Aloha and the Marianist Spirit are One

Marianist PULSE is blessed to have Father George Cerniglia, SM as a guest blogger this week. Father George is a New York City native, and attended a Marianist high school on Long Island. Most recently, he served as chaplain and rector at Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. He will soon be associate pastor at Our Lady of the Pillar parish and assisting with campus ministry at Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis, Missouri.


When I first came to Hawaii eight years ago, I quickly learned to refrain from stereotypical judgment of the culture here. I discovered that long before the traders and missionaries came upon these islands, Hawaiians had evolved into a society that had its own spiritual values and practices. And before long, I saw how intertwined the Hawaiian culture and spirituality is with our Marianist charism.

Father George with MP1 volunteer Ha'Ani and Father Ken Templin, SM

In our society today, we do not talk much about the importance of words and their meanings. Too often we condense words or even use emojis to express meaning. But in Hawaiian thinking, words have “mana,” meaning spiritual or divine power. “Aloha” and “mahalo” are among the most sacred and powerful words. On a spiritual level, “aloha” is an invocation of the Divine, and “mahalo” is a Divine blessing. Both are acknowledgments of the Divinity that dwells within and without.

The word “aloha” is often used both to greet someone and to bid farewell to them. However, it has a much deeper and more significant meaning. In many ways, it defies definition. Literally, aloha is “the presence of breath” or ‘the breath of life.” It comes from “Alo,” meaning presence, and “ha,” meaning breath. Thus comes the practice among people to touch their noses when they greet one another as a sign of sharing the breath of life with one another. Sharing breath means sharing spirit.

More significantly, “aloha” is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. At the same time, it calls the person to love oneself and afterwards to spread that love to others. The “Spirit of Aloha” sends and receives positive energy and strives to live in harmony with oneself and with all around us. The result of living this “Aloha Spirit” is that the more you express your love and compassion for yourself and those around you, the more it comes back to you.

The MP2 "Ohana" (Family)

“Mahalo” is a kind expression of thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards or respect.

Clearly, this primitive spirit, expressed so vividly in these two words, aligns well with our Catholic spirituality and with our Marianist spirit. In our educational settings, we Marianists identify our major characteristics as education for formation in faith, providing an integral quality education, education in family spirit, education for service, justice and peace and education for adaptation and change. 

In a similar way, the characteristics of the “Aloha Spirit” can be expressed in such traits as:

Akahai, meaning kindness, to be expressed with tenderness;

Lokahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony

Olu’olu, meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness;

Ha’ha’a, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty;

Ahonui, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance.

Marianist educational characteristics and Hawaiian “Aloha Spirit” characteristics blend well. Each supports the other. They are intertwined.

For both Marianists and Hawaiians, their respective characteristics need to become a way of life. They cannot remain on the printed page. They need to come alive in our hearts and be expressed in our lives.

Aloha and Mahalo Nui Loa,

Father George

Hawaiian Madonna and Child