October is a month full of dates for us to remember. Today, of course, we celebrate the greatest of them all. The people of Hawaii have looked forward to this day of joy when our own Damien is enrolled in the Book of Saints of the Catholic Church. Let us rejoice and praise God for His goodness. Next week, we will have the relic of St. Damien of Molokai right here with us in our parish.
St. Damien of Moloka'i
Our celebration will begin on Saturday, October 17th, when we welcome the relic at the airport. Please join us at 4pm. On Sunday morning (October 18th), a Mass of Thanksgiving will be offered at St. Michael's with the relic present. The 7am celebration will be followed by the Anointing of the Sick at Immaculate Conception Church. All are invited to attend both events.
At 2pm, there will be a Prayer Service and Veneration of the Relic in the tent. Since Damien is the saint for all the people of Hawaii, we plan to reach out to the community and invite all to attend.
On October 23rd, we will welcome Fr. John Dear, a Jesuit priest who will give a talk in the tent at 7pm. Fr. Dear is a peace activist who believes that the only way to win peace in the world is through Gospel love. Fr. Dear was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In addition to the regular vows each Jesuit takes, Fr. Dear has also taken a vow of non-violence. This is a vow which he lives daily. He has a very interesting story to tell. Please come to hear him.
October 25th is Baptism day for infants. It is also the day of our first One `Ohana. Right after the 1 lam Mass, all who registered for Faith Formation (Religious Education), please join me for lunch, singing, praying and learning more about the faith. There will be no textbooks or catechisms. One `Ohana will be events-centered on the life of our own faith community. It is one more opportunity for us to build community in our parish.
May our newest saint in the Church be a model for us of service and love to all in need. —Fr. Lio| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
