This year’s Chaminade Day Mass featured guest celebrant Fr. Marty Solma, SM from Honolulu, Hawaii, chaplain at Chaminade University of Honolulu. 

Chaminade Day is the annual celebration of William Joseph Chaminade, the founder of the Marianist order, which Riordan is a part of along with 19 other schools across the United States and three universities. While there wasn’t a Chaminade Award ceremony held at the Mass, Solma’s visit added to the occasion. 

His visit was special to the LIFE Team as the 12 seniors bonded with Solma during the Marianist LIFE Retreat last summer. After the Mass, the LIFE Team hosted a brunch for him in the Marianist Room.

Chris Enriquez ’23 was very happy to see him, with Angie Levano ’23 stating that Fr. Marty was “really inspirational and kind to our LIFE Team.”

During his homily, Fr. Marty shared a passionate story about his time establishing Our Lady of Nazareth school in Nairobi, Kenya, Riordan’s sister school that the CORE Team hosts the International Drive for every March. Furthermore, he called on the community to continue to live the Marianist mission at Riordan. 

Director of Campus Ministry Alex Datoc ’87 stated, “It was an honor, joy and pleasure to have Fr. Marty celebrated Chaminade Day Mass with our ARHS student body.  I felt he encapsulated the history of our Marianist family and how we are all connected with the other Marianist high schools and universities in the United States.” 

As for Solma’s story during the homily, Datoc commented, “This story displayed true ‘Marianist spirit’ and that Marianist educators value ‘educating the whole person.’  Fr. Marty’s homily taught us and gave a sense of how ‘Marianist educators’ care for their students.”