Called, Chosen to Serve
Naawagan, napili nga agserbi.
Deacon Patrick Constantino | Photos courtesy Dcn. Pat Constantino
On January 27, 2024, Jason Jacinto and John Metz were ordained Deacons for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, Hawai‘i. More than four hundred parishioners, friends and family witnessed a beautiful Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Honolulu. They are both assigned to St. Joseph Church, Makawao, Maui.
Deacon Jason is employed by the County of Maui, Environmental management as an Electronic Tech. He is married to Diane Felipe Jacinto and their children are Jonathan (Carolyn), Jacob and Kianaleialoha with grandchildren Ka‘uleimaikalani Anien and Sebastian. Jason’s parents are Modesto and Emelita Jacinto, who came to Hawai‘i from Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
Deacon John is employed at Four Seasons Maui at Wailea Resort as a baker. He is married to Josephine Bumanglag Metz, from San Mateo, Isabela, Philippines. They have three children, John William (Kim Diane), Joseph and Jacob. John’s parents are John and Veronica Almeida (deceased) Metz from Olinda, Maui. His grandparents Antone and Emily (Gomes) Moniz-Tavares are from Ha‘ikū while his great-grand parents Joseph and Dorothy (Moniz-Tavares) Almeida are from Olinda.
This is the inspiring Homily of Bishop Larry Silva taken from Jeremiah 1:4–9, Psalm 89, 1 Timothy 3:8–10, 12-13 and John 16:11–16.
Think there are no wolves in Hawai‘i? Think again!
There is a subtle wolf who eats the faith of good people, making them think they have no need of God, or even that they are their own gods, arbiters of all truth. This wolf is very stealthy and devours many of the sheep of the Lord’s fold. There is the wolf of depression, who eats away at the hearts of many, young and old, convincing them that life is only a burden and there is very little reason to live. There is the wolf of violence, who devours marriages, friendships, and neighborhoods, and even nations. There is the wolf of isolation, who eats at the bonds between family members and neighbors, making those who seem to be free into prisoners of themselves. There is the wolf of arrogance, who eats at the truth whenever he judges it to be inconvenient, and who causes the sheep to turn on one another.
We are here, however, to celebrate and affirm the power of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, to save his sheep from the hungry teeth of these and so many other wolves. No one can properly pay him for saving them from the jaws of the destroyer, except by joining him in caring for the sheep he loves so dearly. And today, Jason and John, you are being called in a special way to serve the Good Shepherd to make his saving work even more effective.
As deacons, you will be given a special way of fending off these wicked wolves with the double-edged sword of the Word of God. Your preaching the Gospel by proclamation and by the example of your lives will be the greatest deterrent to these wolves who try to devour the Lord’s beloved flock. You will be able to immerse, soak and baptize the sheep in the very name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, so that they will be more immune to the burning lies of the wolves who try to convince them they are nothing. You will visit the members of the flock when they are ill to feed them with the Bread of Life and to remind them that, even though the wolves of sickness and death growl and threaten them, they cannot be consumed because you fill them with the Body of Christ, which makes these wolves deathly ill. You will visit the imprisoned who are surrounded by wolves of despair and violence, and you will drive them away by making the Good Shepherd present through your presence. You will see some sheep straying away from the fold because they are lured by wolves who wear sheep’s clothing and make themselves look so appealing, and you will bring them back to the only Good Shepherd by your own steadfast fidelity to Him.
Do not think, however, even though you have been called to this ministry of service from your mother’s womb and are given special graces through the sacrament of Holy Orders, that these wolves will not also want to devour you. They can easily do so through pride or arrogance, and therefore, you must stay close to the Good Shepherd by constant prayer throughout the hours of the day. They can lure you away by the attraction of privilege and power that will be given to you because of your state in the Church, but you can remain safe if you keep your eyes on the Good Shepherd, who humbled himself and came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. These blood-thirsty fiends who try to devour the flock of the Lord can be poisoned by the Blood of the Lamb, which you will minister to your brothers and sisters, washing them in the Blood of the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, but the Lamb needs you to lay down your lives as well.
Wolves in Hawai‘i? Yes, indeed! But the Lord now chooses you, my dear brothers, to join him in bringing life and joy to God’s flock by conforming yourselves each day to the Good Shepherd who alone can save his sheep and lead them into rich and life-giving pastures.
I’d like to share a comment Deacon Jason made when asked how he was called to the Diaconate: “While attending Deacon Chris Rubican’s Ordination I was approached by Bishop Larry Silva about what my thoughts are on the ordination for Deacon Chris. I said, ‘Very inspirational!’ He then said ‘If you are interested, just discern on it to see if it is your calling!’ ” And so, it happened, Deacon Jason’s formation calling started five years ago and now is ordained a Deacon together with Deacon John.
Our calling comes in different directions and we journey with God in different directions. Let us start by being good stewards and see where God is calling us. This is just the beginning. If you are interested in becoming a Deacon for the church, please let your Pastors or Deacons know. We can help you get started. They will have an information presentation for different parishes soon; please ask your Priest or Deacon for the date and time. The formation core team has scheduled observing weekends on April 12–14, May 3–5 and June 14–16, 2024. Please contact your Pastor.
Thank you God for Deacons Jason and John and thank you for answering the call and be chosen by God to serve. It is an honor, special and privilege to serve His church. You will experience all kinds of expected and unexpected things. Pray always to ask God to help you in all your endeavors. He will always be there to guide us, never doubt that! Keep the Faith and always remember, if He keeps us alive, there is always hope to serve another day.
I’ve always said “Welcome to God Crucifixion.” You will figure out what I mean. May God always keep you in His care and guide you to do your best as a Deacon! Now as a senior Deacon, I must decrease and you must increase! Jesus, I trust in you. Amen!
On July 1, 2022, Patrick Constantino retired as a Deacon for the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i, after serving for thirty-five years and becoming on June 18, 1987, the first Deacon of Filipino ancestry for the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i. For twenty-two years, he served as Administrator at Holy Rosary Church in Pā‘ia, St. Rita Church in Ha‘ikū and St. Gabriel Church in Ke‘anae. His last assignment before retiring was at St. Joseph Church in Makawao.
Prior to his ordination, Constantino was in government—first appointed in 1966 as Assistant Sergeant of Arms by the Speaker of the House Elmer F. Cravalho. When Cravalho became Maui’s first Mayor, Constantino became his Executive Assistant—the first of Filipino ancestry. Later, Constantino became the first County Treasurer of Filipino ancestry and the first County Grants Administrator and Risk Manager of Filipino ancestry.
Constantino is married to his lovely wife Corazon for sixty-two years. They are blessed with four children, eleven grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren.