Molokai History:
(from Hawaii Catholic Herald, about the mother of parishioner Joe Reich of Kamalo. She is buried at St. Joseph’s cemetery in Kamalo)
Margaret M. “Mickey” Reich was the outreach coordinator of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu for over 25 years. She worked out of a small back office on the bottom floor of the chancery building that was also used for storage. As the parish outreach coordinator, Mickey served the downtown poor, disabled and homeless in various practical ways. She handed out food and distributed money for bus fares, laundry expenses, prescriptions and other minor expenses. She counseled, advised and listened. Mickey was particularly proud of the Cathedral’s Sandwich Ministry, which evolved in the 1990’s from potluck suppers the parish used to prepare for the homeless on the Fort Street Mall in downtown Honolulu, and the sandwiches it provided daily at the chancery’s front door. She organized it into an effective ministry that gave out one to two thousand sandwiches a week, plus fruit and juice, to a line of people who would gather daily at the chancery’s side door. The food was provided by the Foodbank of Hawaii and the Cathedral’s own Food Awareness Program.
It was Mickey’s practice to take one day a week to talk to God. “Everyone needs quiet time,” she said, “I take one whole day when I don’t talk to anyone, I just pray. I think it’s good for the soul.”
Blessings, pono and pule!
Fr. Brian Guerrini, ss.cc.
Priest
Molokai