| Background: My family is originally from the Illocos Sur region in the Philippines. Coming to Hawaii in the late 1980s my Father, Benjamin del Castillo, came first to Hawaii to secure a residence before my mother, Marieta and my older brother, Benmar, could come over. The family eventually settled in Lahaina, Maui. I was born on February 19, 1992, in Wailuku, Hawai’i at Maui Memorial Hospital. I attended the public school system since and graduated from Lahainaluna High School. I’ve entered Mount Angel Seminary after my senior year of high school in 2010 and left in 2014. After leaving the formation program, I’ve worked as a handy man for almost a year in 2015. When did you first think that God might be calling you to be a priest? My family attended Maria Lanakila Parish’s mission church, Sacred Hearts Mission Church in Kapalua. My initial calling was done by my late uncle who had been a sacristan for the mission church. For some strange reason, he called my family to be trained by him to be the next sacristans. Oddly enough he trained me first, then my parents. However the oddity came to be explained as somehow he knew his time in this life was coming to an end. Even after protests from my parents of not wanting to become sacristans, the parish priest at the time insisted. Without my late uncle’s calling, I wouldn’t have encountered many priests, especially those who were on “vacation” but decide to celebrate mass at the mission church. After a time, noticing a teenage me faithfully being an alter server, many of those priests have asked if I had a vocation. Why did you choose the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts? One of things that attracted me to religious life is community life. Seeing how many priests I encountered in the sacristy of my home parish, from different dioceses and religious orders such as Jesuits, Franciscans, etc. What attracted me the most is the Congregation’s family spirit. Favorite hobbies and/or fun fact about yourself: My favorite hobbies include DIY projects, reading, Fun Fact: I get mistaken as a certain Disney character. Hint: The same island I’m from. Favorite Bible passage: Psalm 34 Your favorite saint: St. Joseph |
