Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald When the Picpus (Sacred Hearts) fathers arrived in Hawaii in the 1830s, the Hawaiian people recognized something familiar. In the stories told of Christ, the one who gave his body as bread and truth, they remembered the god Ku. During a famine, […]
Father Melchor Palomares, St. Jude Church: Inspiring others as a joyful witness
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald I am the fifth eldest of 12 children in my family — and the only one who became a priest. In 2009, I was granted a green card, but my connection to Hawaii began long before that. My parents had been living […]
Phoenix Carter, Saint Michael Church, Waialua: Honoring God and my ancestors
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald I graduated with the class of 2025 from Saint Michael School and will be continuing my journey in the fall at Kamehameha Schools. One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had recently was carving an awa dish at the Bishop Museum (during […]
Father Manuel Hewe: Humility opens us to the Holy Spirit
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald The Holy Spirit chooses us. Love chooses us. Ang pag-ibig ang siyang pumipili sa atin. That truth is both comforting and challenging. When God’s love truly touches our hearts, we are never the same again. To receive this love, however, we must […]
Maryknoll Sister Rebecca Nyaki: Sharing stories, sharing God’s love
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald I grew up in Tanzania, East Africa, in a small village with no electricity or books. We played outside during the day, but in the evenings, while waiting for dinner, we would gather around the fire and tell stories. These stories carried […]
Ann Frances Guerrero, St. John the Baptist Church: Puakenikeni prayers — Giving my best to God
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald For Good Friday’s liturgy, Father Jarek Skrzypek asked parishioners to bring fresh flower leis for the veneration of the cross. You could hear the popping sound of plastic containers being opened as folks unwrapped their store-bought offerings. My leis were just tucked […]
Peter and Donna Estomago: United by faith, busy with their missions
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald The Estomagos, married for 55 years, are parishioners at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Kailua. Peter is the athletic director of PAC-5 Athletics. Donna is the director of religious education at St. Anthony. Sr. Malia: Peter, I hardly see you around these […]
Father Anthony “Tony” Pangan: Serving with care, one step at a time
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald Pastoral ministry can be taxing and challenging. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I take one step at a time. Each day, I focus on what needs to be done, prioritizing tasks as they arise. Living a life of stewardship means addressing the moment’s […]
Sister Apple Mea Tabsing, Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary: Questioning God with love and faith
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald Despite encountering many problems, struggles and challenges — whether family, personal or work-related — I remain an optimistic person. I always look at the positive side of life. Of course, it is my personal relationship with God that keeps me moving and […]
Sister Barbara Jean Wajda, Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities: The loving gaze between God, man
Viriditas2: Soul Greening Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP Hawaii Catholic Herald When I was in grade school in the 1950s, I remember making leprosy bandages. We would tear up old sheets that would then be sent somewhere. As a young child, I was too young to catch the details of what we were […]