PROFESSION AMONG HAWAII SECULAR FRANCISCANS

St Clare Emerging Fraternity in Oahu, Hawaii professed three new members last November. Father Gordon Combs, OFM Cap, is Spiritual Assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order in Hawaii.

The profession took place at St Pius X Church in Manoa. A Korean Franciscan friar and two Korean priests ministering with Korean Catholics in Hawaii were also present.

HAWAII SECULAR FRANCISCANS

Three Secular Franciscan Fraternities of the Hawaii Region gathered at Blessings House, Ewa Beach, for a day of recollection with their spiritual assistant, Capuchin Franciscan Fr.Gordon Combs on Saturday, September 20. Reflecting on the Testament of Saint Francis, the group prayed, played, and enjoyed God’s beautiful creation at the beach house.

JUBILEE HOMILY

Father Michel began by quoting Pope Francis' words that the shepherd (priests) must "smell like the sheep."

JUBILEE DINNER

Our Jubilee Dinner was preceded by the presentation of a legislative commendation by some of our island's senators, some of whom were students or parishioners of our two jubilarians.

While friars, clergy and people were gathering for the Jubilee Mass, our hard-working porters and volunteers were busy preparing the hall for the dinner.

JUBILEE MASS

On Thursday, January 16, 2014, the Capuchin friars joined many of the faithful, religious and other clergy to celebrate the fiftieth priestly anniversary or jubilee of Fathers Gordon Combs and George Maddock.  The Mass was celebrated at Santa Teresita Church in Mangilao.

His Excellency, Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron, OFM Cap, DD, presided while Fr Gordon was principal celebrant

Fr Michel Dalton, OFM Cap was homilist

Fr Andre Eduvala, OFM Cap (first on right) was MC

Concelebrants

Our temporarily professed friars and postulants formed the choir under the direction of Fr Felixberto Leon Guerrero, OFM Cap

THE FAITHFUL

OUR JUBILARIANS : FRS GEORGE AND GORDON

Frs George Maddock (left) and Gordon Combs (right)

Fifty years ago, two Capuchin friars, George Maddock and Gordon Combs were ordained on the same day, at the same ceremony, by the same bishop, Bishop Ferns, one of the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of New York.

What makes this jubilee more special is that Frs George and Gordon were classmates since high school, beginning in 1951.  From that time on, they were always in the same high school class, novitiate class and seminary class.

After ordination, their paths diverged for a while.  Fr Gordon became a missionary in Okinawa, Japan, where he learned to speak fluent Japanese.  On the other hand, Fr George eventually came to Guam with the primary mission of forming a local clergy.  To that end, he began teaching at Fr Duenas Memorial School, which was founded as a minor seminary, though it also had day students.

Fr George eventually became principal of the school and rector of the minor seminary.  He then went on to take his first parish assignment as a pastor in Saint Francis parish, Yona.

Eventually their paths converged again as Fr Gordon transferred from Okinawa to Guam, where he served many years as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Yigo and Mt Carmel parish in Agat.  Fr George also served as Superior Regular and in formation work for the community.  Both priests served at various times on the fraternity Council advising the Vice Provincial.

Both Fr George and Fr Gordon then served in Hawaii.  While Fr George worked as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish (Ewa Beach) - the first Capuchin parish in Hawaii - and then at St  Elizabeth parish in Aiea, Fr Gordon took on the ministry of hospital chaplain at St Francis-West Hospital.   Fr George also did formation work in Hawaii and Fr Gordon assisted at St Elizabeth in Aiea.

Fr George is now in retirement at St Fidelis Friary on Guam while Fr Gordon is in residence at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu where he assists.

For their combined 100 years of faithful service, we say Thank You, Si Yu'us Ma'ase' and Mahalo!  God reward you both!

 

Their Ordination fifty years ago in 1964

170TH ANNIVERSARY

Last Friday Father Gordon Combs joined the Youth and Young Adults group of the Honolulu Cathedral parish at a cookout at the Franciscan Sisters' "Blessings House" in Ewa Beach to celebrate the 170th anniversary of the dedication of the cathedral. Later they prayed the scriptural rosary together in the Cathedral.

HONOLULU CATHEDRAL

For some time now, the Cathedral parish in Honolulu has been planning the renovation of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.

Recently, Capuchin Father Gordon Combs, in residence at the Cathedral parish, spoke to the Youth Group of that parish, encouraging them to support the renovation efforts.

As Father Gordon took the group on a tour of the Cathedral, he pointed out that "Saint Francis was called by God to 'repair the Church.'"  This repair, he continued, is both spiritual and physical.

 

Father Gordon with the Youth Group who attended the tour

SECULAR FRANCISCANS PROFESS NEW MEMBER

On May 18, at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu, the Secular Franciscans celebrated the profession of one of their members and accepted a new member as a candidate.  Capuchin Father Gordon Combs is Spiritual Assistant.

Father Gordon pictured with members of both Oahu fraternities, St Marianne Cope and St Clare.

POPE FRANCIS : FATHER GORDON ON HAWAII TV

As the Catholic world celebrated the news of the election of Pope Francis, Father Gordon Combs was seen on Hawaii TV offering Mass at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu on that joyful day.

Video clips can be seen at

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/21636889/hawaii-catholics-celebrate-and-pray-for-pope-francis

and at

http://www.khon2.com/content/news/developingstories/story/Hawaii-Catholics-looking-forward-to-new-chapter/nMkdEYquY0q9zHTj8Qoi2Q.cspx

FATHER GORDON WELCOMES CARDINAL DOLAN

On behalf of the Vice Province of Star of the Sea, Capuchin Fr. Gordon Combs welcomes fellow New Yorker, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, Honolulu. Cardinal Dolan just returned from Kalaupapa, Molokai and celebrating there, the recently canonized Franciscan saint, Marianne Cope, and her ministry among the Hansen Diseased patients.

PILGRIMS FROM JAPAN MEET UP WITH FATHER GORDON

Capuchin Father Gordon Combs welcomes Bishop Tani and the pilgrims from the Diocese of Saitama, Japan to a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu after completing their three day retreat on Kalaupapa, Molokai. The pilgrims also visited the relics of St. Damien and the recently canonized St. Marianne Cope, which are reserved at the Cathedral. Father Gordon was a missionary in Okinawa for many years and is fluent in Japanese.

SFO PROFESSION IN HAWAII

Father Gordon Combs, OFM Cap, along with Father Francis Kim, OFM (Holy Name Province), witnessed the profession of five new members of the emerging Secular Franciscan Order fraternity of Saint Clare in Hawaii.  The profession took place at the noon Mass at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu.  Jim Doyle, Minister of the Saint Marianne Cope Fraternity, received their profession.  The five newly-professed, all Korean, are Bernadette Sung, Maria Sung, Clara Kim, Mariana Lee, Helena Chang.  In the same ceremony, Helena Kim and Benedicta Suh became candidates in the Secular Franciscan Order.

FRIAR AND MONKS

Father Gordon Combs, OFM Cap, met up with some Buddhists monks from Thailand. 

HAWAII SFO

Father Gordon presides at a profession of three members of

the Secular Franciscan Order

FATHER GORDON AND THE HAWAII SECULAR FRANCISCANS

Father Gordon Combs is Spiritual Assistant for the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) in Hawaii.  Recently, the SFO received seven Korean Catholic women as members during an April 16 ceremony in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.  These women had been meeting every month for over a year studying the SFO Rule with books from Korea.  One member assisted in translating the instructions of Father Gordon and the SFO formation director, Liz Ishimitsu.

In the picture above, Father Gordon, Liz Ishimitsu and other Hawaii SFO members join the Korean women at the reception ceremony.