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	St. Ann Church Congregation Holds to Faith after Deacon Accused of Crimesst By Valerie Monson The Maui News [Hawaii] July 31, 2005 WAIHEE – Their voices were rich in song and smiles were bright as the faithful of St. Ann Church gathered Saturday night to commemorate the feast day of their patron saint with the blessing of a new statue. But it was hard not to hear their hearts breaking as their faith was being tested like never before. On the other side of town, the man they still call their shepherd – Deacon Ron Gonsalves – was being held in jail on 62 counts of sexual assault against a boy. "Dear God, all of us at St. Ann are suffering," parishioner Cathy Riley sang to the heavens during the service when prayers were offered for various intentions. "Bless us, God, bless Deacon Ron and his family, bless the child and his family." If the outpouring of aloha at the Feast Day Mass celebration was any indication, Gonsalves' flock remains as devoted to him as ever, standing firm in his defense. Some of the women who regularly bake bread with him were even talking about showing their support by going to the courtroom for his bail hearing Monday to boost his morale. "We all love him," said Agnes Cockett. "He's such a bighearted, generous person. He has been so good to us, not just to our parish, but to the entire community." Gonsalves, 68, was arrested Wednesday after turning himself in at the Wailuku Police Station, and on Thursday pleaded not guilty to the charges of sexual assault alleging that he had sexual contact with a boy over a three-year period that ended last month. The boy was 12 when the alleged assaults began. Gonsalves was placed on administrative leave June 22 by the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu after officials learned of the police investigation. Ever since, his parish has been shaken to its foundation. "We're just carrying on and doing the best we can without our leader," said Beatrice Dadez. "We really miss him." And they continue to be convinced of his innocence. "We just can't believe this is happening," said parishioner Angie Kawaiaea. "We have to pray for a miracle." The annual feast day of St. Ann, the grandmother of Jesus and mother of Mary, had been planned long before Gonsalves' arrest earlier this month, and the congregation was determined to go on, despite the emotional devastation and onslaught of reporters over the last few days. "We're very humble people," said Cockett. "We hold each other up, and we help one another. We will survive. We will get through this." As Cockett, Kawaiaea and others cleaned the social hall and prepared food for the evening's festivities earlier in the day, the main topic of conversation was Deacon Ron and all that he had done to bring their church back from the doldrums. "Ron's big dream was to come back and revive the church," said Cockett. "And he did. He really did." Before Gonsalves became deacon and administrator at St. Ann, membership had hit the skids, but through his enthusiasm, outreach and can-do attitude, he built the congregation up so much that they could no longer fit in the sanctuary. A recording camera was set up in the church to feed a giant-screen television in the social hall to handle the overflow crowd. Melvyna Gomes, a member of the choir that takes special pride in its Hawaiian music, credited Gonsalves with getting the parish "out of the red and into the black" while spearheading a new parking lot, refurbishing the church, getting air conditioning for the sanctuary and arranging for the new statue that greets visitors from atop a granite base just outside the front door. "This is all because of him," said Gomes. It was also Gonsalves' irresistible recipe for "Ron's Ono Sweet Bread" that turned into one of the St. Ann's most dependable moneymakers. Gonsalves would gather the women together twice a month in the social hall, where they would churn out dozens of loaves that were so popular they were even flown to the Mainland. The little church that once could barely pay its own bills even did special bakings for fundraisers for St. Mary's Church in Hana. "He was looking forward to giving some bread to the new bishop," said Dadez. With the aroma of freshly cooked pork-and-peas wafting through the kitchen, Gonsalves' dog, Foxy, roamed in and out as he pleased. Until Gonsalves rescued him, Foxy was a stray wandering the macadamia nut fields behind the church. At Deacon Ron's side, the dog was allowed to attend Mass and would occasionally jump into a chair where members jokingly called him their acolyte. Cockett and her husband, Pat, have been caring for Foxy in Gonsalves' absence. While support was unwavering for Gonsalves, prayers also were being said for the boy and his family. Parishioners seemed to hope that a huge mistake had happened. Nobody was blaming anyone, there was no ill will. That kindness – and overall piety – were what attracted Sister Angie Laurenzo to the church in the first place. "The prayers and faith of the people here are so strong," she said. "The church is in the people of God in both their weaknesses and strengths." After Mass, the congregation filed outside and encircled the new statue where Father Peter Numag gave the blessing. A dinner and bingo followed. There was laughter, and a few tears, as the family of St. Ann held each other up and helped one another in a time of need.