Chaminade University of Honolulu

Catholic

Holy Land pilgrimage helped future deacons better understand origins of Christianity

“The Holy Land Experience” – a pilgrimage to the sites where Jesus was born, performed miracles, died on the cross and rose from the dead – helped future deacons, their wives and others gain a deeper understanding of Christianity’s origins two millennia ago.

Leading the 11-day trip was Fr. Paul Fitzpatrick, SM, director of Chaminade University’s Master of Pastoral Theology Program, which prepares students for ordination as permanent deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.

Every place the pilgrims visited this past spring is mentioned in Biblical passages the deacons will eventually preach about, Fr. Paul explained.

Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee

“Seeing the Sea of Galilee, knowing the distance between Nazareth and Jerusalem, visiting Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean Coast where Paul was judged by Herod Agrippa and sent to Rome, praying on Calvary where Christ died, walking on the Herodian steps coming out of the temple which Jesus would have walked on – all these are indelible memories,” Fr. Paul said. “Every day is filled with experiences like that.”

Deacon candidate Sándor Hernández Morales said traveling with his wife Meali`inani to the Holy Land “forever marked” their lives and faith.

“Never will the Scriptures read the same after experiencing Palestine and Israel in this way,” Morales said. “From the newsletters leading up to the trip, to the daily activities, to the people we have gotten to know, we really felt immersed in the cultures and historical places we visited.”

Masada
Masada

Deacon-in-training Renier “Rey” Torres said the trip enabled him to “contextualize scripture and the geographical landscape of the Holy Lands.”

“One gets a deeper appreciation and sense of understanding the struggle Christians have in that particular region of the world as they continue to live and promote the faith,” Torres said. “Most amazing was the opportunity to witnesses the universality of our church as faithful members from our global community gathered to participate in the same pilgrimage.”

Fr. Martin Solma, SM, who serves as Chancellor on Chaminade’s Board of Regents, said the pilgrimage exceeded all his expectations.

Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem
Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem

“The highlight of the trip for me was the three-hour ‘vigil’ some of us kept in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which houses both the Rock of Calvary and the Tomb of the Lord,” Fr. Martin said. “Spending time alone in both of these very holy places moved me very deeply.

“I was also deeply moved by the faith of so many pilgrims who had come, like we did, to touch the roots of our faith community.”

Tour stops included the Golan Heights, Nazareth, the Dead Sea, Jericho, Masada, the Old City of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives.

‘Outstanding Graduate’ in Pastoral Theology Starting End-of-Life Spiritual Care Program

In recognition of his educational achievements, leadership skills and “sincere heart to serve,” Gerald Streff was named the “Outstanding Graduate” in Chaminade University’s Master of Pastoral Theology program.

Streff and five other students graduated from the program this spring.

Gerald StreffStreff, who retired in 2012 after a 39-year career with the U.S. Air Force, will use his academic training to launch an end-of-life spiritual care volunteer program at the Saint Jude Makakilo parish. His initiative addresses growing concerns about caring for seniors in Hawaii, which has one of the highest percentages of elderly residents in America.

“Gary’s academic acumen, his generous desire both to help develop an end-of-life ministry program for the people of his parish, and to serve to emerging concerns of the larger professional health care community of Hawaii have more than qualified him for the graduate award,” according to Father Paul Fitzpatrick, SM, director of the pastoral program.

Streff says Father Paul’s mentorship, friendship and method of teaching “opened me up to God in a way that no one else has ever done.”

“It was Father Paul’s constant challenges that made the Bible and other sacred writings come alive and relevant,” according to Streff. “His personal dedication to God, the Catholic Church and the fulfillment of his Marian mission were very inspirational.”

And although Streff says he “thoroughly enjoyed his military career and its challenges,” now he’s finding pastoral work “much more fulfilling and definitely worth it.”

Chaminade’s Master of Pastoral Theology program is part of the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts. Specialized certificate programs are offered in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Direction and in Permanent Diaconate Education to prepare for ordination as a deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.

Marianist Institutions Celebrate Approval of Beatification for Venerable Mother Adele

Chaminade University and other Marianist institutions around the world are celebrating the announcement that Pope Francis has approved the beatification of Venerable Mother Adele de Batz de Trenquelleon.

Known for her devotion to the poor, Venerable Adele founded the Marianist Sisters religious congregation – also known as the Daughters of Mary Immaculate – two centuries ago in Agen, France.

Blessed Mother Adele de Batz de Trenquelleon
Blessed Mother Adele de Batz de Trenquelleon

When her beatification ceremony occurs next year, Venerable Adele will be officially declared “Blessed,” as was Marianist founder William Joseph Chaminade in 2000.

The beatification of Venerable Adele means “anything she said or taught becomes part of the Christian message,” points out Father Paul Fitzpatrick, an associate professor with Chaminade’s Division of Humanities and Fine Arts.

Pope Francis signed the Decree of Beatification on May 4 following confirmation of a miraculous cure attributed to the intercession of Venerable Adele. This healing of Sister Michela Messina, a missionary with the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, occurred in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novara in northwest Italy.

For the Pope to canonize Venerable Adele as a saint, another confirmed miracle – one that cannot be explained by science or medicine – would be required.

Born in 1789 in southwestern France, Venerable Adele as a teenager formed an association of women and local priests who supported each other in leading Christian lives. With the guidance of Blessed Chaminade, this association evolved into the Marianist Sisters.

Venerable Adele remained active with the religious order until her death in 1828 at the age of 38.

It’s ‘Aloha’ to Chaminade for Bro. Brandon Alana as He Pursues Master’s Degree at University of Dayton

After tending to the spiritual needs of Chaminade University students for the past five years, Bro. Brandon Alana, SM, is becoming a student himself. He’s departing Hawaii and his pastoral campus minister assignment to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Dayton, one of Chaminade’s sister schools.

Bro. Brandon Alana“I’m going to miss how we do Family Spirit on our campus with that aloha flare,” says Bro. Alana, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Chaminade in 2004. He’ll also miss the culture, food and familiarity of Hawaii, where he lived until age 11 before moving to American Samoa with his family.

Looking back at his Chaminade tenure, one of Bro. Alana’s fondest memories occurred in 2012, shortly after becoming campus minister at his alma mater.

Mother Marianne Cope, who treated Hansen’s Disease sufferers on Molokai during the late 1800s, was being canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. To mark the momentous occasion, Bro. Alana organized a prayer service of thanksgiving that honored Saint Marianne’s devotion to the infirmed.

“This eventually became the Blessing of Health Care Professionals – the Blessing of Hands – we have today,” Bro. Alana says.

Looking further back to his Chaminade undergraduate days, Bro. Alana says his commitment to the Catholic Church was greatly strengthened by serving as an intern at Campus Ministry and later as a retreat minister.

Maimoa Fineisaloi and Bro. Brandon Alana
Maimoa Fineisaloi & Bro. Brandon Alana at Crunch Brunch

“In a sense, it really was in college that I took ownership of my faith,” Bro. Alana recalls. “I became involved in Campus Ministry because they helped me in my effort to be more mature in my faith.”

Directing Campus Ministry at that time was a Marianist Brother who hosted prayer meetings in his Hale Pohaku apartment. These gatherings had a “deep impact” on Bro. Alana.

“Up until this point, my faith life was simply a private matter that wasn’t necessarily shared,” Bro. Alana says. “The prayer community encouraged us to share our faith with each other.”

Upon graduating from Chaminade, Bro. Alana joined the Marianist Brothers and volunteered at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. He later worked in the rector’s office at the University of Dayton before being named minister for spiritual development at St. Mary’s.

Two years later he found his way back to Chaminade as campus minister for the Silverswords.

Looking to the future, Bro. Alana doesn’t know where his spiritual journey will lead him after earning his master’s in pastoral ministry at the University of Dayton. What is certain, however, is his continued dedication to the Society of Mary.

“Of course, returning to Hawaii would be awesome,” he says. “But I remain open to wherever God sends me.”

Chaminade University Celebrates 2017 Spring Commencement

Hundreds of exuberant graduates celebrated their achievements with their families, friends, faculty, staff and colleagues at Chaminade University’s 59th Commencement. Approximately 429 students graduated this spring semester with nearly 335 participating in the May 15 ceremony held at Neal Blaisdell Arena.

The program featured as its keynote speaker Shelley J. Wilson, the president and chief executive officer of Wilson Homecare and vice chair and secretary of Chaminade University’s Board of Regents. In 1996, Wilson founded Wilson Homecare, one of Hawaii’s largest private-duty home health care agencies. Wilson Homecare provides in-home health care services island-wide. Also in 2013, Wilson Senior Living Kailua, a state-licensed Adult Residential Care Home opened in the Aikahi neighborhood.

Wilson inspired the audience with her story.  She found her passion during one of the most difficult times of her life.  Returning to civilian life as a wounded warrior, Wilson had to deal with the challenges of recovery in the home.  Her experiences gave her empathy for in-home-care patients. In response to those hard times, she founded Wilson Homecare.  She encouraged the soon-to-be graduates to find a cause and to dedicate themselves to that cause with a passion as a way to find purpose and meaning.

Commencement student speakers were Taylor Seth Stutsman, the undergraduate representative, and Rezettakahealani Eric Mulitalo, the post-graduate representative.

Stutsman graduated with his B.S. in Forensics Sciences, Cum Laude.  That night his family came from five different states to cheer for him. He moved to Hawaii from Pennsylvania and appreciated the diversity of Chaminade. “Hawaii has taught me more about acceptance and tolerance than I could have imagined,” he said, appreciative of the multi-cultural experiences made available to him at Chaminade.

Mulitalo graduated that night with her M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration. Raised in Western Samoa, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wellington, New Zealand. “You do not have to know what you are going to do with the rest of your life yet,” she reassured the graduating students. She advised them to remember what the Scottish scholar William Barclay had said. “’There are two great days in a person’s life –the day we are born, and the day we discover why,’” she quoted. “Watch your choices, follow your dreams and love what you do.”

The Fujitani Interfaith Program at Chaminade University Focused on Pathways to Peace

Maya Soetoro-Ng, Ph.D., the keynote speaker, asked the crowd to reflect in silence on their personal definitions of peace and peacebuilding.  The nearly 100 people in Mystical Rose Oratory obediently paused and reflected.  They had gathered on April 28 – a Friday night – for a presentation by the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK) Fujitani Interfaith Program of Chaminade University featuring “Pathways to Peace in the Workplace: How Practices of Faith Bring Peace within Diverse Career Fields.”

“All right, please share your thoughts.  We’ll do it popcorn-style,” said Soetoro-Ng.

People popped up with their definitions, ranging from personal peace, spiritual harmony, and working in harmony. She encouraged people to connect with strangers around them and share their definitions of peace.

Affirming everyone, Soetoro-Ng shared that the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution also defines peace as action and will work through public policies and innovative social projects.  The organization looks for “opportunities to nourish peace in the actions we take” as a way to develop peacebuilding leaders.

Soetoro-Ng serves as the director of Community Outreach and Global Learning at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and earned her doctorate at the University of Hawaii in multicultural education. She has taught multicultural education, social studies methods, and peace education for many years at the University of Hawaii’s College of Education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels

Soetoro-Ng told stories of her mother as a social-cultural anthropologist and as a bridge builder. Soetoro-Ng recalled the poignant story of her mother’s desire to have her ashes scattered in the ocean so that “Mom could share herself and connect with all the people she had ever worked with and loved in her lifetime.”

Soetoro-Ng also shared stories of compassion shown across diverse communities that she saw during her global travels. “The vast majority of the world are comprised of the faithful. What if people of all faiths mandated peace and peacebuilding as their goal? Can you imagine how expansive that embrace would be for the family of humans?” she asked.

Soetoro-Ng then turned the discussion to the respondents.

Vima Lamura had led the audience in meditation earlier that evening.  As the audience meditated aloud, she orchestrated the diverse sounds into a chorus and pulled the participants into a harmonious choir.  Lamura spoke about the value of being at peace and in harmony in work with choirs and orchestras.  She had spent her life immersed in the traditional ancient wisdom of the Vedas, chant, sacred sound and mantra, which have inspired her creative works in music, speaking and writing.  She shared how meditation was useful for her inner peace and in building peace with the people she collaborated with on music tours, concerts, studio recordings, and operas.

Pieper Toyama, the founding head of the Pacific Buddhist Academy, spoke of integrating Buddhist values in an academic setting.  The school discipline, curriculum, and relationships between students, faculty, and staff needed to reflect these values, including the fostering of peace, pursuing inner peace and the practice of peace with others. Toyama has retired from Pacific Buddhist Academy, the first Shin Buddhist high school in the Western Hemisphere, and currently serves as president of Hawaii’s organization of Hongwanji’s 34 Buddhist temples.

James P. Walsh, Jr., the director of Pastoral Planning for the Diocese of Honolulu, worked in Hawaii’s medical field from 1975 to 2009 in various executive positions at Straub Clinic and Hospital and with HMSA.  He has taught at Chaminade University from 1979 to 1999 as an adjunct Business professor. Walsh spoke about negotiating between employees and employers and practicing his faith through conflicts. He encouraged people to become more aware of what they are grateful for and challenged them to look for opportunities to correct inequities.

Soetoro-Ng asked the audience for their thoughts and questions, as well as to connect with others in the room. The discussion was robust.

In closing, Soetoro-Ng shared an Indonesian phrase she learned as a child that translates to “wash your eyes.” “Yes, wash your eyes; refresh your gaze,” she repeated. “Make a commitment to faith and peace in action. Remember small connections can build an organism that can grow to supplant major power. ”

The Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Reverend Fujitani Interfaith Program, established in 2003, brings together the Buddhist community with all other religious communities in Hawaii to promote interfaith dialogue and provide opportunities for understanding and action for peace and justice in our communities.

Chaminade’s Religious Studies program offers the student an opportunity for in-depth reflection into the nature of religious experience, the communities which arise in response to it, and their actions. Grounded in Roman Catholic theology and Marianist educational philosophy, this reflection is ecumenical and conducted in the context of a multicultural, interfaith dialogue, exploring the meaning of the faith and working for justice among many peoples and cultures. The program fosters an understanding of human responses to the sacred that invite personal and communal commitment to faith in action and spiritual growth.