Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Bishop Larry Silva’s letter concerning the new COVID-19 vaccines

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CONCERNING THE NEW COVID-19 VACCINES Dear Faithful of the Diocese of Honolulu, Peace be with you, and happy new year! As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, this new year brings some hope in controlling the virus through vaccines. The State of Hawaii vaccination plan is being implemented at this time. You may have some moral or […]

Bishop sees ‘hope’ in COVID vaccine, will ‘probably’ get it

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By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald “This new year brings some hope in controlling the virus through vaccines,” Bishop Larry Silva wrote in a Jan. 8 letter (see page 2) to Hawaii’s Catholics, while acknowledging that some may have “moral or ethical concerns” because of the use of cell lines from abortions in the vaccines’ […]

Diocese ‘strongly recommends’ vaccinations for church workers

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By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The Diocese of Honolulu will not “mandate” the COVID-19 vaccine for persons who work in Hawaii’s Catholic parishes, schools and other ministries, “but strongly recommends those who are eligible to receive it to do so,” said the diocesan director of human resources Dara Perreira in a Jan. 8 memo […]

Diocese cancels prayer for Christian unity

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Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Diocese of Honolulu will not host its usual prayer service marking the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year. The ecumenical observance has been celebrated on Oahu in January for the past seven straight years at the Catholic Newman Center at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. Besides […]

Saints for the pandemic

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Here is a reflection by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, a Dominican Sister of the Most Holy Rosary, on her painting of icons of St. Damien and St. Marianne with local artist Meleanna Meyer for a devotional nave in Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Honolulu during the pandemic. By Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Special […]

Vatican will offer Pfizer vaccine to employees

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The Vatican health service will begin vaccinating employees and Vatican citizens against COVID-19 using the Pfizer vaccine, the director of the Vatican health service told Vatican News. “Only through a widespread and capillary immunization of the population will it be possible to obtain real advantages in […]

Bishop extends Mass dispensation while urging Catholics to go to Mass

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By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald Bishop Larry Silva is strongly urging Catholics to return to Sunday Mass — if it is safe to do so. That said, “in light of the ongoing pandemic,” he has extended his dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass for the fifth time. This latest extension is from Jan. […]

Christmas choirs permitted with limits, Office of Worship director says

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By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The Christmas church choir may again regain its traditional niche in the celebration of the season as long as that niche comes with Plexiglass and room for distancing. Deacon Modesto Cordero, director of the Office of Worship, explained what is allowed and what isn’t in his latest pandemic memorandum […]