Hawaii Catholic Herald St. Anthony Church in Wailuku held a blessing Aug. 25 for its new columbarium, the fourth completed project at churches across the state. Bishop Larry Silva presided at Mass before blessing the columbarium, which contains niches where the ashes of parishioners and community members can be laid to rest. One niche already […]
New columbarium is blessed at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church
Hawaii Catholic Herald Our Lady of Good Counsel Church held a dedication and blessing July 27 for the first phase of its columbarium, a wall of niches where the ashes of parishioners and other faithful are laid to rest. Parishioners gathered as Sacred Hearts Father Santhosh Thottankara blessed the columbarium. According to a letter from […]
On sacred ground
Diocese’s second columbarium installed at Resurrection Parish in Waipio, Oahu By Jennifer Rector Hawaii Catholic Herald Parishioners at Resurrection of the Lord Church in Waipio now have the option of making the parish their forever home. Literally. The parish has installed a columbarium, a wall of permanent niches for the urns of their dead, becoming […]
Columbaria at local houses of worship put at risk with pending legislation
A bill that allowed Hawaii Catholic churches and other houses of worship to build and maintain columbaria, or cremation niches, on their property, is being challenged in the state legislature. On Jan. 31, diocesan finance officer Lisa Sakamoto sent out an email alert that House Bill 646 would repeal a previously passed 2020 bill “that […]
Norms for Catholic Parochial Cemeteries in the Diocese of Honolulu
Decree promulgating norms for Catholic parochial cemeteries (The Norms are published on page 20 of this issue of the Hawaii Catholic Herald) His Holiness Pope Francis said when visiting a cemetery: “A cemetery is sad, it reminds us of our loved ones who have passed on. It also reminds us of the future, of death. […]
Bishop blesses Hawaii’s first parish columbarium
Twelve of the first 60 wall niches at St. Ann in Kaneohe are already taken By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The parish cemetery is making a comeback in Hawaii. But instead of an overgrown plot of ancient headstones there is a polished, granite-faced collection of urn niches built into a church’s exterior wall. Bishop […]
Patrick Downes: A continuum of spiritual care
COLUMN-BARIA* Bishop Larry Silva wasted little time. On Sept. 15, the same day Gov. David Ige signed Act 022 (20), he delivered the news “with great joy” to Hawaii’s pastors. What’s to be joyful about during a pandemic? A new law that will allow Hawaii churches to build columbaria, public structures for the keeping of […]
Resting in peace at one’s parish
Diocese plans to introduce ‘a wonderful program’ that will provide a ‘continuum of spiritual care, allowing multi-generations to be laid to rest together in their chosen place of worship By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald A long time ago, Catholics in Hawaii were buried in the graveyard of the parish where they were baptized, their […]
Diocese supporting bill that would permit church columbaria
By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The Diocese of Honolulu is expressing strong support for a state House bill that would allow places of worship to build on their properties columbaria — sites for the storage of funeral urns — that are exempt from the requirements established for commercial cemeteries. The diocesan position statement in […]
