An interview with Dr. Carmen Himenes, Hawaii superintendent of Catholic schools

By Lisa Benoit

Talking by phone to the superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools Dr. Carmen Himenes about the upcoming school year, you can feel her enthusiasm buzzing through the line. Filled with great hope and big plans, she likened herself to any teacher preparing with renewed excitement to tackle the new challenges of the first day of classes. “It is a wonderful experience to be part of Catholic education today in the formation of our children,” she said. “There is no other mission like it.”

Himenes spoke with the Hawaii Catholic Herald on July 18 while on a two-day break between a revitalizing west coast retreat and a relaxing Washington state vacation.

The new school year, beginning this month and next for Hawaii’s 40 Catholic pre-schools, grade schools and high schools, will be the superintendent’s second with Bishop Larry Silva. The first year, begun less than a month after the bishop’s July 21, 2005, installation, was one of getting acquainted with the new bishop’s style and aspirations.

Himenes said that the mission of her office melds well with Bishop Silva’s vision for Catholic education. She said that the bishop is a strong supporter of Catholic schools and is interested in their work and success.

She said that, in his first year, Bishop Silva has “reached out to pastors and principals” and has visited most of Hawaii’s Catholic high schools and many of the elementary schools.

He has a growing collection of school “cards, hats and flags” to prove it, she said.

“Bishop Silva wants the institutions to be financially viable, but his main concern is that they are Catholic in essence and in experience,” Himenes said. “He has made it very clear to schools that they are Catholic, with the mission of the local church at heart.”

The superintendent gains new help this year in her crucial job. Lovey DeRego, former principal of St. Anthony School, Kailua, has joined Himenes as her new associate superintendent and part of the schools office team that includes veteran associate superintendent Louise Wong.

DeRego, who replaced Lynda Asato, will be in charge of curriculum implementation in the schools, as well as the oversight of preschools. Wong will continue to work in the area of accreditation and procuring federal grants for program development.

Himenes is confident in the work of both her associates.

“I am excited by what Lovey DeRego brings with her own knowledge and experience,” she said. “And I look forward to continuing the work with Louise Wong in enhancing student learning and formation in our schools.”

New principals and pastors

This year brings to Hawaii schools a new set of pastors, five new principals, and a religious order of nuns new to Hawaii, the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, who are replacing the Religious of the Virgin Mary at St. Anthony School in Kalihi.

For Himenes, the changes “add new energy in our local community.”

“We are looking forward to the ability of the new leadership to engage the school communities in a vibrant, lifelong fashion,” she said.

Himenes will have the new administrators participating in a weekend program called “Preparation for Salt and Light Ministry (PSALM), a Catholic leadership retreat also designed for Catholic health care administrators and Catholic Charities employees.

“The weekend experience is meant to hone in for the administrator the importance of spiritual leadership in our schools,” she said. “It is very involved.”

According to Himenes, all Catholic school teachers go through an orientation at the beginning of every school year meant to define and strengthen the message and tradition of the Catholic Church.

The superintendent said that the two biggest challenges this year for Catholic schools in Hawaii are strategic planning and the advancement of Catholic identity. To strengthen strategic planning, the Office of Hawaii Catholic Schools is focusing on helping administrators and local school boards identify and work toward long-range goals.

“(Strategic planning) is that continual challenge to think bigger and broader about where we are and where we need to be in Catholic education today in our diocese,” she said.

Challenge of Catholic identity

During a recent retreat, Himenes studied the Catholic identity challenge in a new document by the Society of St. Basil Archbishop J. Michael Miller. Archbishop Miller’s ideas bear some weight — he is the secretary for the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education. His work is entitled “The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools.”

Himenes recommends it. In the document, she said, the archbishop describes five essential marks of Catholic schools. The guideposts test the strength and character of a Catholic school and what makes it “Catholic.”

According to the archbishop, Catholic education first should be “inspired by a supernatural vision” with the specific purpose of forming students “to be good citizens in this world, loving God and neighbor and enriching society with the leaven of the Gospel.”

Second, Catholic school educators should have “a sound understanding of the human person that addresses the requirements of both the natural and supernatural perfection of the children entrusted to their care.”

The school should also be “animated by communion and community,” forging the faith of a community.

Schools also should be “imbued with a world view throughout its curriculum.” The “spirit of Catholicism” should “permeate the entire curriculum” and be directed to the growth of the whole person.

The final essential mark of good Catholic education is that it be “sustained by Gospel witness.” Its educators should be models for their students, bearing witness to Christ.

That last point “says volumes” about a school’s value, Himenes said.

The subject of religion

Religion as an academic classroom subject is also getting a new review this year. The Office of Catholic Schools will be working with the diocesan director of religious education, Jayne Mondoy, to assess religion curriculum standards in Catholic schools.

Mondoy coordinates the teaching of religion in parish religious education classes.

“We have been very good at assessing core subjects but not as accurate in assessing the knowledge of our Catholic faith and tradition,” Himenes said. “I am excited about this one.”

This new focus will also encourage the teaching of “Catholic social justice” in religion class.

“It is not just learning about it (the Catholic faith),” she said, it is having the faith move the students to action — “converting the heart to be the person of Christ in our world today.”

“The mission and formation of our students is the message of Christ,” Himenes said.