Campus Ministry

At the footsteps of Eiben Hall, a fire burned brightly into the night as Chaminade chaplain Fr. George Cerniglia, SM began Easter Vigil.

In the Roman Catholic Church tradition, the Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or Holy Saturday, is the most important service of public worship and Masses of the liturgical year because it commemorates Christ’s rising from the dead. Traditionally at this Mass, people are baptized, and adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church. This Easter Vigil at Mystical Rose Oratory four Chaminade students and six parishioners committed themselves to the faith and were received into that full communion.

Chaminade students Anthony Lamorena, Darynka Gomez-Cervantes, Mario Armendariz, and Jared Hernden have been studying the Catholic faith since September 2016.

Lamorena, a senior majoring in Business Administration, knew that this was the right time to be confirmed. He had been raised Catholic but had always put it off. “I believe that when God tells you it’s time that is when you should do it. I felt God drawing me to this program this year, and I thought it was the right time in my life to go through the process and attain this sacrament,” he said.

Darynka Gomez-Cervantes, a first-year student majoring in Criminal Justice, felt that this was the right time for her as well. She explained, “I chose to confirm as Catholic because I was baptized Catholic and thought to myself that I needed to continue the steps of being a Catholic and becoming closer to God. I am very glad I chose to go through this somewhat long process. In the end, it was very worth it, and I was glad I made this huge decision that will forever change my life.”

As the students went through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), they prepared themselves to receive the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist). The night was the culmination of an eight-month journey where they learned about the Catholic faith and then took the final steps.

“The process was a lot of fun for me,” said Gomez-Cervantes. “My sponsor was my best friend and would attend all the meetings with me, and Danny (Campus Ministry director Daniel O’Regan) would make the meetings very relatable and spiritual. We would meet every week. It was great relaxing and talking about God.”

For Lamorena, the experience grew his understanding. “The process leading up to confirmation was both educational and cleansing as I prepared myself spiritually for this new leap forward in my walk with God. It allowed me to revisit things I learned in the past, and it allowed me to learn more about God and the Church,” Lamorena shared.

The Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 15, was deeply moving for the students — filled with symbols of light and hope. Friends and supporters were on hand to witness the sacraments of initiation.

“I felt a bit of sadness because my parents weren’t here to celebrate this special moment in my life and spiritual journey, but I’m glad I have great friends that came to support me,” said Gomez-Cervantes. “After the confirmation, I felt much closer to God and related more to the people of the church. I felt like a new person, a worthy person closer to God.”

Lamorena reflected that he, too, had changed. “I felt renewed because I had gone through a process that has helped me become a stronger and new person in the eyes of God and to others,” he said.

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (R.C.I.A) is an eight-month program intended for those who are interested either in becoming Catholic or who wish to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Offered by Campus Ministry, the program opens during the first week of September and continues throughout the school year to Easter. R.C.I.A. encourages the growth of each person’s faith life through regular worship at the Sunday Mass in the Mystical Rose Chapel; participation in community service and the Awakening retreat; and mandatory weekly meetings on Sundays after church or at other mutually agreed upon times to learn about Catholic traditions and beliefs.

During spring break, eight students from Chaminade made a pilgrimage to Kalaupapa, Molokai to walk in the footsteps of Father Damien de Veuster, SS. CC. and Mother Marianne Cope and see the world through their eyes. Father Damien, known as “the apostle of the lepers,” and Mother Marianne, known as the “mother of outcasts,” were canonized for their work at Kalaupapa’s leper colony. Located on the northern peninsula of Molokai, isolated Kalaupapa has long been associated with Saint Damien (Contemplative Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary) and Saint Marianne (Sisters of Saint Francis).

The Chaminade students were eager to connect with both saints.

“I wanted to immerse myself into my culture and gain a stronger appreciation for the islands and learn about the leprosy settlement on Kalaupapa. I wanted to walk where Father Damien and Mother Marianne walked and served,” said Karinna Himan, a junior majoring in Criminal Justice.

Kimberly Rose Aguada, a first-year student at Chaminade and an alumna of Damien Memorial High School, revealed, “When I first learned about Saint Damien, I decided to model my life after him – to always act courageously and faithfully.” Aguada is studying to be a nurse making Saint Marianne also significant to her.

Flying in on a small plane with all their belongings and supplies, the students spent March 18-21 in one of the most beautiful places on earth and yet, at one time in history, one of the saddest places on earth.

“The most memorable part of this trip for me was that for so long, Kalaupapa was known to be a place of sorrow and hardship,” said Yaron Fernando, a Criminal Justice major with a Forensic Sciences minor who will graduate in 2019. “Now it is a place where people can feel joy and compassion in the heart and learn to appreciate the beauty that God has created.”

This was the second time that Chaminade’s Campus Ministry offered the Kalaupapa Pilgrimage to its day undergraduate students. Chaminade Campus Ministry director Daniel O’Regan took his first Chaminade group there in 2013.  He noted the powerful impact that this pilgrimage had on students’ spiritual growth.  “It’s a way to connect with the earth, God, and be inspired by the history and people living in Kalaupapa, as well as allow the natural beauty of the island to speak to us of the grandeur of God’s goodness,” he said.

Aguada recalled one of the most memorable parts of the pilgrimage for her. “We hiked up a trail and at the top was a giant white cross. It overlooked the entire settlement and a beautiful valley. When I sat under the cross, I heard the wind blowing through the trees. It was almost as if God was speaking. I remember just sitting there and feeling at peace. I truly felt like He was there with me. It still gives me chills,” Aguada said.

From Ohio, Shea Smith, who will graduate in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Criminal Justice, found the pilgrimage serene and meaningful. “I walked around by myself to reflect and focus on my spiritual side. Nature for me is calming, and it helps me see God. The beauty of the earth helps me see the beauty in my life that God has given me. This trip allowed me to realize just how grateful I am for my life,” Smith said. “I remember sitting on the pier looking at the crystal clear water and watching these colorful fish swimming around. I don’t see fish like that in Ohio, and when I see them here, I thought it was so amazing. It was another peaceful moment for me that I will always remember. It was relaxing, and it made me happy seeing them swim around and flow with the current. That moment was God talking to me, making me smile and helping me to remember that He is always with me and that I have so much to be grateful for in my life.”

The students had no set schedules, no agendas, and no phone signals as they shook off the stress of school. “As you visit the place, you realize that you are trying to move away from the insanity of our life filled with agendas, timelines, and meetings,” said O’Regan. “In Kalaupapa, you need to have the courage and confidence to go with the flow.  There was downtime to visit the sacred historical sites, hike, visit the locals and even get in a game of volleyball. There was time to reflect under a full night sky of stars, but everything was done by feeling the moment and doing what was right. That is something Kalaupapa teaches you.”

Himan noted how grateful the residents were. “They don’t need to have the most glamorous things to be happy. They enjoy the simple things in life and truly love and care about their Kalaupapa. Knowing the history of this place with the positivity of the people and its patients, it’s easy to forget the sad history of this settlement, which some have described as a giant graveyard.”

Once back on Oahu, Himan missed Kalaupapa intensely. “On our last night, we listened to locals have a jam session and just talked story with them. One of the less-than-a-dozen leprosy patients still there told us his experience of being at the settlement. The man described Kalaupapa better than I ever could and told us ‘one day we all going die, but I’m not worried because I already live in Heaven.’”

The value of family spirit and being able to experience the pilgrimage with each other stood out in the students’ memories.  “The people I went with became family, the place felt like home, and I will never forget the memories we’ve made. If anyone wants to experience a serenity that’s absent on our busy island, make new friends, and truly connect with God, I suggest that they apply for this opportunity the next time it’s available,” Aguada said.

Campus Ministry aims to provide students with the best spiritual support during their time at Chaminade University and offers abundant opportunities to nurture spiritual growth. Though Chaminade is a Marianist Catholic Institution, Campus Ministry welcomes and serves people of all faiths and traditions.