The article in the April 4 issue of the Hawaii Catholic Herald entitled “Celebrating Lives of Discipleship” featuring all of “Hawaii’s Jubilarians” really made my day. This was indeed a classic, recognizing those who have contributed so much and are shining examples of their decades of service to humanity.

At the top of my list is my teacher and mentor from the second grade at St. Joseph’s in Hilo over 54 years ago, Sister Francis Regis Hadano. In all my travels, I never hesitate to take whatever speaking opportunities I have to mention Sister and what she did to launch me on a path that eventually took me to different parts of the world on a myriad of endeavors. She indeed was the cornerstone of my life in those formative years of growing up. Mahalo for making this tribute a special moment in time for all of us to reflect and remember.

Aloha Ke Akua,
Bowman M. Olds
McLean, Virginia

Don’t pigeonhole young adults

The article on Father John Cusick of Theology-on-Tap fame (Hawaii Catholic Herald, May 16) unwittingly reveals the fatal flaw in much of the contemporary outreach to youth. To stem the tide of exodus of 20-30-somethings from the Church, Father Cusick’s remedy is gathering places away from parishes, where they can “form quality relationships without feeling pressure from the (c)hurch” (sic). According to Father Cusick, this group has “problems with official teachings on marriage ... women’s issues ... attitudes toward gays and lesbians ...” They feel that they might “get a social disease if they walked into the church ...”

Much of the contemporary approach toward young adults is an artificial attempt to pigeonhole them, to cater to their desire to stay immersed in aspects of the culture inimical to the Faith, to confirm them in their dissent from Church teachings, and to foster their detachment from the Church. Herein lies the fatal flaw.

Let me offer the Church’s remedy:

a) Learn the faith by studying the Catechism, the saints, the Fathers of the Church, and official documents of the Church. Do this for the rest of your life.

b) Learn the majesty of Holy Mass, “Heaven on earth,” so that the Blessed Sacrament becomes the “source and summit” of your very lives, and you will genuflect and adore Our Savior every time you enter His House. You will focus every thought and desire toward the Altar of His Sacrifice. You will sing truly sacred music which transcends the secular world (and not the secular riffs that squelch this transcendence). You will dress with proper taste and modesty, and comport yourselves accordingly in the presence of the King of Kings. (gum? cell phone? jeans? bare midriff/cleavage? laughing? socializing? sitting out on the steps? In the house of God Himself?)

c) After high school, assume the proper role of adulthood. Work toward your chosen career, leaven the world with Christianity, seek to raise saints by courting and marrying, according to God’s laws, the spouse who will be your true life partner (unless you discern a vocation to the religious life). Take the final words of Holy Mass as your motto: Ite Missa Est — Go, You Are Dismissed — to bring the Gospel to every place you go in your daily life. Your ministry is the world. Your association with your parish is not rapping in the “youth center clubhouse” and writing in Facebook, but Eucharistic Adoration, Bible/Catechism/Saints/Prolife/Theology of the Body study groups, developing a Schola for sacred music, and the Corporal Works of Mercy.

d) Be devoted to prayer, the sacraments, the Blessed Mother, and Holy Mother Church, for the rest of your life.

The Catholic Church is come-as-you-are, but not stay-where-you’re-at. The way of Christ is the Way of the Cross. We, all of us, not 20-30-somethings excluded, are in the world, but not of the world. We are not a Four-Square-Gospel-Charismatic-Meeting-Hall where we show our worldly hipness and our Jesus, too. We follow all the teachings and traditions of the Church because we believe that this is the pathway to the joys of eternal life. And all the ersatz hipness so prized by so many youth leaders will be seen for what it is: a detour.

Dave DeCleene
Hilo