Welcome to “8 questions for Father,” a new Hawaii Catholic Herald column offering a glimpse at another side of our island priests.

Father Gary Colton, 65, was born in Van Nuys, Calif., but grew up in Hawaii from age 4, attending St. Stephen’s Seminary from the ninth grade. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Honolulu on June 1, 1968, and has served his 39 years of priesthood as an associate pastor and pastor in Honolulu, Kailua, Pearl City, Wahiawa, and at several parishes on Maui. The tall, silver-haired “local haole-boy” is now pastor of Maria Lanakila Parish in Lahaina, Maui.

1) What is your favorite childhood memory?

Christmas and birthday celebrations

2) What is your favorite Bible passage and why?

John 10:10 (“I came that they might have life and have it to the full.”) I will try to encourage a full and better life for all.

3) What is your favorite book or author and why?

“Hawaii” by James Michener. It is so well written, as it is interesting.

4) Do you have any hobbies?

Jogging maybe once a week, and golf once a week at the Maui Country Club. I’ve run six marathons — two each in Honolulu, Maui and Big Sur — but not recently. Now I do the Great Aloha Run.

5) What is your hidden talent?

Photography. The Daughters of St. Paul published a little hard cover prayer book with 25 of my photos and meditations around 1976 called “Praise and Prayer.” Now I just photograph parish activities and publish them in the parish bulletin. I use a Sony digital camera.

6) What or who makes you laugh?

A good joke.

7) What is your favorite television show

Law and Order.

8) Where is the one place you never have been but always wanted to visit?

The Great Wall of China (a new Wonder of the World).