By Sister Rose Annette Ahuna and Valerie Monson | Special to the Herald

KALAUPAPA

The 174th birthday of Blessed Marianne Cope — soon to be the second saint who cared for and worked with leprosy patients at Kalaupapa — was celebrated Jan. 21 with a tribute to her and all the Franciscan nuns who followed in her holy footsteps to serve at Kalaupapa.

The commemoration began inside tiny St. Elizabeth Chapel adjoining Bishop Home where Blessed Mother arrived in 1888 to open the residential complex for single women and girls. Not an empty seat remained as some of the visiting sisters were introduced: Sister Patricia Burkhard, general minister, who flew in from the motherhouse in Syracuse, N.Y.; Sister Frances Kowalski, general councilor; Sister Francis Regis Hadano, Hawaii/Southwest minister; Sister Patricia Folge, sponsorship executive director; and Sister Alicia Damien Lau, of the Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.

Sister Theresa Chow, one of three Franciscans working in Kalaupapa today, led the prayer service as Sister Patricia lit candles in honor of those sisters who missioned at Kalawao and Kalaupapa from 1888 to the present. Kalaupapa residents Pauline Chow, Ivy Kahilihiwa, Edwin Lelepali and representatives for Winnie Harada, Meli Watanuki and Boogie Kahilihiwa read aloud the names of the deceased sisters as a Tibetan gong solemnly resounded in prayer.

After the psalms and songs were joined in unison, the beautiful voices of the St. John Vianney Choir, under the direction of Robert Mondoy and Calvin Liu, led the congregation in singing “Makalapua” — Blessed Marianne’s favorite song — as the celebrants proceeded to the Convent Hall inside Bishop Home.

Special recognition was offered to Charlene Alipio, archivist for the Sacred Hearts Sisters, who designed the 10 framed exhibits featuring photographs of Mother Marianne and her fellow sisters during their 124 years of service at Kalaupapa.

The names of the 12 living Franciscans were remembered with special words of appreciation for the three former Kalaupapa nuns who were there: Sister Frances Cabrini Morishige, Sister Miriam Dionese Cabagungan and Sister Agatha Perreira. All three were greeted with ovations and a “Memento Booklet of the Frames.” The current sisters at Kalaupapa — Sister Frances Therese Souza, Sister Rose Annette Ahuna and Sister Theresa Chow — were also thanked for their good works and kindness.

Sacred Hearts Father Ambrose Sapa, pastor of St. Francis Church, invited everyone to join him in the blessing of the frames. Following silent prayers at the gravesite where Blessed Marianne was buried on Aug. 9, 1918, all proceeded to St. Francis Church for the celebration of Mass. Joyful music led by the St. John Vianney Choir filled the historic sanctuary with love and spirit.

Sister Patricia memorialized the works of Blessed Marianne and the sisters with gratitude to Sister Mary Laurence Hanley for her years of dedication and detailed research on the life of Mother Marianne that led to her upcoming canonization. Sister Mary Laurence died Dec. 2. Her funeral was on the very day that Pope Benedict XVI announced that Blessed Marianne would indeed become Kalaupapa’s second saint, standing equally with St. Damien.

Dr. Kalani Brady, Kalaupapa physician, offered “Ave Maria” in solemn tribute to all the Franciscans. At the conclusion of the liturgy, all joined in singing “Blessed Mother Marianne.”

After bentos and cake in the St. Francis Church Hall, the visiting sisters and other guests were given a tour of Kalawao, including St. Philomena Church and the gravesite of St. Damien, by Beverly Chang, business manager for the State Department of Health.

The sisters then gathered on the porch of Bishop Home to talk story and share memories of a mission well done — and still living.