Father Marcial of Lāna‘i’s Sacred Hearts Catholic Church
Written and photographed by Sharmaine Mae Elan
The spacious, yet modest sized church hosted a few attendees. Many of them were regulars to 7 a.m. Mass, each in their familiar pews. My dad and I were seated near the front left pews, where the choir is, both of our guitars laid on our laps perfectly, their smooth curves fitting like a jigsaw. The gleaming light from the small chandeliers filled every corner, leaving no shadows. It was cold inside and despite wearing two layers, I still felt like I was in an icebox, my eyes threatening to freeze shut and go into hibernation. The texture of smooth steel nickel-plated strings and the music it produced were some of the few things that kept me awake at this early hour. Even with eyes heavily lidded, the chord changes from 7s to minors felt like a shot of coffee to my ears.
“Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble, be with me, Lord, I Pray.” The lyrics of the psalm piqued my interest with the way it merged perfectly with the chord progression. My fingers danced with the strings, syncing with the tempo my dad played, his foot tapping a rhythm on the wood-finished flooring of the house of God. Through the sound of the guitar and voices, I could feel the emotion and message the song conveyed; to trust in God, even in challenging times… though the lyrics don’t explicitly state why…
At the song’s finale, the priest, adorned in liturgical vestments, stood at the podium with the Gospel placed before him. “Life is like a garden because what we put in, we get out. Just like a gardener plants seeds and takes care of them, our actions and choices determine the outcomes we experience.” His eyes shifted around the room, examining each member of the congregation as he delivered his homily. “If we are kind, loving and positive, good things will come our way.”
Father Marcialito “Marcial” Indino Maglana is the newly assigned priest and parish administrator to Lāna‘i’s Sacred Hearts Catholic Church. Though born and raised in the Philippine city of Davao in Mindanao, Father Marcial is a proud Boholano with family roots in the Visayas region of Bohol. His upbringing instilled a deep devotion to the Catholic faith, “My father was so active in the church. He was a leader until he died. We were still kids, they always brought us to the church, that started my vocation, my interest to serve the church. It is good to serve, to assist, to help, to be present in the church.”
On May 27, 2003, Father Marcial was ordained to the priesthood, and over the next 20 years, he served in eight different churches in the Tagum Diocese of Davao. His service included roles in local neighborhoods, remote mining areas, and as a hospital chaplain during the pandemic. Then, on July 23, 2023, he began his new role as the Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu, moving from the Philippines to Hawai‘i. This assignment was part of an agreement between Bishop Medel Aseo of Tagum and Bishop Larry Silva of Honolulu to address the clergy shortage in Hawai‘i. After beginning his service in Honolulu, Father Marcial was appointed to Lāna‘i to succeed Father Jojo, the previous priest at Sacred Hearts, who transferred for health reasons. This transition occurred on January 3, 2024.
Before heading to Lāna‘i, Father Marcial shared his initial thoughts, “I never realized it’s an island. A small, isolated island.” His curiosity about Lāna‘i led to further research, after which he felt encouraged and optimistic. Familiar with serving in small, close-knit communities, he felt at home. “A small parish, small town, peaceful. It’s not a big deal for me, because I’m also from a small town.” Connecting with the Lāna‘i community, especially with the active Filipino church volunteers, Father Marcial looks forward to participating in future community programs and events. “I was confident that I would like it here. And indeed, so far, so far... I have no problem.”