Our loving Abba-Father has sent Jesus to us to shepherd us – lead, guide, feed, care for, and love us. We have all experienced that loving presence in our lives, more strongly at some times than other. We can truly proclaim that: “The LORD is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” But the challenge that this imposes on us is that we need to reach out and shepherd others with the same loving care we have received. We are called to share what we have received and further the mission and ministry of our Good Shepherd by compassionately shepherding those whom GOD has placed in our lives. May you continue to experience the loving care of the Good Shepherd and may the Holy Spirit prompt you to share that loving care with those whom GOD our Abba Father has entrusted to your care.

July 4th, Independence Day, is an American national holiday. This holiday gives us time to thank God for the birth of our nation, and give thanks for the gift of life and petition God to preserve our country and rid it of its evils. This is a great day for picnics and spending time with family and friends. This month holds for Americans the celebration of our glorious Fourth, Independence Day, a great national holiday not connected with the feast of a saint (as is Saint Andrew's Day in Scotland and Saint George's in England), or with a festival of the Church. And yet can it be said that the anniversary of the birth of a nation is ever an entirely secular affair?

The name John means “God’s gift,” and such was the Baptist. From the moment he came on the preaching scene, he proved himself a powerful, captivating herald of God. His bold, dramatic, austere, and uncompromising style is what many people had in mind when they hoped for a Messiah. But John understood that his role was to prepare the way for the One who was to come. His prophet witness and commitment to his call are his legacy to us. Share in his gift by being true to your own Christian calling.

Join our vibrant youth and family ministry. All children and youth of all ages & their families who want to share and develop their musical talents, grow in Catholic faith, make friends and fellowship with other families are invited to be part of our growing ministry.

"Beginning with the Easter Triduum as its source of light, the new age of the Resurrection fills the whole liturgical year with its brilliance. Gradually, on either side of this source, the year is transfigured by the liturgy" (Catechism of the Catholic Church) .

The Great Fast, Lent, is a time of spiritual reflection. The forty days not only reflect Jesus’s journey into the desert, upon which he fasted for forty days and faced severe temptations before the start of his public ministry, but also the years which Moses and the children of Israel were said to wander between Egypt and the Promised Land. It is a time of struggle, a time of purification, and hopefully a time of spiritual enlightenment.

At the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed during Mass, after the homily. The blessed ashes are then "imposed" on the faithful as a sign of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality. The ashes are blessed at least during the first Mass of the day, but they may also be imposed during all the Masses of the day, after the homily, and even outside the time of Mass to meet the needs of the faithful. Priests or deacons normally impart this sacramental, but instituted acolytes, other extraordinary ministers or designated lay people may be delegated to impart ashes, if the bishop judges that this is necessary. The ashes are made from the palms used at the previous Passion Sunday ceremonies.

Catholics believe that during the Mass which we attend each week (for some of us daily), the priest (during the consecration) speaks these words as he holds the communion host, "...He took bread and gave you thanks. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you". When the priest says "this my body", it is at that instant when, through the miracle of transubstantiation, the bread and wine which we offer as the bloodless sacrifice to our Lord truly become the Body, Blood , Soul and Divinity of Jesus. It is His true Presence in the form of bread and wine. It is Christ. Here are twelve biblical reasons for wanting to spend one hour with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

On New Year's Day, the octave day of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Holy Mother of God. The divine and virginal motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a singular salvific event: for Our Lady it was the foretaste and cause of her extraordinary glory; for us it is a source of grace and salvation because "through her we have received the Author of life.”

It is a beautiful Advent tradition that captures the expectant, excited, spiritual waiting that pervades Advent – the precursor of Christmas. It is a vibrant expression of unity and community. Many parishes in our diocese will fittingly mark Christmas preparation with an Advent Novena of Masses, popularly called “Simbang Gabi” (Filipino for “night mass”, indicating it being held when dark). It is one of the oldest and most popular among the Filipino traditions in the Philippines. Simbang Gabi is a nine-day novena to the expectant Blessed Mother. The novena begins on December 16, and culminates with the “Misa de Gallo” ("gallo", Spanish word for rooster, which crows at break of dawn) on Christmas Eve.

A simple way to mark the season, Advent wreaths are a time-honored tradition rich in symbolism. The circular shape reminds us that God is eternal; He has no beginning and no end. The wreath itself is often made of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting life. Each week, an additional candle is lit, accompanied by Scripture –based meditations and prayers. The progressive lighting of the candles in the Advent wreath models the expectation of Christ’s coming. The four candles (three violet, one rose) symbolize the four thousand years between the fall of Adam and Eve and Christ’s birth. The rose candle, representing joy, is lit on the third Sunday of Advent (called Gaudete Sunday) to mark the halfway point of the season.

In this first week of Advent, we reflect on the tension of the already-but-not-yet; of being sure of the hope that we have, but of having but a small taste of that which has been promised. The nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, had heard from God through the patriarchs and prophets since its very beginning. He had taught them how to live life in the very best way, life lived close to Him and to others. But the people of Israel had rejected God and did whatever was good in their own eyes. God sent prophets to warn Israel of what would happen if they continued to rebel against God. Prophets also foretold of a new covenant God would make with his people. They pointed people to a coming Messiah, an eternal king who would fulfill this covenant, save them, and rule forever. Despite the warnings of the prophets, the people of Israel stopped listing to God and God did not speak to humans again for 400 years. And it is against this backdrop that we begin our first week of Advent, wondering with the Israelites what God is going to do and how he is going to fulfill his promises. In a similar way, though Jesus has already brought about our salvation by his life, death and resurrection, we eagerly await with great hope the day when he will come again and fulfill all of his promises and put the world to rights.

Thank you Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us.

Our Knights of Columbus and Blood Bank Hawaii are collaborating and will be bringing a Blood Drive event onto our campus. This blood drive is now scheduled for Sunday, 11/19/2017, from 7 am to 12 Noon. Donors will receive a free Knights of Columbus breakfast! Your gift of life will reach up to three patients in Hawaii! (Attached is the flyer for the event) ​ To make it easier for you, we have included a link for appointment scheduling. https://www.bbhdonor.org/index.cfm?group=op&expand=18698&zc=96821

Ordinations Rising– and You Can Help The number of priests being ordained has risen slightly in recent years, and while ordinations still aren’t keeping pace with priests’ retirements, there is good news to report. According to CARA’s annual survey of soon-to-be-ordained priests, men are being ordained younger and are receiving more encouragement than in past years. What can you do to help more young men discern the priesthood? Encourage teens. Boys first consider priesthood, on average, at 16. Invite, invite, invite! 82% of men ordained in 2017 were encouraged to consider priesthood by an average of four people. Promote prayer in the parish. Before entering seminary, three-quarters of new priests regularly attended Eucharistic Adoration and 69% regularly prayed the rosary. Do you have someone in mind who may make a good priest? Mention it to him. Even if he’s not called, it’s a compliment to his faith—one he’ll never forget!

Join our Okoberfest on October 28th Saturday from 5:30PM - 9:30PM. This is our 2nd annual fundraising project for our cafeteria. $45 for Adults and $25 for children. For tickets, please call 734-0208. Don't miss this great event for a good cause. Mahalo for your support!

In Scripture, the image of a wedding garment is used to represent the essential elements of our life in Christ. It is described as a garment of salvation, a garment of obedience, and a garment of purity. Now, if we were to apply this parable to the Mass, the story might look like this: some ignored God’s invitation to worship. One man, however, came and ate the Bread of Life, but he had no intention of following Jesus. His heart wasn’t clothed in the right “garment” We face this question every Sunday: “Have I come to the Eucharistic feast with my heart properly dressed? Or have I come without thinking about how eating the Bread of Life is meant to help me change my heart?” Coming properly dressed means being open to Jesus’ grace and blessing. Coming without our garment may not mean being “thrown out” as the man in the parable was, but it could mean losing touch with the power and love at the heart of the Eucharist.

On Friday, October 13th, MSOS will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima with a Special Mass at 5:30 pm, followed by recitation of the Holy Rosary. Snacks will be served in the Cafeteria, and a video will be shown recounting the events of the miracle that took place a hundred years ago in Portugal. This worldwide celebration will be taking place across the world on that day. PLEASE JOIN US on Friday, October 13th, at our Special Mass at 5:30 pm honoring Our Lady of Fatima. The video will be a special treat as we learn: What were the apparitions seen in Fatima? Who were the children that witnessed these events? What was the message of Fatima?

There will be a second collection on September 23rd and 24th. The funds will be distributed either through Catholic Charities USA for humanitarian relief, or through the affected dioceses for help in rebuilding churches, schools, and other buildings used as infrastructure for evangelization. You may also use our eGiving for your convenience. Let us open our hearts to our suffering brothers and sisters in their time of need.

It must have stung Peter to have Jesus call him Satan, especially because Jesus had already chosen him to be the foundation rock of his community of believers. Peter, in his bullheadedness, seems a good stand-in for many of us, taking the heat for what we ourselves might have done or said (“What’s in it for us, Lord?”). Here he is merely expressing his care for Jesus by saying, as any of us would to someone we love, “God forbid that any tragedy should fall upon you.” Yet Jesus reprimands him because Peter cannot see beyond his desire to protect his Lord (and perhaps himself) from the terrible fate Jesus foresees. Peter does not yet see how great a cost a “wondrous love” will pay to accomplish good. Remember, by God’s standard no price is too high. “Get behind me, Satan! You are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”