Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Father Marty Solma, Society of Mary (Marianists): Nigeria, prayer and fasting

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald It was on Halloween night, as I was in my third year of teaching in Cincinnati, that I got a call asking if I would go to Nigeria for three years. I said, “What?!” Struggling to discern, I did two things. First, […]

Sister Novie Omictin, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: A fisherman’s daughter

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald My dad was a fisherman. He was a prayerful Christian who would go to his church at 7 a.m. every Sunday. As I never liked waking up early, sometimes I would just go with my mom to the Catholic Mass at her […]

Sister Miriam Joseph Teresi, Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities: Morning grounds: coffee and prayer

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, O.P. Hawaii Catholic Herald I taught school for 24 years, worked in the parish for 26, and ministered in the hospital for 13 years. Working in the parish, my mornings were filled with visiting the elderly; my evenings were busy with RCIA class, working with the […]

Father Atonio ‘Niko’ Falaniko, diocesan priest: All around and all the above

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald You can find me everywhere. Some days I say Mass here at the cathedral basilica. On Fridays and Sundays, I say Mass at the Carmelite Monastery. Sometimes on Sundays, I also say Mass at Queen’s Medical Center, or at various parishes. Not […]

Father Anton Nyo Ano, Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette: Everyone needs a spiritual dentist

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald Everyone should visit their dentist regularly. If you don’t, and wait until five or 10 years have passed, and all the tartar sticks harder to your teeth, and blackened spaces in your mouth grow dimmer, you will be in for a bloody […]

Sister Louise Banares, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: The bravery of a catechist

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING I arrived in Hawaii one day before martial law was imposed in the Philippines. My first ministerial assignment was as an educator at St. Joseph School in Makawao, Maui. Through the catechetical training program in the Diocese of Honolulu, I was able to receive my certificate as a catechist. In my next […]

Sister Mary Mark Berdin, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: My middle name is survivor

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Mali Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald From being assigned from the Philippines to Kauai to Oahu in the 1970s, to Africa in the 1980s and back and forth between the Philippines, Oahu and San Francisco, returning to Oahu in the years after, I think sometimes that my middle […]

Sister Romeka Situmorang, Sisters of the Sacred Hearts: God just picked me up

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald Life is always challenging. It is never easy or perfect. Even in the life of Jesus, from the time he was in Mary’s womb, to his being an immigrant and unto the cross, there were hardships. Somehow, in my imagination, I thought […]

Father Santiago ‘Bong’ Agoo Jr., diocesan priest: Forever young

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING I am from the Prefecture of Isabela de Basilan in the Philippines. During my younger days, I found inspiration in the first priest to be ordained in my hometown. It was because of his example that I wanted to enter the seminary. Nowadays, I find myself being influenced by a song. Actually, […]

Father Rico Bernadez, diocesan priest: The importance of right relationships

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VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald I really appreciate the priestly ministry. Being a priest is about having a right relationship with God and knowing that God will lead one in the right direction to fulfill whatever God designs to have be done. I am always hopeful to […]