Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Father Boniface Sakala, diocesan priest: The heart of my priesthood

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald I have only been in Hawaii for three months now, and I love being with the community at St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Church. Father Anthony Rapozo, the pastor, and his staff are so supportive. The people are full of life. […]

Sister Merced Gumban, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: More than we can be

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald One of my favorite songs, and the favorite song of my students as well is “You Raise Me Up” sung by Josh Groban. It is such an encouraging and uplifting, faith-filled song. From Hawaii to San Francisco where I have been teaching […]

Sister Nelia Pernecia, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: Special ties as siblings

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald In my family, there are several religious vocations. My brother became a priest. Two of my sisters became Reparatrix Sisters in Italy. And I became a Dominican religious sister. Growing up around the town plaza, we were close to school and the […]

Father Raymund Ellorin, diocesan priest: My extended family is here

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald My favorite Scripture passage is the call of Jeremiah found in Jeremiah 1:4-5. The passage states: “The word of the Lord came to me: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a […]

Sister Ma. Alma Amancio, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: Five pesos to ‘heaven’

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald It was my older sister who was supposed to become a religious. However, my parents would not allow her to enter the convent. And then, came my second sister who desired the same, but she was not allowed to leave either. My […]

Sister Ma. Delia Obenza, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: ‘Just introduce Jesus to them’

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald By the grace of God, I am simply happy to live each day. When I made my first profession, I told myself, “I offer my life to God in thanksgiving for everything He has done for me.” I cannot remember where I […]

Sister Ma. Teresa Ebanen, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: Ancestral values

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald My family’s farm in Iyasan village in Igbaras in the Philippines is an ancestral farm. It belongs to the Ebanen family. Having been passed down from grandfather and great-grandfather, my family continues certain traditions. Growing up, I remember walking 45 minutes across […]

Sister M. Leonarda Montealto, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: The prayer of quiet

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald Obedience. Prayer. Commitment. Fulfillment. These have characterized my life in ministry. Obedience takes first place in my life, as I only go to where I am assigned as a religious. In Hawaii alone, I served at Holy Cross School in Kalaheo, Kauai; […]

Father Sebastian Chacko, diocesan priest: Having a global outlook helps

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald God has blessed me. My health is pretty good. I have been to three countries in Africa, various parts of India, Western Samoa and American Samoa, and Hawaii. After my retirement at the age of 68, I went to New Zealand and […]