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 In May 2005, the Murphy
family attended the Hawaiian Luau which was one of the events that
commemorated the Congregation’s centennial celebration. As part of
Fr. Bill Petrie’s planning team, we had expected a celebration that
would offer great entertainment and give us a chance to learn more
about Blessed Father Damien. But never did we expect to take a
pilgrimage in less than a year to the place where he served.
At the Laua, we made a bid at the silent auction for the donated
trip to Molokai. Fortunately we won, and our whole family: Carrie
and I, but also Erin (11) Alyssa (10) and CJ (5 )and, of course, the
matriarch of the Murphy family, Kathleen, (79) went on the
pilgrimage during Holy Week 2006. My daughters Erin and Alyssa
attend St. Joseph's School in Fairhaven. Fr. Chris Santangelo,
ss.cc., the pastor of St. Joseph's Church and School was happy that
two of his students and Carrie, who is employed by the school, would
be learning more about Blessed Damien's life. My friend, Fr. Patrick
Killilea, ss.cc., knew our journey would be a blessing for our
family. CJ's godfather, Fr. Bob Charlton, ss.cc., also sensed that
our trip would greatly impact our lives.
 In Honolulu, we were
greeted in true Hawaiian tradition by our friend and exceptional
tour guide, Sr. Dolores Pavao, ss.cc. We were also introduced to
our new Hawaiian friend, Sr. Jeanne Cordeiro, ss.cc. Welcomed into
the convent, our whole family had accommodations that were far
better than any hotel. We also met Sr. Anne Marie Tamanaha, ss.cc.,
and the provincial Sr. Helene Wood, ss.cc. We got to see our former
Fairhaven friends, Sr. Mary Rose Perry, ss.cc., and Sr. Joan Rita
Cosme, ss.cc., all on our first day. Sr. Dolores is an angel who
showed us the true culture of Oahu. The Sisters took us in and
treated us like members of the Sacred Hearts family.
From Honolulu, we ventured
on to Molokai where we were greeted by Fr. Jose McCoy, a priest from
the Philippines. Continuing on our journey, we were brought to
Leoda and Mike Shizuma’s beach house. Leoda and Mike are very
involved in the church, love the Sacred Hearts Community, and have a
great spiritual love for Blessed Damien. On Holy Thursday, we
attended Mass at St. Sophia’s community center since the church was
too small. Fr. Jose blessed our family and welcomed us into their
parish family during Holy Week. After Mass, we had Portuguese soup
and good conversations; the soup made us feel as if we were back in
New Bedford. Ida Reyes, a woman of true faith, graced us with her
friendship and love over our entire stay. We toured St. Joseph's
Church and Our Lady of Seven Sorrows both built by Blessed Damien
whose spirit pervades this little island. On Holy Saturday, April
15, the anniversary of Blessed Damien's death on Molokai, Carrie and
I, along with Fr. Jose, went to Kalaupapa. We were welcomed by Fr.
Joseph Hendriks, ss.cc., who was pastor at the time, and learned
more on how Blessed Damien fought till his death for the rights of
people with leprosy. For me, as a professional in the human service
field, he is a patron saint since he dedicated his life to make sure
that people who were treated differently, as people with
disabilities some times are, were given an equal chance to
participate in life and the true respect that they deserve.
 While visiting, we spent
time at St. Philomena's in Kalawao. Here, we were given lots more
history of Blessed Damien and saw his gravesite. Through Fr.
Jose’s assistance, we had a cloth blessed on Blessed Damien’s altar.
We are so thankful that Leo Brillon, St. Mary's, Fairhaven, Parish
Council thought of this. At St. Philomena's, Carrie and I were so
taken over with feelings of grace and inner peace. On Easter Sunday,
we attended a sunrise Mass that was filled with love and community
at the Church of Seven Sorrows. Our prayers, lifted to Blessed
Damien and to our Lord included a list of intentions that I gathered
from people prior to our departure and for the many religious who
bless the lives of our families in so many wonderful ways. We prayed
for the many people back home; for our St. Mary's and St. Joseph's
parish families and for our pastors. After the liturgy, the
children joined in egg- hunt while we all shared in a pot luck
breakfast. After, we went to Maui and celebrated the Hawaiian
tradition of a luau. Erin, Alyssa, and CJ were entranced with the
Hawaiian culture and have gained tremendous respect for Blessed
Damien and the SS.CC. Sisters. In fact, I can not forget to mention
our newly “adopted” daughter, Brittney; her family became a part of
ours. Erin and Alyssa grew so attached to our new little Hawaiian
friend. In the future, she hopes to come to Massachusetts.
We experienced so strongly
the love that the community in Molokai has for the Congregation. At
our last Mass, before returning to Honolulu, we were introduced once
again to the community as the family from Fairhaven, MA. When I
mentioned that we were members of a parish staffed by SS.CC.’s the
sound of applause could be heard throughout Kaunakakai, Molokai. As
the sisters and people of Molokai prepared for the Feast of Blessed
Damien on May 10th, our prayer was that this crucial mission in
Hawaii always continues. This journey has affected our family from
the oldest to the youngest in such a way that we have all been
blessed. Blessed Damien’s spirit shines through the charism
emulated by the SS.CC.’s we know and love today. As our journey
continues, so does our dedication to the Mission of the
Congregation.
Maholo!
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