The Rev. Eli Carter, 52, led ministry that fed homeless
By Mary Kaye Ritz
Religion & Ethics Writer
The Rev. Eli Carter, the associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in 'Ewa Beach who was the driving force behind a homeless and hungry outreach ministry at St. Rita church, died Monday while on vacation in Texas with parishioners. He was 52.
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In the early 1990s, Carter used to walk the Nanakuli shoreline, looking for families to partake of the free meals served at regular intervals at the neighborhood church, said his former secretary, Essey Ho.
The Rev. Eli Carter was an associate pastor in 'Ewa Beach.
Carter, who was born in Hawai'i on Jan. 29, 1950, was the first man to be ordained a priest from St. Benedict church, the so-called "Painted Church" on the Big Island.
He had been ill for a long time, suffering like the rest of his siblings from diabetes, said his sister, Sonja Lee Kalili of Honaunau on the Big Island.
He was in full cardiac arrest by the time the ambulance arrived at Wilford Hall Medical Center on Lackland Air Force Base, according to a spokesman for the medical examiner there, who said the cause of death was heart disease.
"We've all lost a very dear and much beloved priest," Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo said. "He was one of our few priests of Native Hawaiian background. He had a gentle, kindly way."
Carter had been a priest for 27 years. He was a charismatic Catholic priest, which means he held healing services, and he also headed a prayer group at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Carter was the son of Pauline L. Carter and the late Eli Carter of Honaunau. He entered St. Stephen's seminary, then received his bachelor's degree in sociology from Chaminade College. He earned a master's degree of divinity at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park, Calif.
Carter was ordained a deacon in 1974 and served at St. Rita church. He was associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1975-81. His next assignment was as associate pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes at Honoka'a and, after that, associate at St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani. He was a pastor at St. Rita and later at Immaculate Conception, 'Ewa, as well as Sacred Heart, Wai'anae.
He had served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help since August.
The Rev. Gary Secor, vicar for clergy at the Diocese of Honolulu, who went to college with Carter, described him as a "very good priest ... (with a) very gentle strength which came from his Hawaiian heritage."
In addition to Kalili and his mother, Carter is survived by his other sisters, Barbara Jane Parish of Honaunau, Jennifer Friels of Kailua, Kona, and Janice Omori of Captain Cook.
A wake tentatively has been set for 5:30 p.m. April 19, followed by Mass at 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Burial arrangements are pending.
