Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Bishop cancels all Holy Week, Triduum, Easter liturgies

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“All liturgical celebrations from now through April 30 are canceled, including those during Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum, and Easter Sunday.” Those stark instructions are in the latest memo (see below) dated March 27 from Bishop Larry Silva to Hawaii Catholics in this time of the coronavirus pandemic, as the government prohibits all large and […]

COVID-19 is not God’s judgment, but a call to live differently, pope says

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By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is not God’s judgment on humanity, but God’s call on people to judge what is most important to them and resolve to act accordingly from now on, Pope Francis said. Addressing God, the pope said that “it is not the time […]

Local Catholic schools to continue distance learning through April 30

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Hawaii Catholic parochial schools will extend students’ time away from campus through April 30 due to COVID-19, mirroring the Hawaii public schools’ schedule. “Due to our social responsibility, and in solidarity with our State leaders, all parochial schools will extend the postponement of ‘in-person’ classes through Thursday, April 30, 2020,” wrote Mike Rockers, the superintendent […]

Bishop Silva livestreams Sunday Mass from the cathedral basilica

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By Patrick Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald Bishop Larry Silva first livestreamed Sunday Mass since canceling all public Masses due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a pared-down liturgy concelebrated with four other priests, and assisted by a deacon and seminarians as lectors and altar servers. But no congregation. Bishop Silva processed to the altar from the […]

Making the most of a live-streamed Mass

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In light of Bishop Larry Silva’s decision to cancel all public Masses, the diocesan office for Religious Education developed suggestions of how to make Masses livestreamed over the internet a genuinely interactive and prayerful experience. The resource, created by diocesan religious education director Jayne Ragasa Mondoy, includes ways for the faithful to prepare for the […]

Bishop asks Hawaii Catholics to join in two upcoming COVID-19 prayer efforts led by the pope

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Bishop Larry Silva is asking those in the Diocese of Honolulu to join Pope Francis and people around the world in two special prayer efforts on March 25 and March 27. “On Sunday, March 22, Pope Francis issued two invitations to all the people of the world to join him in prayer for a speedy […]

Pope announces extraordinary ‘urbi et orbi’ blessing March 27

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By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis said he will give an extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27. The formal blessing — usually given only immediately after a new pope’s election […]

Hawaii Catholic schools to keep campuses closed through Easter Monday due to COVID-19

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Hawaii Catholic parochial schools will extend students’ time away from schools through Easter Monday. “This is to inform you that our parochial schools will be postponing ‘in person’ classes through Friday, April 10, 2020,” Mike Rockers, the superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools said in an email to school administrators and pastors on the afternoon of […]

CORONAVIRUS: No Mass, no offertory: Parish, diocesan, national collections take a hit

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By Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — One byproduct of canceled Masses is no offertory collection. And a byproduct of no offertory collection is puncture wounds in the budgets of parishes, dioceses and national collections. “It’s a big hit, and it’s gonna hurt,” said Patrick Markey, executive director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management […]