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Chaminade Holds ‘Prayer for Healing and Peace’ Interfaith Service

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In the wake of the Las Vegas massacre and natural disasters in Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas, Chaminade University held a “Prayer for Healing and Peace” interfaith service in the campus Mystical Rose Oratory.

Chaminade Vice President for Mission and Rector Bro. Edward Brink, S.M. described the Oct. 6 gathering as “an opportunity for healing, reflection , and comfort.”

A homily/reflection by Deacon Michael Weaver pondered the question of how God could have let the Las Vegas shootings and catastrophic hurricanes occur. Deacon Weaver emphasized that “God was there” when first responders rushed to help the shooting victims. And “God was there” in the global outpouring of aid relief following the deadly hurricanes.

Campus Ministry Director Bro. Allen Pacquing, S.M. shared a quotation from Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, who counseled that  “you will find peace for your soul through prayer.” Bro. Allen also pointed out that Bishop Joseph Pepe of Las Vegas urged people to “stand together in the face of violence because we cannot let hate and violence have the last word.”

The service also featured prayers for peace from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist religions offered by Nashawna Smith, Dr. Hank Trapido-Rosenthal (Associate Professor of Biology), Adam Perez and Lisa Furuta.

Concluding the interfaith gathering was a pledge for peace and candle-lighting ceremony. The pledge proclaimed “our firm conviction that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion,” while calling for mutual respect and esteem “to help bring about a peaceful coexistence between people of different ethnic groups, cultures and religions.”

Marianists Celebrate 200th Anniversary of Foundation

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Members of the Society of Mary (Marianists) marked the 200th anniversary of their religious order’s foundation with an Oct. 2 liturgy at Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu. The ceremony also honored the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (Marianist Sisters) for their 201 years of service.

The cathedral, designated as a National Historic Landmark, was an appropriate setting for the bicentennial celebration, in that a Eucharist was held there in 1883 to give thanks for the Marianists’ safe arrival in Hawaii. The brothers and priests went on to staff and administer Saint Louis School on Oahu and St. Anthony School on Maui.

The Marianist family was established two centuries ago as the Roman Catholic Church struggled to rebuild following widespread persecution during the French Revolution.

Venerable Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon formed the Daughters of Mary Immaculate in 1816 in Agen, France, with a mission of caring for the poor.

The following year, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade established the Society of Mary in Bordeaux, France. The original community was comprised of seven young men who desired to “consecrate themselves to God and to Mary by the vows of religion.”

Two hundred years later, Marianists serve in 26 countries on five continents. Embracing education as a means of uplifting society, the Marianists founded the University of Dayton in 1850, St. Mary’s University in San Antonio in 1852, and Chaminade University of Honolulu in 1955.

Chaminade Holding ‘Prayer for Healing and Peace’ Interfaith Service in Wake of Las Vegas Massacre

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To bring the Honolulu community together in the wake of the massacre in Las Vegas and natural disasters in Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas, Chaminade University will hold a “Prayer for Healing and Peace” interfaith service. This public event is set for 12:30 p.m. Friday, October 6, in the campus Mystical Rose Oratory.

“We invite everyone who was touched by these tragedies to join us in praying for the many victims and their loved ones,” said Chaminade Vice President for Mission and Rector Bro. Edward Brink, S.M. He described the gathering as “an opportunity for healing, reflection and comfort.”

“Blessed William Joseph Chaminade counseled that  ‘you will find peace for your soul through prayer,’” Bro. Ed pointed out. “Moreover, Bishop Joseph Pepe of Las Vegas reminded us this week to ‘stand together in the face of violence, because we cannot let hate and violence have the last word.’”

The prayer service is presented by Campus Ministry.

Click here for more info.

Holy Land pilgrimage helped future deacons better understand origins of Christianity

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“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

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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

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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.