Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Talk Story: ‘Even just one of these children’

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Office for Social Ministry “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Mt 18:5) In the bright light of Easter, when the church proclaims that life has overcome death, we are invited to look more closely at where that new life is most fragile — and most revealing. This year, Pope Leo XIV […]

Talk Story: A mission of service and respect

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Office for Social Ministry “Before any distinction of charisms and ministries, we are all equal in dignity as members of the people of God through baptism.” (Pope Leo XIV, Holy Week 2026) Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus message during Holy Week reminds us that as a faith family, we belong to one church — one ohana […]

Talk story: Christ opens our eyes to see, address injustice

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Office for Social Ministry “That is why God became flesh in Jesus, so that the clay of our humanity, shaped by the breath of his grace, might receive a new light, one capable of helping us to see ourselves, others and God in truth.” (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus message on the fourth Sunday of Lent) […]

Talk story: A Lenten call for peace

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Office for Social Ministry “Today we lift up our prayer for peace in the world, asking that nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy.” (Pope Leo XIV, prayer intention for March 2026) As bombs were falling in the Middle East this month, Pope Leo XIV lifted his hands and spirit in […]

Talk story: During Lent, strive for kindness, understanding

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Office for Social Ministry “Lent is a time in which the church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of […]

Talk story: Working toward a loving, authentic community

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Office for Social Ministry “And what does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) One Scripture passage that has powerfully shaped social ministry is the Old Testament prophet Micah’s message about what God requires of everyone: “Do justice, love mercy, and walk […]

Talk story: Strive for ‘agape’ love amid life’s challenges

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Office for Social Ministry “The way in which we learn to work together, with fraternity and sincere friendship, can give rise to something new, something that brings both the present and the future into focus.” (Pope Leo XIV, message to extraordinary consistory, Jan. 7-8) On the day after the Epiphany, Pope Leo XIV addressed an […]

Talk story: Making room for Christ: Sharing the gift of peace

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Office for Social Ministry “When the fragility of others penetrates our hearts, when their pain shatters our rigid certainties, then peace has already begun.” (Pope Leo XIV, Christmas Day homily) Reflecting upon that peaceful night of the very first Christmas, we often think of the humble stable where Jesus was born. We can picture the […]

Talk story: Recognizing God in our midst this Christmas season

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Office for Social Ministry “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn 1:14) The season of Advent invites us to slow down, look a little closer and reflect on the many ways God shows up today in our world. Christmas isn’t about grandeur or perfection — it’s about the miracle of God […]