyle: When did the Holy Spirit come? Why no altar flowers for Lenten funeral?

by

QUESTION CORNER Q: I have often wondered about the difference between the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit immediately after the Resurrection “on the evening of that first day of the week” (Jn 20:19-23) and the coeming of the Holy Spirit upon them at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Is it two different accounts of the same event, […]

For Pope Francis, there is no such thing as a ‘just war’

by

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — U.S. President Joe Biden minced no words calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “butcher” who should no longer be in power. No matter how much one reporter pressed Pope Francis on the plane to Rome from Malta, asking, “What would be your message to Putin?” “What […]

Oberammergau

by

Passion Play makes a post-pandemic return to German town By Günther Simmermacher Catholic News Service In 1633, at the height of the Reformation, the Black Death was sweeping through Europe, including the southern German region of Bavaria. The terrified people of one small village decided to do something to protect themselves from this pandemic: The […]