By Sister Dominica Wong, OP | Special to the Herald

KAILUA-KONA — Displaced to worship under a tent, they still reach out to the homeless. Needing funds for their own basic operations, they’ve still shared $6,000 from their coffers to help others. Their four outlying missions each ministers to 20-60 faithful every week. They salvage more than 3,000 pounds of recyclables and reusables every week, keeping them out of landfills. Their charity extends beyond their parish, their local community, their state, and even their country.

St. Michael Church in Kailua-Kona, itself “homeless” ever since its historic church was demolished because of earthquake damage several years ago, has made outreach to the poor a vital part of parish life.

What else could be expected from this area, once the favorite home of King Kamehameha the Great and the seat of the church on the Big Island? What else could be expected from the pastor Father Konelio Faletoi, assisted by Father Juan Pablo Galeano, retired Father John B. Stawasz, and the parishioners?

Nobility and hospitality have run through the blood of this land and its people from the beginning when Sacred Hearts Fathers Robert A. Walsh and Louis Mary Huertel arrived here in the mid-1800s and were welcomed in Princess Kaahumanu’s home. This is also where the first Mass on the Big Island was celebrated.

Father Konelio Faletoi, Sister Davilyn Ah Chick and Maureen Bagley

Today, St. Michael Church reaches out to others through a ministry named after Blessed Marianne Cope of Molokai.

The head of the Blessed Marianne Cope Ministry, Maureen Bagley, provided some of its background. “At the age of 52, I wanted to do something more. This ministry started out in a garage. Father Lio has since taken it under St. Michael’s Church wing and given it a shelter to operate out of.”

Today, with the generous help of volunteers, the ministry picks up from the Kona International Airport items confiscated by the Transportation Security Administration or TSA. Three or four times a week, they collect 300-500 pounds of bottled water, soda, honey, jams, jellies, toothpaste, sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, body lotions, canned foods and the occasional alcoholic drink.

Most of the items are new or partially used. The products are sanitized and redistributed weekly to St. Michael’s Food Pantry, the Friendly Place/HOPE Services Shelter, Children Justice Services, Kona Family and Children Services and other agencies. Toothpaste and other items are also sent to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

The airport has also assigned the parish ministry to take all the HI-5 recyclables as well. Twice a week, volunteers pick up an 800-1,000 pound load. Through this ministry, one person’s trash is transformed into treasure for a needy person or family in Kona!

And the work continues to grow. For the new transitional/low rent housing complex recently opened in Kaloko, the Blessed Marianne Cope Ministry provides starter baskets of towels, hygiene articles, plates, utensils and other necessities from the donations of items new and gently used.

“It’s a learning process to do this work,” Bagley said. “But I feel so fulfilled in being able to help others and help our environment in a way parallel with Mother Marianne’s generous service to the outcast.”