Message from the Director

Those who can see the invisible, can do the impossible.

The Office for Social Ministry (OSM), a department of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii, is committed to the sanctity of all creation, the dignity of every human person, and encountering God in ministry with the vulnerable.

Scriptures challenge us to recognize our connectedness and compassionately collaborate on building a better world for all, especially the vulnerable. Luke’s Gospel recalls Jesus beginning his public ministry by quoting the great prophet Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor, liberty to prisoners, sight to the blind.” Then in conclusion, Jesus says, “Today this Scripture is being fulfilled in your hearing.”

OSM’s mission is to Witness to Jesus who calls us to live our faith responding to those in need.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink…As often as you did it for one of the least of my brothers, you did it for me.” Mt. 25:35-40

Pope Francis calls us to “deepen our conviction that we are one human family”

and reminds us in word and action how God is revealed and experienced in the vulnerable so

“we hear the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth” and together “care for our common home.”

 U.S. Catholic Bishops have called all the American church to put our faith into action, so OSM was established to promote social justice throughout the state of Hawaii by empowering parishes to become what the bishops call “communities of salt and light.”

Our Catholic Bishop of Hawaii, Larry Silva, inspires us to live our mission to Witness to Jesus!

“We are members of his Body—his hands, his feet, his mouth, his heart . . . We praise him when we reach out to the poor and the needy.”

This website was created to connect all to ministry with the vulnerable. And if we are connected and collaborating with God, anything is possible! We want to partner with you, dialogue with you, and journey with you — to  BE Good News for each other — and with the most vulnerable, so that together we can say,

“Today these texts are being fulfilled in our midst.”

Mahalo nui loa,

Rev. Robert Stark, SSS
Director
Office for Social Ministry