Our Staff
Aloha to you from the staff of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church. If you would like to contact us, give us a call at the number below, or use the email button below to send us a message.
Father Gary P. Colton, Administrator. Father Gary was born on January 21, 1942 in Van Nuys, California. When he was four-years-old, the family moved to Maui, Hawaii where his father, Dr. Lloyd Colton, became the plantation dentist for Maui Pine Co. The family then moved to Honolulu in 1953 because Dr. Colton set up a private practice with medical office in Waikiki.
After graduating from Star of the Sea Elementary School, young Gary entered St. Stephen's Seminary. Following St. Stephen's, he moved on to St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California.
On June 1, 1968, Bishop John Scanlan ordained him at Star of the Sea Church in Honolulu where he served as a parish priest for 13 years. In December 1981, Father Gary return to his "home island, Maui" where he served in Haiku, Paia, Kahului and Keanae for 20 years. After four years in Honolulu at the Co-Cathedral of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, he has returned to Maui to be the new pastor of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in Lahaina, Maui.
Father Louis Hoang, Associate Pastor. Father Louis was born in 1956, in a traditional Vietnamese family of nine (9) children - six (6) boys and three (3) girls. He escaped from Viet Nam in 1979 in a small boat with one hundred and twenty five (125) other people, some of whom were relatives, four years after the fall of Sai Gon that ended the war in April 1975. Father Louis came to the United States in 1980, and lived and studied in Iowa, Kansas, New Mexico and Ohio.
Father Louis studied for the Diocese of Dodge City, Kansas and was ordained in June 10, 1995. All of his family came to the United States in 1993 and are now residing on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. He was able to transfer to the Diocese of Honolulu in 2003. His first assignment in Hawaii was at St. Anthony of Padua, Kailua, Oahu. Although Father Louis was the first family member to come to the United States, he was the last one to arrive to the state of Hawaii.
Nars Fernandez Febra, Director of Liturgy. Nars was born in the southern part of the Philippines in Davao City. She is the second of nine living children, all raised in the Catholic faith. She comes from a family of musicians and singers. A sister next to her is a nun, two sisters and a brother are keyboard players and song leaders in their respective parish churches in the Philippines. Nars has been playing and singing in church since her high school days. She finished her Bachelor of Music degree major in piano in the Philippines, and, got her Master's degree in Church Music and Liturgy with an emphasis on composition at St. Joseph College, Rensselaer, Indiana in the United States. She came to Hawaii in 2001 and served as Director of Music at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Honokaa, on the Big Island. In 2002, she came to Maui and was received here at Maria Lanakila by Fr. Bill Petrie to coordinate the R.E. and the RCIA programs for the parish. In 2003, when Fr. William J. Kunisch became the new administrator here at Maria Lanakila, he assigned her as Director of Music and Liturgy and she still holds the same position to this day.
Naomi Guth, Outreach Coordinator. Biography coming soon!
Taufa Samisoni, Buildings and Grounds. Taufa was born and raised in Tonga. He comes from a family of three and he is the middle child between two sisters. Most of his education was in Tonga public grade school, Catholic High School (with Marianist priests and nuns) followed by a year at the continuing college.
Taufa moved to Maui in 1993 and continued with his education at Maui Community College for two years in Computer Science. In 1999, Taufa met his wife, Katalina. They have three young children: Soane, Teumalanga and William.
Since Taufa's arrival to Maui, he has been an active member of Maria Lanakila Parish. He is the custodian of our buildings (both Maria Lanakila and Sacred Hearts Mission churches, Sacred Hearts School and cafeteria, and the Rectory) and overall maintenance of the grounds of the respective properties including the upkeep of the church cemetery.
In addition, Taufa is the Master of Ceremonies at our weekly Sunday liturgy and school Masses at Maria Lanakila. And he still finds time (along with his wife) to continue with his independent business, import/retail of artwork specifically, wood carvings and crafts.
