Molokai History: [from Molokai Catholic Community Report to the Vicariate, February 12, 1998] The island of Molokai was visited by Sacred Hearts priests from O'ahu and then Maui from the middle 1840's. Catechists who fled the persecution on O'ahu built up a small community of believers on Moloka'i but they faced more persecution from the [...]
Molokai History: [from The Catholic Herald, June 25, 1937] With succeeding years, Kaunakakai's population increased gradually to the point where the little church there had become much too small to accomodate the growing Catholic congregation. Plans were made several times to enlarge the building, but it never went further than planning, as other localities in [...]
Molokai History: [from The Catholic Herald, June 25, 1937] His Excellency Stephen P. Alencastre To Bless New St. Sophia Church At Kaunakakai, Molokai Even excepting Kalawao in the Molokai Leper Settlement, no other island has so many memories of Father Damien's missionary labors than the Island of Molokai. For when in 1873 Father Damien became [...]
Molokai History: [from Honolulu Advertiser, obituaries, March 11, 1931] Life of 115 Years Ends on Molokai Kamalo, Molokai - March 9 After residence on Molokai for more than 100 years, Mrs. Kailiohe Kameekua, age 115, died at her home here yesterday afternoon following an illness of about a month. The aged matriarch was born at [...]
Molokai History: [from the Internet and church records] Mary Waki Kiyonaga Swerts is buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Kamalo. She died April 28, 1990. She had two sisters who were Sisters of Charity, Virginia and Julia. Her son, Joseph Yoshio Kiyonaga, who was raised in Kamalo, served with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in [...]
Molokai History: [from Bishop Louis Maigret's Journals, 1837-1877, Archives of the Sacred Hearts Fathers, Honolulu] June 30, 1851: "Left around noon for Molokai - Frs. Joachim, Aubert, J.M., the 2 youngsters & I - very turbulent sea - Severino accompanies us on his launch - we arrive at Kumueli (Kamalo) at about 4pm" July 1, [...]
Molokai History: [from Hawaii Catholic Herald, March 16, 1990] As the plantations [on Molokai] phased out their Molokai operations and families moved away, the membership of St. Theresa Church decreased and staffing presented problems. Finally, in February of 1990, the parishioners, after much deliberation and prayer, agreed to close St. Theresa. They would join the [...]
Molokai History: [from Hawaii Catholic Herald, March 16, 1990] In the transitional years of 1986-88 while the two Molokai parishes of Sacred Heart and St. Sophia were being united, diocesan priests Father Alfred Rebuldela and Father Robert Schwarzhaupt administered the parish. They were followed by Father Victor Lanuevo and Father Marc R. Alexander. St. Theresa [...]
Molokai History: [From "Father Damien's Letters", Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, SS.CC., Rome, 2017] From a letter from Fr. Damien to Father Modeste Favens, SS.CC., Kalawao, April 3, 1879: My Reverend Father, Not having a penny of revenue and having paid what was due for the "kuleana" of Halawa [land purchased for St. Ann's chapel [...]
Peace to all during this Advent Season, a season of expectation and high hopes, especially for an end to the pandemic! Have you ever cried out in the desert? Well, John the Baptist did. But, for a change. A change in the world. A change in the world that was coming. This Advent season [...]