WHERE WE WORSHIP
Parish is a partner with community

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Faith Editor

The Rev. Thomas Piquado conducts a worship service at Newman Center/Holy Spirit on East-West Road in Manoa. Deborah Booker The Honolulu Advertiser

Our denomination: Roman Catholic, staffed by Jesuit priests.

Where we are: 1941 East-West Road. It gets campus mail, but is not officially on University of Hawai'i-Manoa's land. The site is leased from the Sisters of St. Francis.

Our numbers: 800 registered members; about 400 attend weekly services.

Our pastor: The Rev. Thomas Piquado, a Jesuit, who's also in charge of Catholic campus ministry for all the Islands.

What we believe: As a Roman Catholic parish, Newman Center/Holy Spirit follows the guidelines of the Catholic church. For example: The pope is the highest authority; the Apostles' creed is recited at Mass; seven sacraments are celebrated; and members believe in the trinity.

However, as a parish so tied to the university, the Newman Center/Holy Spirit also focuses its attention on the partnership with its community.

"The life of the community depends on its members," said the Rev. Randall Roche, the pastor who's leaving for sabbatical before being reassigned to Loyola-Marymount University.

The mission statement: "Together we are a spirit-filled, intentional, inclusive community that celebrates vibrant liturgies; nurtures spiritual, social and transitional growth; offers opportunities for faith development; stimulates critical thinking and dialogue on academic and contemporary issues challenging Christian living; cooperates with other faith communities to carry out mutual ministries; proclaims and celebrates the good news of Jesus Christ."

Our history: Named for Cardinal John Henry Newman, a 19th century British scholar and theologian, the Newman Center started as a club.

The roots of the Newman Club, an organization for Catholic UH students, go back to 1932 under the Rev. Patrick Logan. In 1935, the club became the campus ministry, and a part-time chaplain for the university was appointed.

The Rev. Dan Dever opened the first temporary Newman Center at a small building on the St. Francis property, built with money raised from Newman Club lu'au from 1951 to 1958.

In 1972, Jesuits came to establish a permanent campus ministry center, and a temporary center was set up in a house on East Manoa Road.

An agreement was signed in 1981 with the diocese, the St. Francis sisters and the Jesuits to establish a center on Saint Francis School's property. The next year, the current building was dedicated, and in 1986, the center was also made a parish.

What we're excited about: Piquado's arrival six weeks ago gave him some time to learn the ropes from Roche, whose aloha party is set for May 10.

Piquado was asked 16 months ago if he'd like to work in Hawai'i and he jumped at the chance, because he'd worked as a chaplain at St. Francis in 1994 and already knew how to pronounce "a few words," he said with a laugh.

There's also the brunch and silent auction at 11 a.m. April 28 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.

What's special about us: "We're by far one of the youngest congregations" in the Islands, points out Roche. With its unique location on the border of campus, the center and parish are geared to youth and young adults. The Wednesday night fellowship meetings allow networking among the college community. Roche points out that as a commuter campus, many people spend time at the center during the week but spend their Sunday worship time at their neighborhood parish.

"We don't see ourselves as owning (potential young Catholics)," he said, "but consciously, we're trying to build leaders."

With three other Catholic churches within a three-mile radius, this isn't a "territorial" parish. Rather it was established to make sure there was a campus ministry at UH, Roche said.

Contact: newmanhawaii.org or 988-6222.