I hope you had an inspiring Holy Week and a joyous Easter Sunday. May that joy continue -- and grow -- throughout the wonderful Easter Season.

Our Saint Anthony’s parish community mourned the death of Father Charles Oyabu, SM, who died on April 5 in San Antonio, Texas. Father Ray Malley, SM, is preparing a parish remembrance on the month’s mind, May 5. The Maui News published a fine tribute to Father Oyabu who had served at three parishes on Maui: Holy Rosary, Christ the King and Saint Anthony.

Our observance of Holy Week began with an impressive series of Masses for Palm Sunday at which crosses made of palms were distributed and blessed. School Masses followed during the week. Then came the dramatic celebrations of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. As always, Ms. Nona Iwata had everything prepared in great detail so that we could really focus on the mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. Our Deacons, Hiram Haupu and Stephen Maglente, served very well and assured the smooth movement of the liturgies. On Good Friday Ms. Chiree Souza’s youth group presented a skit after the reading of the Passion. At the Easter Vigil four adults were baptized, confirmed and received their first Holy Communion. Several others were received into full communion. All this was under the direction of Sister Eva Mesina, CSJ, Director of Religious Education. At each of the Masses on Easter Sunday Ms. Nona Iwata’s group, the Tutu’s (Grandmothers) inspired us with a Dance Presentation after Communion. Brother Mike O’Grady, SM, arrived on Holy Saturday for a quick visit with us, leaving on Tuesday after Easter. He is the key person on the Provincial Council overseeing the parishes currently staffed by Marianists of the Province of the United States.

Two Maui projects that seemed very promising are being challenged. One is the SuperFerry that was supposed to begin service next year. The other is the super telescope that was supposed to be added to the other high tech equipment at the summit of Mount Haleakala. Perhaps both projects will be realized eventually, but not without overcoming significant local opposition. Meanwhile, the building of new homes and expansion of hotels continues despite concerns that the necessary infrastructure is not in place to handle the projected increased population. The Maui News reported that the average price of a home on Maui is now $970,000. One little change that took place without much fanfare was the addition of ten percent ethanol to our local gas. That didn’t prevent the price of gas from rising to $3.39 a gallon.
Year Three - No. 9– May – 2006 - Page Two

It seems that the rainy season that drenched Oahu and Kauai is now over and we are moving smoothly into summer – although I continue to think of Maui as a land of endless summer. The Maui News thought the unpredictability of the weather this year was worth an editorial which included these comments: “Maui’s weather is so consistently benign that when anything out of the ordinary happens, it’s a topic of conversation for days… Forecasting weather conditions in the islands is mostly educated guessing for anything short of a hurricane…” Then came this punch line from a senior weather analyst: “It’s a complex weather situation. Nothing is certain until it happens!” The relatively fair weather facilitated a significant change at the Kahului harbor. Quietly and efficiently a large group of homeless people and their cars and trucks were removed from one of the beach sites. Fortunately they found other places without too much difficulty. No one has said it publicly, but the beach site now cleared is the first glimpse of Maui seen by those arriving on the cruise ships.

For Easter, the Maui News ran an editorial respectfully explaining the Christian holiday and concluding with these words: “Easter is a day of hope, a day to resurrect and nurture understanding, tolerance and peace.”

From nearby Makawao Brother Frank Gomes sent me another comment about the old sugar mill: “Now looking back to the days of the sugar mill, those stones were more like boulders as they went banging and bounding down the shaft all night long. At times it felt that the earth was quaking. I remember expecting the sand covered graves in the parish cemetery across the street to split open. I used to dream of their dead being awarded an early resurrection due to the disturbance coming from the mill. It gave "rest in peace" an interesting twist for both the living and the dead; Neither could get any. I can't believe that 30 years have gone by.”

Ordinarily I write these letters in the closing hours of the month. But I am leaving for Africa on April 20. I am scheduled to return on May 25. I have accepted an invitation to be the Retreat Director for our Marianists in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia this year.

I have followed the growth of our Marianist commitment to the Church in Africa with great pride and now I will see for myself the progress that has been made since I last visited our communities in Eastern Africa nearly thirty years ago! I may not have access to e-mail while there, but I shall certainly be with you in thought and prayer. And I am grateful for your encouragement and prayerful support.

ST