HCH photos by Anna Weaver

Bishop Larry Silva blesses the students, faculty and guests, Sept. 4.

Maryknoll’s new community center does it ‘right’

By Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald

Bedecked with an oversized, rainbow-colored garland and maile lei, the Maryknoll Community Center made its public debut on Sept. 4 with a blessing, Mass, reception and open house.

For a school that, for decades, was unable to have an indoor, on-campus gathering of its entire student body, hold athletic practices at its own facilities, or host a home game, the sight of Maryknoll’s pre-kindergarten through 12th graders all gathered in the new gymnasium for the 11 a.m. Mass was something to see.

“Maryknoll did it right,” said board member Thomas Kosasa, in one of several speeches delivered at the grand opening.

Doing it “right” meant designing and fundraising for a 35,000 square foot building that has a convertible NBA regulation basketball court, a fitness center, classrooms, meeting and locker rooms, and an underground parking lot.

Besides school assemblies, Maryknoll will hold alumni, athletic, performance and community events in the $12 million building.

Alongside Kosasa and current school president Perry Martin stood retired president Michael Baker, under whose leadership Maryknoll’s dream of a gym and gathering place finally materialized.

Bishop Larry Silva prayed over the two-story center before circling around it and blessing it with holy water, untying the maile lei stretched across its front steps, and making his way throughout the building to bless each room.

At Mass, the bishop blessed the student body and consecrated the community center’s new altar.

What started with a long-held wish for a gym led to Maryknoll’s announcing in 2004 plans for a more elaborate multi-purpose facility. The school broke ground for the building in November 2007. Last October, the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation announced it was donating $3 million for the center’s gymnasium.