Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 3, 1 March 1987 — Parade, Exhibits to Mark Damien Week [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Parade, Exhibits to Mark Damien Week

Damien Week, held in memory of the hero priest of Molokai, will be observed this year Apr. 3-10withenter-tainment, a parade to the state capitol and religious services. lrene Letoto, director of the Damien Museum on the grounds of St. Augustine's Church in Waikiki and chairperson of the committee heading up the observance, said opening ceremonies are planned for 7 p.m. Friday, Apr. 3, at Pearlridge Phase I. It will feature Kumu Hula John Lake and his hula halau from St. Louis School. F rom Apr. 3 to 7, there will be a Damien exhibit at the shopping center throughout the day. Because of security reasons, no memorabilia will be on display. Those who would like to see items belonging to Father Damien may do so by visiting the Damien Museum from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays. The address is 130 Ohua St. A healing and anointing of the sick Mass will be celebrated Apr. 8 at Damien Memorial High School with the Darade from Thomas Sauare to the caoitol at 11

a.m., Friday, Apr. 10. Everyone is weleome to join the parade. Bishop Joseph Ferrario will celebrate a Mass on Saturday, Apr. 11, at the Damien church onKalaupapa where he also will have luneh with Hansen Disease patients. Damien de Veuster spent 16years among the lepers at Kalaupapa where he became one of them and was himself struck by the disease whieh ended his life on Apr. 15, 1889. During his life on Molokai, he built six chapels, started schools and medical care units and built 2,000 wooden coffins by hand so that all could rest in peaee. During his work at Kalaupapa, Damien also went "topside" on Molokai to take care of the spiritual needs of the people. He built four churches "topside" but only two remain, one in regular use. Our Lady of Sorrows Church, built in 1874, is the one still in use at Kaluaaha. The other is St. Joseph Church six miles away at Kamalo and built in 1876.

These are the two remaining churches built "topside" by Father Damien. At left is St. Joseph's in Kamalo whieh is used only on special occasions. Our Lady of Sorrows at Kaluaaha, right, is in regular use. Barely visible at right in the St. Joseph's photo is Damien statue.