Molokai History:
(from “Pioneers of the Faith: History of the Catholic Mission in Hawaii (1827-1940)” by Robert Schoofs, SS.CC., Sturgis Printing Company, Inc., Honolulu, HI, 1978)
(continued from May 23rd)
In February, 1928, Father Henry Boeynaems, who was staying at Kaluaaha, moved to Hoolehua’s Sacred Heart rectory. From there he covered his large district. In those days there were no paved roads anywhere on the plateau, and the fields were plowed and worked constantly, creating dense clouds of dust. Father Henry Boeynaems observed that a few yards up the hill the air remained clear and fresh. He applied for an exchange of location and moved church and rectory a little way up the hill-country where, until today, the white, red-trimmed buildings still stand immaculate in their neatness, a landmark overlooking the wide expanse of farm and fields. In later years a small parish hall was added to the church compound.
In the meantime, several labor camps covered the Molokai plateau as far as Maunaloa. In each of the two plantations, in two schools, the children of combined camps received their education and also weekly religious instruction. Still later the labor camps were consolidated into one large camp for Libby, McNeill and Libby at Maunaloa and for California Packing Company at Kualapuu, reducing the number of schools to half. This merger made the heavy schedule of the priest easier to meet.
(to be continued tomorrow)
Blessings, Pono and Pule!
Fr. Brian Guerrini, ss.cc.
Priest
Molokai