By Patrick Downes | Hawaii Catholic Herald
What rightfully could be called the “Year of St. Marianne of Molokai” began on the evening of her 174th birthday, Jan. 23, with a joyful Mass in a packed Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.


Public veneration of the relic of Blessed Marianne Cope

2012 is the year Blessed Marianne Cope is expected to be raised to the heights of sainthood. Last month, Pope Benedict XVI approved the second and final miracle attributed to her intercession required for canonization.

Jan. 23 is also Blessed Marianne’s feast day, officially sanctioned by the church to be celebrated in her home diocese of Syracuse, N.Y., and in Hawaii where she lived the second half of her life. The U.S. bishops recently approved her feast to be celebrated as an optional memorial for the entire country.

Bishop Larry Silva celebrated the liturgy with a dozen priests and a congregation filled with members of Blessed Marianne’s religious family, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, employees of her local healthcare legacy, the St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, and many others.

“We thank God for this day, the last time [feast day] we will celebrate ‘Blessed’ Marianne,” the bishop said opening the celebration.

“We are not here to look at the past, but to look to the future, at the legacy that continues through the Sisters of St. Francis and their ministries.”

In his homily, Bishop Silva described Mother Marianne as a quiet fountain of charity who performed her works of mercy with an added touch of beauty, style and grace that restored the human dignity that Kalaupapa had robbed from the victims of leprosy.

“She did all these things not with great words, but by simply doing them,” the bishop said.

“As we thank God as we anticipate the canonization of Mother Marianne, we ask that the Lord renew the world through her example,” he said.

At the end of the Mass the bishop blessed the assembly with the relic of Blessed Marianne that is encased in a gold reliquary and enshrined in the cathedral. After Mass, the relic was placed in front of the altar for public veneration.

The Sisters of St. Francis used the occasion to bless the change in top leadership of the St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii from a Franciscan Sister to a layman.

Sister Patricia Burkard of Syracuse, N.Y., the general minister of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, introduced the recent chief executive officer of the healthcare system, Sister Agnelle Ching, who has stepped into the new role of chief sponsorship officer.

She also presented Jerry J. Correa Jr. as the new president and chief executive officer.

From left to right: Sister Agnelle Ching and Jerry J. Correa Jr.

Sister Patricia called the leadership moves, which officially took place on Jan. 1, “a moment of transition for the sisters.”

“We have every confidence that Jerry will carry the legacy [of Blessed Marianne and the Sisters of St. Francis] into the future,” she said.

In blessing the new chief executive officer and chief sponsorship officer, Bishop Silva said, “Let us pray for the Lord’s richest blessing on Jerry Correa and Sister Agnelle.”

Bishop Silva also used the end of Mass to announce several transitions of his own.

He introduced Father Pascual Abaya as the new diocesan Director of Vocations replacing Father Peter Dumag beginning July 1. Father Abaya, who is now the pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Pearl City, will work part-time in the vocations office until he takes over. Father Dumag has applied for a position as a U.S. Air Force chaplain.

The bishop also introduced Makana Aiona as the coordinator for Young Adult Ministry, a new full-time position in the diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.