90th anniversary - September 15th, 2018

Dear Parishioners,
Let us rejoice and thank God for 90 years of guidance and protection to our community. This year our Lady of Sorrows celebrates 90th anniversary of its foundation (1928). Fr. Charles Windels, ss.cc. decided to build a new church at Ewa and the old wooden church was transported to Wahiawa and dedicated to our Lady of Sorrows. Today we stand on a high ground proclaiming Christ to Wahiawa and beyond. As we look back the road we trod, we are grateful for all the missionaries, priests, religious men and women who have served and gave their lives for this God’s work.
When the first Mass was celebrated in the present Church on December 13, 1959, Bishop Sweeney said, “ In this church may your faith be renewed week after week by the greatest gift God has given to his people – the Mass”.  We are nourished and strengthen by the same Eucharist even today.
This year August 4, we had our Wahiawa family fair at Wahiawa District Park, participated by different churches in Wahiawa area. As I was at our Lady of Sorrows booth, a elderly person asked me “How come it is Our Lady of Sorrows, When we read in Scriptures, Mary sings that her soul rejoice in the Lord”? A Perfect question from a evangelical church member to a Catholic priest.
Our Mother rejoices always in God even when she had to suffer. Her sorrows are about Jesus. Her sorrows are means to participate in the suffering of Jesus. But she is not our Lady of Sadness. She had to face trials and challenges in her life. She accepted it all as the will of God which made her not to be sad rather joyfully doing His will. She is our Lady of Sorrow because she shared in Her Son’s suffering. She felt the pain but bore it all for the redemption of the human race with her Son. Today she inspires us with her example to bear all the challenges of life with a hope one day we shall overcome.
During these days of novena, I am praying for all of you parishioners especially for all our sick and suffering. I pray for the grace of perseverance and strength to face the challenges of life like Mary did, so that we may all win His Kingdom. AMEN.

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