Would you like to learn/review what the Sacrament of Baptism is about?  We can suggest two videos: “Baptism, One Ohana” from our diocese and “Why We Baptize” from Busted Halo series on Sacraments 101.
      To access Baptism, One Ohana, please go to the diocesan website: catholichawaii.org, click on diocesan offices, scroll down to Office of Religious Education, then click on “Baptism, One Ohana”.  We use this video to prepare parents and godparents for infant Baptism.
      Here’s the link to “why we baptize infants” from Busted Halo :  http://bustedhalo.com/video/baptism
Or you may Google: Why we baptize infants, busted halo you tube.  It’s narrated by Fr. Dwyer.
 
 
Nov. 3, Sunday:   All Saints Party, There are no CCD classes today
Nov. 7, Thursday:   LoveEd for 5th and 6th Graders and their parents, 7:00 pm in the church; RCIA sessions in parish office and breezeway conference room
Nov. 10, Sunday:   CCD classes and Edge sessions
Nov. 14, Thursday:   LEM 108, Prayer & Spirituality, 7:00 pm in the church; RCIA sessions in parish office and breezeway conference room
Nov. 16, Saturday:   First Reconciliation Retreat, 9 am to noon, church and school
Nov. 17, Sunday:   CCD and Edge sessions
Nov. 18, Monday:   First Reconciliation, 7:00 pm, in the church; mandatory preparation classes for infant baptism, 7:00 pm in the garage
Nov. 21, Thursday:   LEM 109 – Catholic Creeds, 7:00 pm in the church; RCIA sessions in parish office and breezeway conference room
Nov. 23, Saturday:   Edge serving at Thanksgiving Luncheon for Food Pantry Nov. 24, Sunday: CCD classes; No Edge session
Nov. 25, Monday:   Preparation classes for infant baptism, 7:00 pm in the church
Nov. 28, Thursday:   No RCIA session
Nov 30, Saturday:   Infant baptism at 10 am
 
 
AWESOME All Saints Party last Sunday!  We had food, fun, games, Trunk or Treat, community building, etc.  All of that would not have been possible without the blessings from above (it drizzled) and the many people who worked hard to put together a great party.  Great appreciation and gratitude to: (not in any order)
• Parents who responded to our invitation by their presence, the food they brought, and  dressing up their children for the saint’s costume contest
• CCD parent Karen Yogi who passed out our flyer
• Catechists who ran our games: Joe and Priscila Rayray for “St. Cecilia’s Musical Chairs”; Marilou Saito for “Pin the Halo on St. Francis”; Natividad Valenzuela and Susan Marbella for “Pennies from Heaven”; Gina Maki, Aileen Leonardo and RCIA’s catechumen Sarah Goodwin for “Color them saints”; Aurora Agcaoili and Teresita dela Cruz for “Canonize the Saints”; Stan Alvarez for “St. Andrew’s Golf”; Aida Morales and Candace Choe for “St. Isidore’s corn crops and Fishing with St. Peter”.
• Catechists who prepared, received and managed our food line: Eleanor Ragojo, Donna Alvaro, Mila Caparas, and Tess Texeira with assistance from some parents
• Catechist Consuelo Gouveia who assisted with the saint’s costume contest
• Catechists Precy Cuizon and Shannon Ancheta who issued name tags to children’s costume
• Our emcee Stan Alvarez
• Wayne Campos and his brother Nick for our sound system
• Our “Trunksters”:  Derek Salis from Stewardship and Lector Ministries; Catechist and Office Manager Mela Kim with her St. Isidore’s Patch assisted by Taylor, Courtney and Logan Kim; Samoan Ministry led by Emily Tui, Junior Tui, Marivonne Mauga, Jarrod Laumoli and Eseese Tui; Life Teen’s Justin Sniffen, Mylene Blue and John Barbasa  with their “Lion’s Den” , Stan Alvarez’s Noah’s Ark; Roxy Balayan, a CCD parent, RCIA’s Sandi Javar and DJ Goodwin with their “Fisher’s of Men”
• Fr. Ed for his presence, donation of candies, and assistance with awarding of prizes
• Sister Davilyn Ah Chick, OLPH School Principal for her presence and use of school facilities
• Judges for saint’s costume contest from the Parish Pastoral Council: Chris Fidelibus, Cora Yahiku and Clifford Villareal.
• Donors of goodies from the “trunksters” themselves, and Judy LaBeau from Food Pantry Ministry, Catechist Stephanie Belaski, Teo & Mason Matsuda from the Music Ministry.
• Parking Ministry, Jimmy Fernandez and Mike Pila
• Children who participated in the saint’s costume contest and those who participated in the games
• Intercession of all the saints and blessing from our loving God

Winners of saint’s costume will be published next week.
 
 
 
 
We have eight more parishioners who were added to our roster of Lay Ecclesial Ministry (LEM) Certification.  They completed Part One of LEM Certification last October 17.  Congratulations to: Albert Belaski, Stephanie Belaski, Sarah Goodwin, Diane James, Curtis James, Sr., Eleanor Ragojo, Kathy Sniffen and Natividad Valenzuela.

To those who missed some workshops, please note your calendar for our make-up sessions:
• Nov. 14: LEM 108 – Prayer & Spirituality
• Nov. 21: LEM 109 - Catholic Creeds
• Dec. 5: LEM 111 - Liturgy and Sacraments
• Jan. 9: LEM 110 – Catholic Morality
 
 
Parents: Infant baptism for this month will be on November 30, 2019, Saturday at 10:00 am.  Mandatory preparation classes for parents and godparents will be held on November 18 and November 25, two Monday nights from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the garage.  Parents: if you are planning to have your child baptized this year, November 30 is the last baptism for 2019.  Please submit your registration ASAP.  There will be no baptism in December.  After November 30, the next baptism will be on January 25, 2020.  Watch for further announcement as we may change baptism classes to another week night.
 
 
 
 
Attention: parents of children in CCD and Edge and any adults interested in deepening your knowledge of our Catholic faith.  You are invited to check out our adult faith formation series on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:45 am in Room 8.  “Catholicism” and “the Journey” are on the schedule to learn, reflect on, and live in our daily lives.  The series is also an excellent opportunity for adults to strengthen our Church, to evangelize, and share with families what they learn in the sessions.
 
 
RCIA stands for Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.  It is a learning and preparation process for those who would like to join Christ and His Church.  RCIA is for : (1) the unbaptized and would like to be baptized in the Catholic Church; (2) those with valid baptism from a non-Catholic Church but would like to join the Catholic Church.  Those who were baptized in the Catholic Church but uncatechized also fall under the RCIA.  Uncatechized means they never had religious education after their Catholic baptism and therefore would need the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion.
 
NOTE: Adults who need the Sacrament of Confirmation only belong to Adult Confirmation Class.
 
 
EDGE is a ministry to Middle School Grades 6, 7, and 8.  The group includes those who have completed their initiation sacraments, meaning Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion or
those who are in Year 1 of preparation for initiation sacraments.  In EDGE, our pre-teens enjoy what we call the 5 Fs ---- Faith, Formation, Fun, Food, Fellowship.  Participants have fun learning about our Catholic Faith that forms an intimate relationship with the Lord. There’s always food (snacks, juice, etc.) that feeds their stomach as wells as their relationship with one another.  Under the guidance of the Core Team, our pre-teeners learn and practice to interact with each other.  Edge sessions are held on Sunday mornings from 8:45 to 10:30 am.
 
 
1. Those who are seven years of age and above and have never been baptized
2. Adults who were baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church but have never received their Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist
3. Those who have valid baptism from a non-Catholic Christian Church.  Validity of such baptism depends on matter (water) and form (Trinitarian formula).
Those who are interested in receiving the sacraments in the Catholic Church should call the Office of Religious Education at 689-8681 Ext. 107.  Please leave your name and phone number in case no one picks up the phone.  You may also email Julia at jtorres@rcchawaii.org.
 
 
You would join the RCIA group because you will be prepared for Confirmation, First Reconciliation and First Communion.  This group meets on Thursday nights from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
 
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation together constitute the sacraments of Christian initiation whose unity must be safeguarded … reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.  For by the sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit.  Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.” (CCC #1285)
Par. 1303 of the Catechism lists the effects of the sacrament of Confirmation:
=> Full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles at Pentecost
=> Increases and deepens baptismal grace because it:
• Roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry Abba, Father
• Unites us more firmly to Christ
• Increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us
• Renders our bond with the Church more perfect
• Gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.
 
 
 
Here are some questions for your family and/or friends to share at your dinner table:
 
• What similarities do you see between your meal at home and the Eucharistic meal at Mass?
• How do you see your meal at home as a sacrifice?   The word “sacrifice” came from two Latin words: sacra meaning sacred and facere meaning to do.  Therefore sacrifice means to do something sacred or holy. What do you do at home to make your meal sacred or holy?
• How do you see the real presence of the Lord at your meal at home?  Do you believe in the real presence of the Lord at the
Eucharistic Meal?  Yes?  How do your action and attitude manifest your belief?
 
 
For those who are planning to have their child baptized, please read below on how to proceed:
• Pick up a baptism packet by the door of the parish office.  You don’t have to come in to the office, which means you can come even if the office is closed
• Complete the application for baptism.  Godparents must also read the requirements for godparents, then sign it
• Call Julia at 689-8681 Ext. 107 for a meeting when all paper works are done
• Interview with Fr. Ed or Fr. Jong is required
• Mandatory preparation classes for parents and godparents on two Monday nights from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
• Presentation for Baptism after the first class.  This presentation is part of the Baptismal rite; therefore it cannot be skipped.
 
• Must have completed sixteen years of age
• Fully initiated Catholic having received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist
• If married, marriage must be in the Catholic Church
• If single, not cohabitating, meaning living with someone but not married, and again, marriage must be in the Catholic Church
• Able and willing to take the role and responsibilities of a godparent/sponsor
 
Parents are the first teachers of the children, be it in faith, morals, values, attitudes, habits, etc.   Let us talk about faith here and look at some church documents regarding the role of parents in the education and faith formation of their children:
• “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.  They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity and disinterested service are the rule.”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church – [CCC] Par. 2223)
• “Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child’s earliest years.  This already happens when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping with the Gospel… parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as the children of God..” (CCC #2226)
• “The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute.”  (Declaration on Christian Education, Par. #3)
• “The right and duty of parents to educate their children is essential …irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others.” (Pope John Paul II, On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World, Par. #36)
• “By virtue of their ministry of educating, parents are, through the witness of their lives, the first heralds of the Gospel for their children.  Furthermore, by praying with their children, by reading the Word of God with them and by introducing them deeply through Christian initiation into the Body of Christ – both the Eucharistic and the ecclesial Body – they become fully parents, in that they are begetters not only of bodily life but also of the life that through the Spirit’s renewal flows from the Cross and Resurrection of Christ.” (Familiaris Consortio, Par. #39.4)
 
 
 
WHAT ABOUT ADULT CONFIRMATION?
Requirements:
• 18 years old and above
• Baptized Catholic and has received Eucharist
• If married, marriage must be in the Catholic Church.  Those married outside of Catholic Church must celebrate Marriage Convalidation prior to receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation
• Must live a life in harmony with Catholic faith

Questions? See/Call/email Julia. Tel. 689-8681 Ext. 107.  Email: jtorres@rcchawaii.org
 
 
Hello Parents/Children/teens!  Here are some online resources for your reflection and/or activities to share at home prior to/after Sunday’s liturgy:
For children: catholicmom.com.  On the home page, right side, middle of the page, click on “Sunday Gospel Activities”.  Then find the date then click on the activities: coloring page, crossword puzzle, Word Search.  You will also find a link for the Sunday readings.
For adults:  Five Loaves.  This site will give you a reflection for the Sunday Gospel reading plus a bonus of a song connected to the reading. http://www.thefiveloaves.com/
 
 
Here is a questions that comes up when I meet with godparents/sponsors for Baptism and Confirmation.
Q – A person received First Holy Communion in second grade; is now an adult and married civilly.  Why can she/he not receive Holy Communion now when she/he has received Communion in her/his younger years?
A - Simple answer: in second grade, one is not married civilly or not married, period.  On the other hand, the answer from the catechetical point of view is this: “Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace.  Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive Communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance.”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Par. 1415).
So what is the “state of grace”?  The Catechism states that “grace is a participation in the life of God” (CCC 1997).  One cannot be in the state of grace if one is living in a marriage relationship that is not recognized by the Catholic Church.  Civil marriage and marriage in a non-Catholic  Church is not recognized by the Catholic Church.  The question then is how can marriage outside of the Catholic Church be recognized by the Catholic Church?  The answer is “MARRIAGE CONVALIDATION.”

If you are in the above situation, please make an appointment to meet with Deacon Ron, Deacon Eric, Fr. EJ or Fr. Ed.  They can help you get started on marriage convalidation.  Don’t wait too long.  Nourishment for your soul is very important.

Based on Par. 1415 from the Catechism, can one just go to Confession in order to receive Holy  Communion but without marriage convalidation?  The answer is NO.  Again, please see one of the deacons or priests.
 
 
Some parents and teens are still confused about the new norms on initiation sacraments.  Several parents still think Year 2017-2018 is Year One of preparation for Confirmation!!!  NO!!!

• First Communicants or those who will receive their First Holy Communion in May will also receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Therefore children/youth in the following classes are included:  Ms. Consuelo Gouveia’s class; Ms. Cora Yahiku/Ms. Shannon Ancheta’s class; Ms. Priscila Rayray’s class; Ms. Donna Alvaro’s class; Ms. Eleanor Ragojo’s class; OLPH School students
• Those who have received First Holy Communion and are presently in the following classes:

1. Grade 3 at 7:30 and 9:30 ( Ms. Cynthia Walker’s class and Ms. Susan Marbella’s class)
2. Grade 4 at 7:30 and 9:30 (Ms. Josie Banasihan’s class and Ms. Crystal Baliguat’s class)
3. Grade 5 at 7:30 and 9:30 (Ms. Raquel Ochoa’s class and Ms. Precy Cuizon’s class)
4. EDGE Middle School Youth Ministry at 8:30 am and 2:30 pm
5. Aunty June’s class on Wednesday night
6. Most high school students participating with Life Teen Youth Ministry on Sunday night
7. OLPH School students
8. Students from Catholic schools: Damien, Sacred Hearts, St. Louis, and Maryknoll who have requested the Sacrament of Confirmation
 
 
Godparent for Baptism and Sponsor for Confirmation must:
• Have completed sixteen years of age
• Be fully initiated into the Roman Catholic Church having received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Be practicing Catholic - at least regular Mass attendance
• Be married in the Catholic Church, if married; not be cohabitating if single
• Be willing and able to undertake the role and responsibilities of a godparent/sponsor
NOTES:
• Parents cannot be godparent at Baptism
• Parents cannot be sponsor at Confirmation although they may present their child for the sacrament at the Confirmation Mass in case the designated sponsor cannot make it to the Mass; however, a qualified Sponsor is still required and must submit a Sponsor form.
 
 
Our parish’s Advent Penance Service is on December 14, 2018.  Do you know your Act of Contrition?  Here is that activity.  Fill in the blanks:
My ______, I am sorry for my ________ with all my ___________.  In ______________ to do ____________ and ________________ to do _______________, I have sinned against _______ whom I should _______________ above all ______________.  I firmly _________________ with your ________________ to do ________________, to
_________ no more, and to _____________ whatever leads me to ___________.  Our Savior ____________ suffered and __________ for us.  In His _____________, my __________, have ___________.
 
 
One may ask what is the Sacrament of Reconciliation for if one was Baptized?  Does not Baptism cleanse us from the stain of original sin?  The answer is “yes” but Baptism does not remove “frailty and weakness of human nature nor the inclination to sin that tradition calls concupiscence” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Par. 1426).  Therefore, when we give in to sin (and who doesn’t), we need the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  The apostle John writes that “if we say, we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong-doing.  If we say ‘we have not sinned’, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10).
If you have not gone to Confession for some time, there are three videos you may want to watch.  One is from our diocese.  Here is the link: http://catholichawaii.org/catholic-essentials/sacrament-videos/reconciliation-one-ohana/
There are also two short videos from Busted Halo by Fr. Jack Dwyer.  Here are the links:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Why+we+go+to+Confession%2c+You+Tube&view=detail&mid=804302CE3F4A6EA28995804302CE3F4A6EA28995&FORM=VIRE
 

If the last two links are too much to type: Google “why we go to Confession, you tube”.  It should say “Sacraments 101” by Fr. Jack Dwyer.  The second video is also by Fr. Dwyer on how to go to Confession.  Questions or need more help? Please call the Office of Religious Education at 689-8681 Ext. 107.  Our weekly Confession schedule is on Saturday afternoon from 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm.  You may also call the parish office at 689-8681 to make an appointment to see Fr. EJ or Fr. Ed on his return, hopefully next month.
 
 
What are the qualifications of a Confirmation sponsor?  To take on the function of a sponsor, a person must:
• Be a fully initiated Catholic, having received Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion
• Have completed his or her sixteenth year unless the pastor makes an exception for a just cause
• Be practicing Catholic, leading a life in harmony with the Catholic faith, and, if married, be in a marriage recognized as valid in the Catholic Church; and if single, not cohabiting
• Be someone other than a parent
When is the Sponsor form due?  It is due on or before December 1, 2017
Can a parent be a sponsor?  The Code of Canon Law, Par. 874, states that a godparent or sponsor must be “someone other than a parent”.
Can someone on the mainland or neighbor island be a sponsor?  Yes. The sponsor needs to submit Pastor Verification Form that can be obtained either from the Office of Religious Education or downloaded from the parish website.  The sponsor takes the form to his or her pastor to answer the questions and sign.  The parish seal is also required.
Can a sponsor have two candidates?  Ideally, there should be one sponsor for each candidate but if you are having difficulty finding sponsor, we will allow one sponsor to have two candidates.
What if a sponsor cannot make it at the Confirmation Mass?  Parents can assign someone to be proxy at the Confirmation Mass.
 
 
To take on the function of a Confirmation sponsor, a person must:
• Be fully initiated Catholic, having received Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion.  This means the Sponsor is fully initiated at the time of Confirmation.  A question came up if someone who will be Confirmed on May 20, 2018 may be a Sponsor for someone who will also be Confirmed on the same date.  The answer is NO.
• Have completed his or her sixteenth year.  Another parent asked if her child’s sponsor who will be 16 by the end of the year is qualified.  The answer is NO.  I even received Sponsor forms where the sponsor is a child under ten years of age.
• Be a practicing Catholic, leading a life in harmony with the Catholic faith, and if married, be in a marriage recognized as valid in the Catholic Church.  This means those married outside the Catholic Church cannot be Confirmation sponsor.  Examples of marriage outside the Catholic Church are civil marriage, marriage officiated by a minister or judge, marriage on the beach or hotel, etc.
• Be someone other than a parent.  I received several Sponsor forms where the parents are the Confirmation sponsor for their children.

If I may add, the candidate for Confirmation CANNOT be a Sponsor for himself or herself.  Parents: PLEASE, please read the qualifications.  Mahalo.  Any questions?  Please call the Office of Religious Education at 689-8681 Ext. 107
 
 
Parents and Teens:  With our parish transitioning to the new norms in sacramental preparation, the Sacrament of Confirmation program the way we knew it is GONE. There is NO MORE Confirmation 1.  Therefore:
• Starting Year 2017-2018 and on…. All high school students will need to register with our Life Teen Youth Ministry.  If the youth is not Baptized, he/she will be prepared for full initiation sacraments which may take two years or so.  This preparation will go through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process but done within the context of Youth Ministry.  If the youth need Confirmation only, there will be immediate preparation when the youth is “suitably prepared”.   If the youth need Confirmation and First Holy Communion, preparation may take longer especially if the youth is not catechized at all.
• For this year 2017-2018, we will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation to second graders up to high school, provided the second grader is on the second year of preparation for First Holy Communion.  The third graders and up who have received First Holy Communion and attended religious education last year, will be Confirmed in May, 2018.  They will be on regular religious education classes right now but will have immediate preparation for Confirmation next year.  The calendar was given to all the parents who attended Parents Orientation Night last August 11, August 16 or August 18.  Parents who missed the Orientation should call Julia at 689-8681 Ext. 107.
 
 
DID YOU KNOW….
THIS PARISH WILL SOON OFFER CONFIRMATION PRIOR
TO FIRST HOLY COMMUNION??