Photo courtesy of Lisa Dahm
June Kaniho of Annunciation Parish in Waimea signs the Book of the Elect at the Big Island’s Rite of Election at Annunciation Church Feb. 20.
Hawaii sees increase in those to be baptized at Easter
By Patrick Downes | Hawaii Catholic Herald
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Photo courtesy of Jasmine Higa
As the assembly sings “Blessed by God, O blessed by God, who calls you by name,” Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet Angela Laurenzo holds high the Book of Elect at the Maui Rite of Election, Feb. 21, in St. Anthony Church, Wailuku.
The Hawaii elect, 2010
West Honolulu
Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
Michael C. Li
Julia Nicole Musetti
Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa
Aulani Aquilar
Josephine Faaliga
Cailynne Lee
Aaron Nishimoto
Sandee Tiposo
Vietnamese Catholic Community
Thai Luong
Thao Vi Nguyen
Ngoc Diem Trah
St. Philomena, Salt Lake
Kealii Lihau Kauhane
Destiny J. Williams
East Honolulu
Sacred Heart, Punahou
Brayden Bella
Mystical Rose Oratory, Chaminade University
Riley Borges
Jayson Lum
Skyler Sigston
Holy Trinity, Kuliouou
Lee Britos
Raimana Delage
Dan Ellis
Lucas Fernandez
Melody Fernandez
Chad Rita
Rona Rita
Dustin Rhodes
Kevin Taira
Star of the Sea, Waialae-Kahala
Linda Corter
Donald Yim
Helen Yim
Sts. Peter & Paul, Honolulu
Kimberly Hoole
Roy Tazawa
St. Augustine, Waikiki
Maki Gallagher
Elizabeth Keaulana
Susan Kiyosaki
Vance Mizuea
Korean Catholic Community
Yoo Ra Chung
Andrew Choi
Moon Hong Choi
So Youn Choi
Tae Sung Choi
Ciara Kang
Danny Kang
Matthew Kang
You Young Kang
Reina Kang
Chong Deuk Kim
Elizabeth Kim
Eun Jung Kim
Ji Young Kim
Jong Kyu Kim
Jung Hyun Kim
Min Jung Kim
Nicholas Kim
Nam Chul Ko
Kyung Jin Lee
Chul Jun Lee
Jae Ran Lee
Gil Yan Lee
Michelle Lee
Philip Lee
Ji Soo Lim
Kwang Woo Nam
Jun Hyun Park
So Yeon Park
Jun Seok Seo
Mung Gab Seo
Heng Suk Song
Keun Hyeang Song
Kyung Ok Song
Richard Song
Benjamin Wainwright Sr.
Chan Soo Yoo
Hee Jin Yoo
Central Oahu
Our Lady of Sorrows, Wahiawa
Cynthia N. Yen
St. Elizabeth, Aiea
Darci Denny
Kaleigh Ildefonso
Kevin Manuel
Julie Nemoto
Kekoa Piianaia
Alexis Reese
Anisa Reese
Glenn Remigio
St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani
Medina Pereira
Tiana Santiago
Kari Taniguchi
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City
Jerome Alonzo Mackey
Keith Mitsuo Yoshida
St. Michael, Waialua
Robert Nacario Jr.
Myra Teves
Leeward Oahu
St. Joseph, Waipahu
Geoffrey Cacatian
Chelsie Cachuela
Randie Cachuela
Lisa Cadag
Lyndon Castaneda
Brandon Dela Cruz
Breinten Dela Cruz
Cindy Dela Cruz
Victor Dela Cruz
Jon Vincent De Leon
Ethan Fiesta
Isabella Fiesta
Michelle Galanto
Sherily Gama
Jayden Henrich
Jada Lucas
James Mintern
John Padre
Brijette Paloraon
Christina Paselio
Clarissa Quintal
Agassi Reyes
Agatha Rhea Reyes
Rose Marie Reyes
Terinah Ramos
Rayann Soliven
Saolele Lemataji Vailua
Janet Villanos
Korey Wong
St. Jude, Kapolei
Kevin M. Carroll
Brooke Eiden
Austin Equires
Tyrone Matthews
Mick T. McClaverty
Jonah-Blue Tagura
Douglas W. Thurman
Hiilani Young
Sacred Heart, Waianae
Katherine Galloway
Patricia Medeiros
Brice Penzien
Karla Solomon
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ewa Beach
Candace Choe
Jacob Choe
Jaselyn Gonsalves
Joseph B. Serrano
St. Rita, Nanakuli
Allie Kila
Windward Oahu
St. John Vianney, Enchanted Lake
Alana Beale
Nova Clark
Krisla DuPonte
Kasey Hamachi
Sage Hirasuna
Aidan Jones
Pedro Nieto
Liza Phillips
Richard Shigeta
Vanessa Souki
St. Ann’s, Kaneohe
Alice Kaida
Blaine Neves
Judy Rocheford
Titi Ricafort
Lissa Varde
St. George, Waimanalo
Jamie Hashimoto
St. Roch, Kahuku
Gerald Welch
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Waikane
Cheryl Bastatas
Franchelle Castro
Kellyann Castro
Jonelle Castro
St. Anthony of Padua, Kailua
Noah Goebert
Isaiah Lacaden
Capri Lisehora
Bria Lisehora
Jana Sepulvado
West Big Island
Annunciation, Kamuela
Roselee Ahana
Mari Husek
June Kaniho
Richard Kaniho
Wilbert Yuen
St. Michael, Kailua-Kona
Arorra Calvert
Roxanne Ilanes
Orion Friels
Luke Friels
Shaylee Minamishin Takatai
Aden Wilson
Rebecca Wilson
Talon Wilson
Vale Wilson
East Big Island
Sacred Heart, Pahoa
Dian Burroughs
Merinda Lewis
Jacob Neece
St. Joseph, Hilo
Assi Broan
Stormi Marote
May Rhona Sy
James Takiue
Shane Wakayama
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Papaikou
Romona Esmarelda Bryant
Keala Elizabeth Galdones
Aaron Sakanoi
Kauai
St. Raphael, Koloa
Janis Benn
Lori Bukoski
Joshua Leines
William Theskin
St. Theresa, Kekaha
Adonis Ballesteros
Maila Coleman
Alma Llapitan
Immaculate Conception, Lihue
Iris Craig
Maui
St. Anthony, Wailuku
Judina Haas
Joni Leval
Our Lady Queen of Angels, Kula
Roy Aipa
Sandy Holtrichter
Nicole Stevens
Christ the King, Kahului
Stanley Rodrigues
Janice Sol
Maria Lanakila, Lahaina
Shannon Robert Furtado
Ralph Jerick Salmasan
Molokai
St. Damien, Molokai
Carol Gartland
Military Catholic Community
Prince of Peace Catholic Community, Hickam Air Force Base
Heather Funk
Cristiana Garcia
Jaycee Garcia
Noelle Gilkes
Justin Hass
Kimiko Herron
Jezida Herron
William Herron
Brady Johnson
Chelsea Johnson
Christi Lawhorn
Brady Munoz
Heather Thurston
Wyatt Thurston
Kellie Troutman
Beverly Valencia
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The number of catechumens who will be baptized in Hawaii this Easter vigil is 219, up 26 from last year. While not a huge increase, it is the highest figure in a five-year slump.
The names and numbers are compiled by the diocesan Office of Worship.
The catechumens were welcomed at rites of election on all the major islands over the first weekend in Lent, Feb. 20-21.
At each rite, those who have been preparing for baptism over the past year through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA, or the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children, RCIC, sign their names in the Book of the Elect, signifying their desire to be received into the church at Easter.
The increase seems to come, not as an overall trend, but through the efforts of individual parishes and other factors. In fact, this year 29 Hawaii parishes, more than a third, will have no baptisms at all. Last year, 22 parishes had no baptisms.
Of the 219 receiving baptism in their parishes this Easter Vigil, April 3, about 80 are children. The number also includes 16 catechumens from the military Catholic community and Hickam Air Force Base.
An additional 200-or-so will be welcomed into full communion with the church that same evening. These are people who are already baptized who will receive one or both of the remaining sacraments of initiation — Confirmation or First Eucharist.
The largest group of catechumens is not from an actual parish but from the Korean Catholic Community, which operates out of St. Pius X Church in Manoa.
For a decade or more, Korean catechumens have consistently far outnumbered those of any other parish in Hawaii. This year is no exception with 38, four more than last year.
The community has two priest chaplains from Korea, a Korean nun who is a pastoral assistant, and a dedicated core of lay volunteers. It is strongly oriented toward evangelization and religious education, to which their steady high number of catechumens attests.
After the Koreans, this year the parish with the greatest number of catechumens is St. Joseph in Waipahu with 28, more than twice their 2009 total.
St. Joseph, Waipahu, is the largest parish in the diocese by Mass attendance, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
According to its pastor, La Salette Father Gregorio Honorio, the parish is “really fortunate” to have many factors leading to successful evangelization.
He said St. Joseph has a solid religious education program with full-time paid staff and a large, long-established youth program called AGAPE, both of which are “very strong feeders” into RCIA.
“In our interviews for weddings, we require couples to enter RCIA if they haven’t completed the sacraments of initiation,” he said. “It leads them to appreciate more the sacrament they are about to receive.”
The parish school also provides an evangelizing environment.
“Our school is big and our teachers are involved in the CCD programs,” Father Honorio said.
In fact, most of St. Joseph’s catechumens this year are children.
Father Honorio said his parish population being mostly Filipino is another factor.
“Filipinos are rooted in their religiosity,” he said. “Parents really try to do their best to encourage their own children.”
St. John Vianney, a medium-sized parish in Kailua, has 10 elect, up two from last year and more than most other island parishes.
The pastor, Father Thomas Gross, said that there is no one thing that brings success.
“It’s just that I think we have a good program and people talk about it,” he said. “Pam, our director, is very good. She has a very good way of making people feel at home.”
But St. John Vianney RCIA director Pam Aqui is reluctant to take the credit.
“It’s God’s work,” she said.
However, she does think the annual event the parish calls Witness Sunday helps.
“That is when people from [RCIA] last year talk at each Mass,” about their conversion, she said.
“They speak in terms of the heart,” she said.
“We don’t treat RCIA as a class or as school,” she said. “We teach catechism wrapped in the language of faith.”
She said that St. John Vianney’s volunteer RCIA teachers are “very good.”
“They bring the faith alive,” she said.
It is a “care for souls” that drives her to seek out the uncatechized, Aqui said. “You have to care that their souls need tending to.”