Meditations: Catholic Charities receives aid, more

$300K gift helps set up Catholic program

Catholic Charities Hawaii recently received $300,000 from an anonymous donor to create a volunteer program that encourages innovation, philanthropy and entrepreneurism.

The Volunteer Services and Community Engagement Program aims to increase volunteer opportunities, bring together community members and organizations through service-learning experiences and provide more resources to the people most in need. About 40,000 people per year are served by more than 30 Catholic Charities programs statewide, a news release said.

The money will be used to partially fund the program for three years until May 2016 and to develop ways to sustain it into the future. Catholic Charities hopes to increase parish and school participation and volunteer partnerships with local business by 30 percent by that time. Janice Nillias Knapp, who recently joined the organization as vice president of development, will oversee the program.

Catholic Charities, a partner agency of Aloha United Way, has offered assistance to people in need regardless of faith or culture since 1947. Visit www.catholiccharitieshawaii.org.

Theologian to discuss race relations

Allan Boesak, clergyman, former anti-apartheid activist and theologian, will speak at two events this month on Maui and Oahu on behalf of the Hawaii Conference United Church of Christ.

A community forum will be held June 15 from 10 a.m. to noon at Keawa­la‘i Congregational Church at 5300 Makena Road on Maui to discuss race relations within the context of South Africa and the United States, including Hawaii.

The public is welcome to attend an ecumenical clergy gathering June 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hawaii Conference office at 1848 Nuuanu Ave. RSVP to Vivian Mau­na­kea at vmau­na­kea@hcucc.org or 537-9516.

The Rev. Boesak, a native of South Africa, served as president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches from 1982 to 1991. He later called for the formation of the United Demo­cratic Front, the largest organized, nonracial anti-apartheid movement in the history of the country, a UCC news release said. He became its most visible leader and spokes­man until the African National Congress closed the organization in 1991. Boesak has received honors including the Robert Kennedy Human Rights Award, Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award and the King Hintsa Bravery Award from the Royal Xhosa House in South Africa. He is the author of 17 books, including his latest, "Radical Reconciliation: Beyond Political Pietism and Christian Quietism." He is serving as visiting professor at Butler University and Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.

The Hawaii Conference UCC represents 130 churches and 20,000 members on six islands with historic ties that go back to the first missionaries who came to Hawaii in 1820. Call Diane Weible at 791-5633, email dweible@hcucc.org or visit www.hcucc.org.