60 years: ordination
Father John Halloran
Community: Diocesan priest
Residence: St. Elizabeth Church, Milpitas, California
Born: Chicago
Arrival in Hawaii: 1970
Current ministry: active retirement, parish work at St. Elizabeth, Diocese of San Jose, Calif.
Past ministries: worked as a Servite missionary priest in rural parishes in western Australia; founded a boys school in Perth; worked for the Propagation of the Faith in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne; associate pastor, St. Theresa Parish, Honolulu; Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace; St. Anthony, Kailua; hospital minister, Queens Medical Center, Straub Medical Center; pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach; spiritual director, Engaged Encounter, Retrouvaille, Legion of Mary in Hawaii; assigned to the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace, Santa Clara
Reflection: With the Lord, a day is but a thousand years and a thousand years to but a day. Life has been so fulfilling as a priest, it sometimes hardly seems more than a day since I was ordained. They have all been happy and fulfilling years — and still are.
60 years: ordination
Father Joseph Hendriks
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Residence: St. Patrick Monastery, Honolulu
Born: Overpelt, Belgium
Arrival in Hawaii: July 23, 1949
Current ministry: Retired
Past ministries: teacher, Sacred Hearts Seminary, Hauula; associate pastor at St. Joseph, Waipahu; Holy Rosary, Paia; Blessed Sacrament, Honolulu; St. Anthony, Honolulu; St. Ann, Waihee; Immaculate Conception, Lihue; Maria Lanakila, Lahaina; pastor at St. Ann, Kaneohe; St. Patrick, Kaimuki; Christ the King, Kahului; St. Joseph, Makawao; St. Francis, Kalaupapa
Reflection: Thanks be to God for the privilege of being born in a deeply Christian family, of being called to be a priest in the Sacred Hearts Order and for spending good happy years in Hawaii, always with great inspiration by Blessed Father Damien.
60 years: ordination
Father Stephen Van den Eynde
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Residence: St. Patrick Monastery, Honolulu
Born: July 19, 1921, Baal Brabant, Belgium
Current ministry: retired
Past ministries: Associate pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows; St. Joseph, Waipahu; Immaculate Conception, Lihue; St. Ann, Kaneohe; Holy Rosary, Paia; St. Patrick, Kaimuki; St. Augustine, Waikiki; Our Lady of Lourdes, Honokaa; Christ the King, Kahului; administrator at St. Roch, Kahuku; St. James, Honolulu; pastor at Maria Lanakila, Lahaina; St. Michael, Waialua
60 years: profession
Sister Mary Andrew Bomba
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Residence: St. Francis Convent, Manoa
Born: Pleasanton, Texas
Arrival in Hawaii: Sept. 11, 1966
Current ministry: prayer minister
Past ministries: teacher of religious education; classroom teacher; dietician in Kalaupapa; dietician in Rome; seamstress in Auburn Rehab Center, N.Y., dietician at St. Francis, Manoa; volunteer in Kalaupapa
Reflection: At age 12 I heard a sermon on Father Damien and his charitable work among the patients in Kalaupapa. A desire was born in me to work there also. Nineteen years after joining the Syracuse Franciscans, I was standing at his grave. I was awestruck as I realized it was Sept. 9, the same date as my departure from home. The 12 years spent in Kalaupapa were the most beautiful and inspiring of my 60 years as a religious.
60 years: profession
Brother Frederick L. Frick
Community: Christian Brothers
Residence: Christian Brothers Residence, Damien Memorial School, Honolulu
Born: Butte, Montana
Arrival in Hawaii: September, 1985
Current ministry: retired teacher; hospital ministry volunteer at Queen’s Medical Center; Hawaii Literacy Program volunteer
Past ministries: secondary school teacher and provincial of the Christian Brothers Western American Province
Reflection: Following high school and service in the U.S. Navy, I decided to dedicate my life to the Christian education of young men. As a student at Boys’ Central High School in Butte, Mont., I was extremely impressed by the good works and examples of my teachers, the Christian Brothers — especially Brothers Reid, Satterwaite and Tawey. Upon joining the congregation I became indebted to Brother Loftus and Brother Finch whose guidance and example showed me the way to be a true follower of our founder, Brother Edmund Rice.
60 years: profession
Sister Helen Agnes Ignacio
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Residence: St. Francis Convent, Manoa
Born: Hilo, Hawaii
Current ministry: administrative assistant, Franciscan Adult Day Center
Past ministries: primary grade teacher (12 years); French and English teacher (27 years); administrator of pensione, Rome (five years) and minister of hospitality at motherhouse (6 years)
Reflection: The House of Prayer, summer of 1970, is a bright highlight in a span of
60 years of exciting experiences. It started with two weeks at Siena College in Albany, N.Y., and continued for four weeks at St. Margaret Convent in Mattydale, N.Y. That the community gave us six weeks to devote entirely to our religious life — no summer school, community service or other endeavor — is a memory I shall always cherish.
60 years: profession
Sister James Therese Joseph, CSJ
Community: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Residence: St. Theresa Convent, Honolulu
Born: May 27, 1928, Honolulu
Current ministry: Student advisor at St. Theresa School
Past ministries: teacher at St Patrick School, Los Angeles; St. Joseph the Worker School, Canoga Park, Calif.; St. John Chrysostom, Inglewood, Calif.; Holy Rosary, Paia; St. Anthony, Kailua; principal at Holy Trinity, Honolulu; St. Theresa, Honolulu
Reflection: As a seventh grade student at St. Theresa, I was impressed with the visible joy, dedication and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph. I was thus inspired to live out my love for God in his service as a member of this special group of women. God continued to gently nudge me throughout my high school years to follow my call as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet. It has been a fulfilling
60 years.
60 years: profession
Father Francis Nakagawa
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Residence: Cathedral rectory, Honolulu.
Born: Wailuku, Maui
Current ministry: chaplain, Japanese Ethnic Ministry
Past ministries: teacher, Saint Louis School in Honolulu; teacher, chaplain and community director in Japan; teacher and chaplain in Hawaii, Texas and California.
60 years: profession
Sister Stephen Marie Serrao
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Residence: St. Joseph Convent, Hilo
Born: Hilo, Hawaii
Current ministry: guidance counselor, St. Joseph Elementary School, Hilo
Past ministries: teacher, vice-principal, principal at Sacred Hearts School, Lahaina; Our Lady of Angels, Albany, N.Y.; St. Joseph School, Hilo; St. Peter School, Utica, N.Y.; Holy Family School, Fairmount, N.Y.; Epiphany Catholic School, Venice, Fl.
Reflection: The Sisters of St. Francis have played an important role in my life. I attended Saint Joseph School for Girls in Hilo from grade one through 10. The sisters were strict, but very caring and loving. My parents sent me to St. Francis Convent School on Oahu to board during my senior year. The sisters were very special to all of us in the boarding department. In the spring of 1947, Father Leo Uht from the Marianist Society directed a retreat for the seniors. It was during this retreat that I “abandoned” all my teenage dreams and aspirations as I experienced a very special call to become a Franciscan Sister. I felt blessed!
60 years: investiture
Sister Francis Regis Hadano
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Residence: St. Francis Convent, Manoa
Born: Honolulu, Hawaii
Current ministry: receptionist, St. Francis Healthcare System
Past ministries: teacher; school administration; congregational officer for the Sisters of St. Francis in Hawaii and Syracuse
Reflection: As I reflect on the
60 years since I received my name (which was foreign to me), I am filled with gratitude for the support and affirmation I have received from family (who at first could not understand why I chose to be a Sister of St. Francis), sisters in community, and those many, many persons I have ministered with and to. Recently, in a Lenten reflection, I came across the following, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” So it is that we move forward with an attitude of gratitude!
60 years: investiture
Sister Rita Mary Mulhall
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Residence: St. Francis Convent, Manoa
Born: Manhattan, N.Y.
Arrival in Hawaii: 1966
Current ministry: prayer ministry
Past ministries: primary grade teacher; secondary level teacher of English and literature; reading specialist at all levels; community service
Reflection: As I reflected in the steps that led to my being called to the Franciscan way of life, I share the following instances: 1) In the years before meeting the Franciscans, I piloted a Piper Club for recreation. During a particular landing, daylight was fading faster than I could land the plane. I prayed, “God if you get me down safely, I’ll go to church again!” I did land safely and had to keep my promise. 2) My brother introduced me to the Franciscans in our parish in Gloversville, N.Y., and I was amazed at this happy group and enjoyed their humor. 3) At a particular time, and knowing that roses were out of season, I prayed, “God, if there is a white rose in church, I’ll enter the convent.” I entered the church and, lo and behold, there was a white rose. I ran out of church. I kept my promise.
50 years: ordination
Father H. James Bartlett
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Residence: Marianist Hall Community, Honolulu.
Born: Utica, N.Y.
Arrival in Hawaii: July 31, 2007
Current ministry: part-time adjunct instructor of religion; part-time campus ministry; spiritual direction
Past ministries: spiritual direction, about 30 years; high school teacher, 22 years; college teacher, about 10 years; parish priest, 18 years
Reflection: After a few years in college I discerned a call to religious life. My pastor suggested considering the Marianists. The novitiate was nearby, so I visited, prayed and applied. Having former students tell me I had made a difference in their lives and, after the seminary, to preside at their weddings confirmed the decision.
50 years: ordination
Father Maurice McNeely
Community: Diocesan priest
Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada
Current ministry: retired
Past ministries: U.S. Army chaplain; pastor, Our Lady of the Mount, Kalihi; Holy Family Parish, Honolulu
50 years: ordination
Father Alan Nagai
Community: Diocesan priest
Born: Kilauea, Kauai
Residence: Honolulu
Current ministry: retired
Past ministries: professor, Sacred Hearts Seminary; associate pastor, Sacred Hearts, Waianae; Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace; pastor, St. Rita, Nanakuli; Our Lady of Sorrows, Wahiawa; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City; St. Stephen Church, Nuuanu; vicar general; vicar for clergy
50 years: profession
Sister Rosita Aranita
Community: Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Residence: Kenya, on special assignment
Born: Kunia, Oahu
Current ministry: director, Kenya Water Project under the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul, Minn., helping villages provide clean and safe drinking water
Past Ministries: teacher, Los Angeles and Honolulu; social worker, St. Louis, Mo.; parish life minister, Hawaii; associate director, Office for Social Ministry, Diocese of Honolulu; grant writer; community organizer; director, community-based initiatives for youth; consultant and board member, justice-related associations
Reflection: My 50th year celebration of my religious life is a significant milestone of a personal journey interlaced with peaks and valleys in my development, adventure among diverse cultures, and growth in my spirituality. I have had multiple careers in teaching, human service programs, community organizing, and pastoral work on the U.S. mainland, Hawaii, Micronesia, Philippines and Kenya. I have interacted with urban peoples and rural communities of many ethnic and cultural backgrounds emerging the richer for these unique experiences. All along, my faithful companion and God provided energy, stimulation, motivation, and support through good friends and loving communities, but especially during our quiet times together. How blest I am!
50 years: profession
Brother James Dods
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Residence: Hale Malia Marianist Community, Honolulu.
Born: Feb. 10, 1939, Honolulu
Current ministry: college and scholarship counselor, Saint Louis School; coordinator, Mission Integration Team for the school administration
Past ministries: teacher, counselor, director of guidance, academic dean, assistant principal and principal in high schools in California, Japan, Washington state, Maui and Honolulu
Reflection: At St. Louis High School, the Marianists were my teachers and moderators. They suggested that I attend daily Mass during my senior year to discern my life choices. Surprisingly, my best friend registered me for a mid-year Camp Kanalui vocation retreat. There, the brothers assisted me in my decision to become a Marianist.
50 years: profession
Sister Marie Christine Plateros
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Residence: Paewalani Community, Kaneohe
Born: Oct. 21, 1931, Honolulu
Current ministry: Preparing for new assignment to Molokai
Past ministries: Part-time teaching at St. Ann School, Kaneohe; ministering to the poor, teaching English to candidates, Bandung, Indonesia; assisting in the congregation’s formation program at the international novitiate in Manila; elementary level teacher in the Philippines, California and Hawaii
Reflection: My first contact with the Sacred Hearts Sisters was when I entered the ninth grade at Sacred Hearts Convent School. Years later, when memories of continuous eucharistic adoration still whispered, spiritual guidance helped to clarify the call to religious life and to discern to which order Our Lord was calling me. Today, the Hearts of Jesus and Mary still beckon with new visions, new challenges and new life.
50 years: profession
Father Gerald F. Pleva
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Residence: Maui Marianist Community, Wailuku
Born: June 15, 1939, Wisconsin
Arrival in Hawaii: March 1, 2007
Current ministry: parochial vicar, St. Anthony Parish, Wailuku
Past ministries: teacher, campus minister and counselor in schools in Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin, India and Nepal; assistant novicemaster in Galesville, Wis.; parochial vicar
Reflection: In high school, I admired the joy of the Marianist Brothers who taught me. At the end of my freshman year, I had a ruptured appendix and was very close to death. In the summer of my junior year, I worked at a boy’s camp in Northern Wisconsin and knew that I wanted to work with young people. These experiences directed me to the Marianists.
50 years: profession
Father John Russi
Community: Society of Mary (Marianists)
Residence: Riordan Marianist Community, San Francisco
Born: San Francisco
Current ministry: sophomore counselor, Archbishop Riordan High School; director, Riordan Marianist Community in San Francisco
Past ministries: teacher, counselor and principal at schools in California and Hawaii, including Riordan High in San Francisco, Archbishop Mitty High in San Jose, and St. Louis School in Honolulu; provincial and assistant for religious life for the Society of Mary
50 years: profession
Sister Joan Souza
Community: Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
Residence: St. Michael Convent, Waialua
Born: Eleele, Kauai
Current ministry: preschool teacher, St. Michael School, Waialua
Past ministries: St. Margaret, Mattydale, N.Y.; Our Lady of Angels, Albany, N.Y.; St. Joseph, Hilo; Aloha Care, Honolulu, St. Francis, Manoa; St. Michael, Waialua
Reflection: I always loved going to church in Eleele, Kauai, where I made my first Holy Communion. I told Jesus I would “always love him like Father Henry did.” So when I attended St. Francis Convent School as a boarder where the Franciscan Sisters were always with us — they were loving, caring and sharing women who seemed to love Jesus so much, much as I did. Thus I joined the Sisters of St. Francis.
50 years: profession
Brother Leo Vendiola
Community: Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Residence: St. Patrick Monastery, Honolulu
Born: Nov. 10, 1930, Waipahu
Current ministry: semi-retired; driver; small jobs
Past ministries: maintenance worker; driver; yardman; infirmarian
Reflection: Two of my sister’s friends were killed which caused me to have serious thoughts and prayers in church. The conclusion was, as the army chaplain said to me, I’d make a good religious. He and I were stationed in an atomic bomb base. My pastor, a Sacred Hearts Father, said the Sacred Hearts Congregation was the best, so I’m now a member. I help people through my prayers, and I pray that a nuclear holocaust does not happen. To be united with God and all his goodness is simply awesome and wonderful.
25 years: ordination
Father Roland Pacudan
Community: diocesan priest
Residence: Sacred Heart Church, Honolulu
Born: Alicia, Bohol, Philippines
Current ministry: associate pastor, Sacred Heart Church, Punahou, St. Pius X Church, Manoa
Past ministries: associate pastor at St. Anthony Church, Kalihi; administrator of St. Roch Church Kahuku, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Waikane; pastor at St. Jude Church, Kapolei; rector, Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
25 years: ordination
Deacon Richard J. Port
Community: permanent deacons
Current ministry: deacon, Sts. Peter and Paul Church; member, clergy personnel board
25 years: ordination
Deacon Ronald T. Y. Choo
Community: permanent deacons
Current ministry: deacon, Blessed Sacrament and St. Stephen Parishes, Honolulu; treasurer, Serra Club of Honolulu
25 years: ordination
Deacon Andrew J. Gerakas
Community: permanent deacons
Current ministry: deacon, Star of the Sea Church, Honolulu; president, Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary
Past ministries: deacon, Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
25 years: ordination
Deacon Thomas H. Miyashiro
Community: permanent deacons
Current ministry: deacon, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City; assists at Missionary Basic Christian Community retreats; teaches Christian Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program classes, baptism classes; Saint Louis middle school counselor
Past ministries: RCIA; Marriage Encounter Love Circles; Stephen Ministry (pastoral care and hospice)
25 years: ordination
Deacon George W. Thorp Jr.
Community: permanent deacons
Current ministry: deacon, St. Anthony Church, Honolulu; member, clergy personnel board