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Deacon Formation

Aloha and welcome to the Office of Permanent Deacon Formation website! 

The Office of Permanent Deacon Formation is responsible for coordination of recruitment, screening, selection and formation of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate. 

The Permanent Deacon Formation Program is directed at preparing men spiritually, academically and pastorally for ordination and to assist the Church in its mission of salvation of souls. Men who are called and chosen will be formed and sent to teach, to guard and to bear witness to, and to serve Holy Mother the Church through the example of their lives and their ministries of Word, service and charity.

Diaconal ministry works hand in hand with both priestly and lay ministry as a sacrament to bring about the kingdom of God. Deacons are men with a charism and a calling to radical availability for service to the People of God, the Church. The deacon’s vocation calls him to collaborate with the bishop and the priests in an exercise of a ministry which is not of their own, but the Word of God—calling all to conversion and holiness. It is a ministry of reconciliation, of outreach to the most marginalized and those most in need of care, of education and justice. The Diaconate was not re-instituted because we have a shortage of priests or lay ministers. It was restored as “a living icon of Christ the Servant within the Church...a visible sign or sacrament of the Lord Christ himself.”

If you are discerning a call to the permanent diaconate or interested in learning more about the diaconate, please visit our web pages for Deacon Formation or contact Deacon John Coughlin, Co-Director, at (808)203-6729 or jcoughlin@rcchawaii.org.  

Within the Office of Permanent Deacon Formation, we are prepared to assist you on discerning a response to your vocation. 

Contact Us

Deacon John A. Coughlin
Director of Permanent Deacon Formation
E-Mail Deacon John
Phone - (808) 203-6729

Kathleen L. Coughlin
Co-Director of Permanent Deacon Formation
E-Mail Kathleen
Phone - (808) 203-6717

Deacon Keith Cabiles
Associate Co-Director
Email Deacon Keith
Phone - (808) 203-6715

Hazell Cabiles
Associate Co-Director
Email Hazell

Lina Carahasen
Formation Coordinator
E-Mail Lina
Phone - (808) 203-6718

Core Teams

Cohort 10 Core Team:  2019-2023

Deacon Joe Ancheta
Carmie Ancheta
Deacon Will Friese
Porntip (Lek) Friese
Deacon Steve Kula
Debbie Kula
Deacon Chris Ribucan
Dawn Ribucan

Cohort 11 Core Team:  2022 - 2026

Deacon Kin Shing Cheng
Maria Chan Cheng
Deacon Jeffrey Calamayan
Jennifer Calamayan
Deacon Eric Kim
Mela Kim
Deacon George Keoki Wood
Lisa Wood

Post Ordination
Cohort 9 Mentors: 2021-2025 

Deacon Keith Cabiles
Hazell Cabiles
Deacon David Kane
Anne Kane
Deacon Francis Leasiolagi
Deacon Michael Weaver
Cecelia Weaver