By Anthony Selvanathan Special to the Herald In the Gospels, those afflicted with leprosy are not only ill; they are also outcasts, pushed to the edges of society and kept at a distance. They are often reduced to a condition rather than welcomed as people. When Jesus encounters them, what is most striking is not […]
Reflection: Give the present of presence this Christmas
By Anthony Selvanathan Special to the Herald Christmas arrives each year with light, music and celebration, but beneath all the joyful noise rests a mystery so profound it reshapes human history: God chose to be with us. In the quiet of Bethlehem, the long-awaited Word of God, promised by the prophets and yearned for by […]
Reflection: Advent is a time of holy waiting
By Anthony Selvanathan Special to the Herald Advent has always struck me as one of the church’s most counter-cultural seasons. Even its name pulls us into a different way of seeing the world. The word “advent” comes from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “arrival” or “coming.” In the early church, Advent carried the sense […]
Reflection: Discussing the church’s path of synodality
By Father Alfred Omar GuerreroSpecial to the Herald VATICAN CITY — “The church is called to walk together, to be synodal,” Pope Leo XIV said in his homily at the closing Mass for the Jubilee of the Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies on Oct. 26 in St. Peter’s Basilica. The three-day event, held Oct. 24–26, […]
Reflection: A pilgrimage of gratitude
By Anthony SelvanathanSpecial to the Herald This year, I spent more time on airplanes than I ever expected when I said “yes” to helping with the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis’ Jubilee Days of Study. The plan sounded simple enough on paper — teach people about the Catechism of the Catholic Church, creed, sacraments […]
Reflection: We are all called to bear witness
By Dawn Morais WebsterSpecial to the Herald On Oct. 4, clergy and lay people across the islands gathered in person and online for a talk, followed by a discussion, about “Standing With Our Immigrant Neighbors: How Religious Leaders and Congregations Can Make a Difference.” As Indivisible Hawaii, which orchestrated the event, promised, speaker and Christian […]
Reflection: Late pastor’s legacy of love and service lives on
Bishop Larry Silva gave the homily during Father Khanh Pham-Nguyen’s funeral Mass Aug. 16 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Honolulu. (Courtesy Dann Ebina) By Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos SantosSpecial to the Herald The faith formation program, the Olakino food distribution program, the Catholic Care Bag Project, the acquisition of the 771 Amana St. property, […]
Reflection: Walking with our shepherd: Celebrating a humble, steady leader
By Anthony Selvanathan Special to the Herald The year was 2005. I was a 12-year-old altar server at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu. One Sunday while preparing for Mass, our altar server coordinator, Jonathan Farinas, shared that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed a new bishop for the Diocese of Honolulu: […]
Reflection: Celebrating unity and gratitude on Fourth of July
By Anthony Selvanathan Special to the Herald Happy Independence Day, dear readers of the Herald! Although Independence Day is meant to be a day of celebration and festivity, recent events around the world have caused the words of the hymn “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” composed by my friend, Tony Alonso (who borrowed the title […]
Reflection: Finding rest and inspiration in rural Hawaii
By Anthony Selvanathan Special to the Herald As a local boy born and raised in the hustle and bustle of urban Honolulu, I must admit that I sometimes yearn for the “old Hawaii” that our kupuna often reminisce about. In search of a taste of what life as a Catholic in rural Hawaii was like, […]