We have all been hyped up since the canonization was announced. Our TV studios had little features about OUR Saint-to-be! In April I was truly blest to be able to join our parish pilgrimage to Molokai …Kalapaupa & Topside. What a long awaited joy! I knew nothing of Hawaii as a youngster in the Midwest except of the holy priest who worked and gave his life for the Hansen’s disease victims. I arrived here 33 years ago, but the opportunity never arose. After our pilgrimage (the parish will sponsor another one in April), I checked out every library book available on Damien (the price is right) and borrowed a book on Blessed Marianne from the Franciscans. Damien and Marianne are my two new best friends!

I wasn’t able to fly to Rome this time, but I did hold a ringside seat for “my” Saint Damien’s canonization as I am sure many of you also did. Channels 2, 6, and 7 had marvelous coverage of the day by day pilgrimage. I became an excellent channel surfer and many times I was able to catch all three sites in an evening. The internet supplied much with our wonderful Diocesan website and blogs. The reports and blogs from Belgium were wonderful. I loved the banners hanging from each home, the boat trips in the rain with cries of, “Aloha”, the visits with Damien’s relatives, and watching Audrey kneel at his tomb. How wonderful to see our Boy Scouts there with Fr. Gary!

My favorite blog was watching the pilgrims just arrived in Roma singing “Happy Canonization to Damien”…especially our Bishop Larry (my kind of guy)! I know Damien was there, giving a hearty hug to each. I recognized so many of our parishioners and my friends from the BCC. I even caught a glimpse of Br. Austin from the Monastery! I caught Kanoa ________ our Youth Music Minister’s photos…and waved back at him. And what a joy to see my former student Nicky Arrechi with Principal Dee next to him! It was a delight to read the written blogs to us each day.

Of course, one of the highlights was the public audience with Pope Benedict XVI and our dear Hansen patients sitting nobly in the front. Then, of course, I loved seeing Audrey and her hubby approach the Holy Father to receive his blessing and message (in a foreign language, but who cares).

For me, a second huge day was the trip to Assisi. I have a dear friend who has taken me there several times and it holds such a place in my heart! I walked through Santa Francesco with them, stood next to Saint Clare’s with them, and felt the cobblestones once more through those holy, joyful streets. Perhaps it will be an integral site of our next canonization. Pray for one more miracle.

Meanwhile, back at the Parish Hall, Larry Sandbo and his AFF crew prepared for the BIG NIGHT! Larry had a large TV set up prominently for our ‘viewing pleasure’, the table was laden with pot luck delights, and wise people had taken a nap in preparation for out long Damien Canonization night. The special drawing prizes awaited us… round trip tickets to Molokai, all kinds of goodies from the First Hawaiian Bank, and additional items from Alohalinda Bolosan! We laughed and cheered as names were drawn and settled down at 9 p.m. for the first airing of a local show on the Life of Damien. And…we waited…and waited … and some ‘chickens’ slipped out to go home and watch it on their own TV’s as many experts assisted Larry in this electronic endeavor (they finally got it). However, the true blue kids stayed and watched the whole canonization, then cleaned up afterwards. I hear they got home about I a.m. As you have by now guessed, I was/am a CHICKEN! But for you other ones out there…we also viewed it all the next day several times…and then even more as Leslie Wilcox put on a weeklong special on PBS interviewing some of the patients and ending with the ‘Future of Molokai’. Our papers were filled to the brim, there will be continuing broadcasts, our pilgrims have returned filled with joy and story upon story, and Saint Damien has put Hawaii on the map! Saint Damien, we LOVE you!