HAWAII HAWAII WORLD Bishop Silva’s Christmas Catholic Charities’ Pope Francis captures message: ‘Who asked God ‘Holidays from the Heart’ imaginations well beyond to become human’ connects giver, receiver the Catholic Church Page 2 Page 3 Page 16 HawaiiVOLUME 76, NUMBER 25 CatholicFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 Herald$1 HawaiiVOLUME 76, NUMBER 26 CatholicF RIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013 Herald$1 Christmas Carol Favorites Page 32 Photo by Darlene Dela Cruz 2 HAWAII HAWAII CATHOLIC HERALD • DECEMBER 20, 2013 Bishop Larry Silva Hawaii 2013 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Catholic ho asked God to become a human being anyway? Herald Certainly not those who praise God but still like to keep Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu Founded in 1936 him in a safe place, away from any interference he might have Published every other Friday in their daily lives. Certainly not those who see God’s law as op- PUBLISHER Bishop Larry Silva pressiveW of their human freedom and who lock him away in nothingness. Surely (808) 585-3356 not those who deem God to be unfair competition in their own desire to be gods, [email protected] EDITOR and who therefore want him as far away as possible. Definitely not even those Patrick Downes (808) 585-3317 who truly desire to love and serve God and neighbor, but who could not fathom [email protected] REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER God’s interest in struggling with them in fulfilling this desire. Without being Darlene J.M. Dela Cruz asked by anyone — because who could even have imagined such a thing? — God (808) 585-3320 [email protected] became man in Jesus Christ our Lord. No one asked him to do this, and some re- ADVERTISING Shaina Caporoz sented it deeply. But a few came to realize, by the unfathomable power of grace, (808) 585-3328 that God took this great initiative because of his great love for us. [email protected] CIRCULATION Ever since then, we have been struggling to plumb the depths of this great, un- Donna Aquino (808) 585-3321 imaginable mystery: that the Creator should become a creature; that the eternal [email protected] Word of God should come as a baby who needed to learn how to speak a human HAWAII CATHOLIC HERALD (ISSN-10453636) Periodical postage language; that the One who fills the entire universe should close himself up in a paid at Honolulu, Hawaii. Published ev- ery other week, 26 issues a year, by the Virgin’s womb, should need to be held and fed by her, and should experience the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawaii, 1184 Bishop Street, Honolulu, HI limitations of human nature. 96813. It is not that we did not want God to be with us. Throughout the ages we ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES Hawaii: $24 pleaded with him to wave his magic wand to save us from our troubles. Some- Mainland: $26 Mainland 1st class: $40 times he did, and sometimes he did not. Throughout the centuries we railed Foreign: $30 against him because he seemed so distant when a war devastated our country, POSTMASTER Send address changes to: when we were the victims of injustice or violence, or when we were overcome by Hawaii Catholic Herald, 1184 Bishop Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. the loss of a loved one. Sometimes he comforted us, and sometimes not. In the OFFICE long march of time we strove to be like God, only to realize that what we really Hawaii Catholic Herald 1184 Bishop St. desired was to actually be god. Sometimes he led us into a covenant with him, Honolulu, HI 96813 PHONE and sometimes we refused any such “entrapment.” (808) 585-3300 Yet despite our own lack of imagination, despite our own self-centered and FAX (808) 585-3381 sinful tendencies, God, without our bidding, became one of us, a flesh-and-blood WEBSITE human person in all things but sin. Every year we celebrate his great coming www.hawaiicatholicherald.com E-MAIL among us with foods and festivities, with songs and celebrations, with greetings [email protected] and gifts. We do this because we hope one day to fully understand why God be- NEWS DEADLINES Nine days before publication date. came so intimately entwined in our human condition that he became a human ADVERTISING DEADLINES being. We long some day to grasp why he would lower himself to be so lowly, Nine days before publication date. ADVERTISING INFORMATION even though no one had asked him to do so. We desire with all our hearts to For a rate card or other information, call Shaina Caporoz, 585-3328. A rate card is grasp the pure unrequested and unmerited gift that God has bestowed on us, also available at www.hawaiicatholicher- the gift of Jesus Christ our Savior. The more we are able to understand, to let ald.com. Click on “Advertising.” “PASS IT ON” POLICY the light of this great mystery shine upon us, to open our ears and hearts to the To share an issue of the Hawaii Catholic Herald with a friend, write or call us and beautiful love song that God sings to us, the more we will accept the gift that, we will send him or her a free copy. Or give them yours and we will send you even without our asking, God is with us, Emmanuel. another one while supplies last. May you keep singing and serving, listening and loving, so that you will not LETTERS TO THE HERALD Letters are welcome. Letters should only grasp this great love for yourself but want to witness to Jesus to all you pertain to a story or issue in the Ha- waii Catholic Herald, be courteous, and meet. A blessed Christmas to you all! not exceed 250 words. Letters must be signed and include an address and phone number for verification. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Send them to Letters to the Herald, 1184 Bishop Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 or to [email protected]. MEMBER Catholic Press Association ADDRESS CORRECTIONS To make corrections to your subscription name or ad- Official notices dress, cut out the address label from the front page Bishop’s calendar December 23, 5:00 am, Misa Announcements/Appointments December 16, 2013. (reverse side). Please correct my name. December 20, 5:00 am, Misa de Gallo, St. Catherine Parish, With the Very Reverend Johna- Bishop Larry Silva has granted Kapaa. than Hurrell, SS.CC., Provincial a sabbatical to Reverend Joseph Please correct my ad- de Gallo, Co-Cathedral of St. The- dress. resa, Kalihi. December 24, 5:00 am, Misa of the Congregation of the Sacred Diaz, Administrator of St. Jude Hearts of Jesus and Mary - United Church, Makakilo; and he has ap- We are receiving two December 21, 5:00 am, Misa de Gallo, Our Lady of Good Coun- copies. Please cancel this States Province, having exercised pointed Reverend Manuel Hewe de Gallo, Holy Cross Parish, Kala- sel Parish, Pearl City. one. the right of presentation (canon as Pro-Tem Administrator of St. heo; 5:00 am, Misa de Gallo, St. Please cancel this sub- December 25, 12:00 midnight, 158, §1), Bishop Larry Silva has Jude Church, while he continues John Apostle & Evangelist Parish, scription. Christmas Midnight Mass, Cathe- appointed Reverend Edward Pop- as Vicar for Clergy; effective De- Mililani. [Fr. Gary Secor]; 5:00 MAIL TO dral of Our Lady of Peace, down- ish, SS.CC., as parochial vicar of cember 12, 2013. pm, Mass at Immaculate Concep- Donna Aquino town Honolulu; 10:30 am, Christ- St. Augustine-by-the-Sea Parish, The diocesan offices will be Hawaii Catholic Herald tion Parish, Lihue. 1184 Bishop Street mas Day Mass, Co-Cathedral of Waikiki, effective December 16, closed December 24-25, 2013 in December 22, 5:00 am, Misa 2013. observance of Christmas. Honolulu, HI 96813 de Gallo, St. Theresa Parish, Keka- St. Theresa, Kalihi. QUESTIONS? Bishop Larry Silva has appoint- The diocesan offices will be Call Donna, 585-3321 ha; 9:30 am, Mass and blessing of December 27, 6:00 pm, Mass ed Deacon Eliot Cholymay to dia- closed December 31, 2013-Janu- the renovated “old church” at St. and feast day for St. John Apostle conal service at the Co-Cathedral ary 1, 2014 in observance of the Raphael Parish, Koloa. & Evangelist Parish, Mililani. of St. Theresa, Kalihi, effective New Year. DECEMBER 20, 2013 • HAWAII CATHOLIC HERALD CHRISTMAS 3 Students from Star of the Sea Star light, star bright School look at the ornaments on their “Giving Tree,” which have written on them Christmas wish items for Catholic Charities Hawaii clients and others in the com- munity. Students and parishioners have given gener- ous donations to fulfill these holi- day needs. A new Catholic Charities program geared to- ward Volunteer Ser- vices and Commu- nity Engagement has helped Star of the Sea expand the reach of their Giving Tree project. Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities Hawaii Coordinating Christmas angels ed by Koolina Resort and local Peggy Leong of St. John Vian- Catholic Charities’ business partners. ney Church and School in Kailua Their biggest seasonal VSCE said more than 150 of their orna- ‘Holidays from the endeavor is the “Holidays from ments provided gifts for children the Heart” giving project — a in the Maili Land program and Heart’ connects combination of dozens of service general Catholic Charities ser- the giver with the initiatives by companies, schools vices. and parishes. Bulosan and White Parishioners and students “just receiver serve as the points of contact con- love it,” Leong said of the project. necting volunteers and donors “Their generosity is just amazing.