LIHUE — EJ Resinto of Puhi has been a member of Immaculate Conception Parish since serving as an altar boy when he was seven years old. But it wasn’t until an internship at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Kailua
LIHUE — EJ Resinto of Puhi has been a member of Immaculate Conception Parish since serving as an altar boy when he was seven years old.
But it wasn’t until an internship at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Kailua ended in June 2014 when Resinto realized the priesthood was his calling.
“I want to bring people closer to God, but also to bring God closer to the people and help them with their daily struggles,” he said. “If I’m to be that instrument of that love and that mercy, then how blessed am I?”
Resinto was recently ordained a transitional deacon of the Catholic church at his home parish of Immaculate Conception. A transitional deacon is the title given to a person who is transitioning to become a priest.
“You read about this in the Acts of the Apostles; about these deacons that will go out to feed the poor and help the widows and the children — do the social ministry work of the church,” he said.
The 28-year-old will be ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu in July. However, the process has been a slow one for the Puhi native who planned to be a chef after he graduated high school in 2005.
“I realized, a couple of years into culinary school, this isn’t want I wanted to do,” he said. “When Bishop Silva first came to Kauai, he met with me and said, ‘I think I’m going to ordain you one day.’ That was kind of prophetic. This was in 2005.”
After three years of convincing from Silva, Resinto gave the seminary a shot.
“Finally, it got the point to make my decision. The bishop told me, ‘Try it out. If it doesn’t work out, come home. No shame,’” Resinto said. “Eight years later, I’m ordained into the diaconate and hopefully to the priesthood in a few months.”
Dave Kane, a deacon at Immaculate Conception Parish and whose son went to school with Resinto, said the 2005 Kauai High School graduate is a joy.
“He’s very dedicated to the faithful and dedicated to Immaculate Conception Parish where he grew up,” Kane said. “I’m sure he’ll be dedicated to wherever he’s assigned after he’s ordained a priest.”
Kane said he hopes the island’s youth can look up to Resinto and be inspired by his progression in the ministry.
“I think the best thing to attract (more young priests) is through examples like EJ,” Kane said. “He had a beautiful ordination ceremony in our church. There were a lot of young people there, especially people who gone to school with EJ. I’m sure his ordination to the priesthood will be an inspiration.”
Family and community support is crucial for anyone thinking about entering religious life, Resinto said.
“It’s a sacrifice. Not only am I sacrificing my life for the church, but my family is also sacrificing their son,” he said. “If people see there is a young person who might have a religious vocation, foster it, encourage it — like I was encouraged.”
Resnito will complete his final semester of theological studies at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in California. He said when all is said and done, he wants to be a good parish priest and be a good holy man.
“It’s been worth it. I’ve been so happy, so joyful that I’ve been called up to this life,” he said.
