On October 16, Hawaii’s Carmelite monastery celebrated its 50th year with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Larry Silva and the sisters’ families, friends and supporters.
Fifty years ago, on Oct. 25, 1973, seven Carmelite nuns left their monastery in Hong Kong, to answer Jesus’ invitation to found Hawaii’s Carmel of the Holy Trinity. The present celebration also marked the Golden Jubilee of the one surviving member of those seven sisters who founded the monastery: Sister Agnella Iu.
Toward the end of Mass, Bishop Silva blessed the six urns containing the ashes of the pioneer nuns, displayed on a simple table against the back wall of the nuns’ chapel. After Mass small memento bags holding prayer cards, a scapular and a bracelet rosary were presented to attendees.
