On March 8, when I returned from the meeting of the Provincial Chapter in Saint Louis I noted subtle changes: rain showers had produced fresh growth on the West Maui mountains; I no longer needed to turn on the porch lights to make my way to the Church for the 6:30 a.m. Mass; the Hawaiian winter gave way to warmer days; the price of gas was again over $3 a gallon. I thanked the 6:30 a.m. Mass group for their prayerful support of my travel and the work of the Provincial Chapter and then asked for their continued prayers as we try to translate great hopes into reality.
Just a few hours after I returned to Maui, a Hawaii Air Ambulance plane from Honolulu crashed near the Kahului airport. The pilot and two nurses were killed as the plane plowed through a BMW lot damaging some twenty cars.
As I promised you in my last letter, I want to highlight our celebration of Ash Wednesday. The opening of Lent is a big day at Saint Anthony’s. Our first Mass was at 6:30 a.m., celebrated in the Church Center instead of the Blessed Damien Chapel. At 6 p.m., we had a second parish Mass, again in the Church Center. In between we had two school Masses, first for the grade school, the second for the high school. For the remaining Wednesdays in Lent we have the Way of the Cross in the evening. On Fridays at midday there is a special Way of the Cross for the grade school – but several adults participate as well.
Father Jim Fitz came to Hawaii immediately after the Provincial Chapter to conduct two Child Protection workshops in Honolulu and one on Maui as part of the Province commitment to ongoing education and a positive approach to the problems of sexual abuse. On March 13 our workshop began a few minutes after Brother Jim Vorndran returned from the mainland. Brother Frank Gomes joined us for the workshop and dinner – and added vivid remembrances of the night Saint Anthony Church burned down thirty years ago.
On March 17 we joined the Irish and would-be Irish in celebrating the feast of Saint Patrick. The bishop had dispensed the diocese from abstinence. Father Ray baked Irish Soda bread overnight and maintained a tradition of telling an Irish story after the 6:30 a.m. Mass. The next day we had a very successful school bazaar. Meanwhile, rains overwhelmed Kauai and Oahu while our part of Maui had very little rainfall – until the night of the 22nd when peaceful Wailuku received a surprising three inches of rain – along with rare thunder and lightning. Parts of Keopuolani Park nearby were flooded and I had to make some detours on my morning walks until the waters receded. A few days later we heard that the summit of Haleakala “was being pummeled by ice, hail and high winds” with a wind chill factor of minus-2 degrees!
We celebrated the Feast of Saint Joseph on March 20 and the Solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25. Both days have special significance for the Marianist Family. We observed Prince Kuhio Day on Monday, March 27. This day, one of 14 state holidays, honors the birthday of Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, known as the Citizen Prince. He was in line to become king before the monarchy was overthrown in 1893. He is best remembered for his successful effort to get Congress to pass the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which provides homesteads for native Hawaiians.
Biggest event of the month was Bishop Larry Silva’s whirlwind visit to Maui on March 23-24. On Thursday, March 23 he met with the priests of the Vicariate then celebrated the Chrism Mass for Maui, Lanai and Molokai at Christ the King Church in Kahului. On Friday, March 24 the bishop celebrated the 6:30 a.m. parish Mass at Saint Anthony and then joined us for breakfast. He then visited Saint Anthony High School before returning to Honolulu. His easy style helps people to share their hopes and concerns.
As March came to a close, Father Jack Rielly made his annual visit, meeting with the Marianist Affiliates on the 26th and presenting an inspiring homily at the Masses of Laetare Sunday. He is very much at home here – and well remembered by many parishioners, especially by some of his former students. Brother Franklin Pao was our guest on March 24-27 before going on to Hana. Brother John Campbell and Father Allen DeLong were also in town for a meeting of the Saint Anthony School Board. Brother Jim Vorndran also attended that meeting.
After reading my comment about the Millyard in my last letter, Brother Frank Gomes sent me this lively remembrance: “Your report reminded me of the sugar mill and how we hated it with a passion. The noise was endless throughout the night and just across the street from the Marianists' residence. In the morning everything was covered with ash. The first assignment as we opened our classrooms was to dust off the desks. They would be covered with the black ash from the burning of the cane even if the windows were closed during the night. The cane was brought to the mill along with large stones. We could hear the stones falling down the mill staff all night long. There wasn't a single soul that lamented the closing of the Wailuku mill.”
On the last night of March we noted the beginning of Daylight Savings Time which separated us another hour from the mainland because this land of endless summer doesn’t observe DST. No matter what the hour, however, I feel immediately and intimately connected with many by exchanging e-mails around the world. May the coming Easter Season be a time of great joy for you!
ST