Our Lady of Good Counsel

The peace of the risen Christ be with you! Over the next year or two, our diocese will be embarking on a period of catechesis and renewal regarding the liturgy, particularly the celebration of the Eucharist. On May 31-June 1, the priests and deacons were invited to a workshop on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM). This is the document issued by the Vatican that governs our celebration of the Mass in all the Catholic churches of the Roman Rite. (There are Eastern Rite Catholics, fully in communion with the Pope, who celebrate the liturgy with a different rite .) The third edition of the GIRM was published in 2002.

Each month we will take one aspect of the liturgy and ask everyone to study it and reflect upon it. There will be articles in the Hawaii Catholic Herald and postings on our diocesan website www.catholichawaii.org. Two months before the topic is covered in the Herald, the priests and deacons will be referred to sections of the GIRM that will be the focus of the catechesis, and they will receive materials that can be copied as bulletin inserts or used in parish presentations. The two-month lead time will not only give them time to p repare for catechesis on the local level, but will also afford them the opportunity to discuss the issues in greater depth with their staffs, liturgy committees, and liturgical ministers. At the same time, any changes that need to be made to fully implement the GIRM can be suitably planned and executed.

Topics will include the following: General Norms; Liturgical Ministers and the Gathered Assembly;Sites and Symbols; Participation, gestures and postures; Introductory Rites; Liturgy of the Word; Liturgy of the Eucharist; Communion Rite; Concluding Rites; Review and overview of the Mass; Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; Order of Christian Funerals; Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum; Rite of Penance, Form I; Rite of Penance, Form II; The Book of Blessings; Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside the Mass.

I should mention that the bishops of the English-speaking world are currently working on an updated English translation of the prayers and responses of the Mass. None of these is ready for implementation, but by the time we finish this planned catechesis, the translation should be ready. By then we will be accustomed to learning about the liturgy, so instructions on the new translations should flow nicely from our present endeavors.

Iencourage all in the diocese to study the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It is available through Pauline Books & Media (1143 Bishop Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; Oahu phone 521-2731; Neighbor Islands, toll free phone 1-866-521-2731; webpage www.pauline.org); or through the Publishing Office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, www.usccb.org).

As we embark on this catechesis and renewal, I do want to emphasize some very important points.

The liturgy is a living encounter in which we worship the Father, through his Son Jesus, our risen Lord, in the Holy Spirit. It is the source and summit of our entire Christian life. It should therefore be celebrated well and according to the rites given to us by the universal community of the Church to which we belong. The rubrics, gestures, postures and words are extremely important. But what is most important is the attitude with which we approach the liturgy. We are God's creatures, not creators. The structure is given to us to help us encounter the deeper spiritual reality of God-with-us. We can "perform" the liturgy flawlessly, following all the directives beautifully, and still have a very dead liturgy, if we do not remember that the liturgy is primarily prayer. While it has elements of drama that engage us and our deepest emotions, it is never simply a performance. We must put our hearts and souls into the celebration of the liturgy. Most of all, we must open our hearts to the incredible power of the Holy Spirit that works on us and in us in the liturgy.

Anyone who has worked on planning the liturgy knows that it is never as simple as it seems. It involves human beings with human limitations, so it is seldom, if ever, celebrated perfectly. While it is important that we better understand the reasons behind what we do, it is more important that we avoid the temptation to become "liturgical police," criticizing anyone and anything that does not conform to the rules. Sometimes the temptation is only played out in the silence of our hearts as we privately criticize the unfolding of the liturgy rather than enter into the worship with praise and thanksgiving. It is true that we are in the process of critiquing our liturgies for the sake of improving them, but Satan can easily lead us to turn legitimate critique into resentment toward our brothers and sisters, thus undermining the real purpose of liturgy.

Ialso urge that we be very careful when we find ourselves saying, "We have always done it this way. We like it." or "That is not supposed to be done." On the one hand, we sometimes fall into bad habits. The fact that they are habits is not an excuse for holding on to them if they are not correct. On the other hand, I myself have occasionally said, "That is not supposed to be done," and after double checking, I found that what I judged incorrect was actually quite permissible. We need to approach the liturgy with great humility, because it is in fact our way of approaching intimacy with the Lord himself, before whom we can only be humble.

Let us all pray that this renewal of our liturgy will help us all to be more on fire with the love of Christ, so that we can truly be his Body in the world, to bring his light, healing and love to all.

As Jesus began his public ministry with temptations to take the easy way out and enjoy life, he chose to set his face firmly on the cross, knowing that its suffering and pain would lead to incredible freedom and joy for us all. As we look at this Roadmap for our Mission, we may be tempted to fold it up and put it away, because its implementation will demand hard work and sacrifice. We know that our own efforts are inadequate, but if we are committed to this journey of faith, we will see incredible things happen as we give witness to Jesus in our beloved islands.

Background -- In early fall of 2006, Bishop Larry Silva drafted his vision for future planning for the Diocese of Honolulu and appointed a core planning committee. Thus began the strategic planning process, which concluded in December of 2007. Father Marc Alexander, Diocesan Vicar General, and Tom Papandrew, Diocesan Director of Planning, led this process.

Planning Process - The process involved meetings and workshops with parishioners in all 66 parishes and all of the missions in the state of Hawaii. Additional meetings and workshops were conducted with several focus groups such as Youth and Young Adults and inactive Catholics. Follow-up vicariate workshops allowed parishioners an opportunity to provide input on the findings and to assist the core planning team with identification and prioritization of the recommendations.

Plan Review and Refinement - After review and feedback from Bishop Silva, priests of the diocese, the Presbyteral Council, and diocesan department heads, a final draft was prepared and unveiled in the fall of 2007. Review and refinement took us to the end of the calendar year.

Plan Recommendations - Six recommendations emerged through the planning process. Four of these recommendations are programmatic. These are Leadership Development (both clergy and lay), Faith Formation (all ages), Youth and Young Adults (integration into the life of the parish), and Homeless Issues. The remaining two recommendations are concerned with Facilities Management and Land Assets.

Plan Implementation - Now that the plan is complete, the work of implementation begins. The work of implementation has already begun in a few key areas. For example, Bishop Silva has named a director of vocations, three land parcels have been acquired, and an Affordable Housing Task Force has been convened.

Today, each household is being given a summary document briefly describing the process, the findings, the priority recommendations, and the implementing actions. Our hope is that every parishioner and parish supports the plan and its implementation for the spiritual and physical growth of the Catholic Church in Hawaii.

The 1st Anniversary of Completion of Phase I was a huge success. The Magic Show was entrancing and enjoyed by young and old alike. The many committees are to be commended for their untiring efforts. The faithful volunteers, were joined by new volunteers. It was heartwarming! Thank you to everyone! We would like to thank the following people: co-chairpersons Rosalind Creacy and Rose Galera for their hard work; Kitty & Frank Asedillo and Judy Furukawa for donating the main dish, green salad & dressing, and the corn; Al Torres and Frank Ramos for taking care of the food pick up and dishwashing duties; Elaine Ushiro and Tessie Kalawa for advertising the event with their creative posters; Garry Dixon and his crew for setting up the environment; Shige Ushiro for being the caller for the countless number of door prizes that were donated by very generous parishioners; Randy Nunes for taking care of the sound system; all the servers and other helps; all other parishioners who donated the rolls, rice, cookies, and peaches, and most of all, everyone who attended the event. The Lord is proud of all of you! The grand prize was a $500.00 trip voucher, donated by Mark and Meli Pilarca.

Schedule of CMSA Events: Hiking every Monday at 5:00 p.m. at Makiki Valley Loop Trail. Mondays meet at Hawaii Nature Center between 5:00 and 5:15 p.m. For directions to Makiki Valley Loop Trail, e-mail CNSA. This trail is a pleasant, maintained path used by casual walkers, cross country runners and every one in between.

Tax donation statements were mailed out on Tuesday, January 30 to parishioners who have made contributions of $200 or more during the past year. If you have made donations of more than $200 during 2006 and have not received a statement, please call the office at 455-3012. Thank you for your continued support!

Become a extraordinary minister of Communion! We invite all those who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation in our Catholic faith to become Eucharistic Ministers! To apply, please inquire any Eucharistic Ministers, priests, or any office staff in the Sacristy or at the Parish Office. If you have any questions, please contact Gladys Bautista at 454-1916. Mahalo!

Our Outreach Food pantry is running critically low on food, especially canned meats like spam, sausage, corn beef, etc. Please help our needy families by dropping off non-perishable food items in one of the boxes next to the entrances in the Church or you may drop off items at the Parish Office during office hours. Mahalo for your support!

Donate your recycled materials to the school. It's quick and easy! Drop off your separated recycled bottles, plastics, and aluminum cans anytime by the fenced playground. Bottles: rinsed and bagged Aluminum: rinsed and bagged Plastic Bottles: Please remove caps before bagging The money will be used to purchase needed equipment for the school.

Due to recent changes in the tax laws, beginning with contributions made in 2007, parishioners (those who itemize their tax returns) will no longer be able to deduct contributions to the parish unless they maintain a bank record or written contribution statement from the parish. If you wish to ensure deductibility of your contributions to the parish, please use a check, direct deposit from your bank account, or your parish envelopes. The parish will track contributions made using parish envelopes, and will, upon request, produce a written statement of contributions made during 2007. Canceled checks and other bank records are also sufficient documentation. The parish cannot track cash contributions not in parish envelopes.

Ave Maria Singles (AMS) is having a Hawaiian cruise in July for single Catholics who feel they are called to marriage. We are hoping that other single Catholics living in Hawaii will join us for fellowship, daily rosary, and Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, talks, discussion, and socializing. Even if you don't meet your future spouse, you will no doubt make some long time friends. Check out this and other trips at http://www.avemariasingles.com. While this is directed to Catholic Singles, married couples are also welcome to join in this trip to share their journey into marriage with us.


Tithe	$ 11,573.74
Others	1,751.50
Candles	353.00


Capuchin Donation	30.00
Campaign for Human Development	2,546.80
Money Leaving Parish	<2,576.80 >
Total Parish Income	$ 13,678.24





Cook Books	$12.00
Entertainment Books	30.00

Pledges/Donations	$ $3,111.25


Total dinner income	$ 3,095.00
Total raffle donations	$ 360.00
Grand Total	$ 3,455.00
Spiritual Total	AWESOME!

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