Pilgrimlog

My reaction too!

“Having no doubts about the true nature of the disease, I am calm, resigned, and very happy in the midst of my people. God certainly knows what is best for my sanctification and I gladly repeat: ‘Thy will be done.’”

KAMIANO ALOHA - Mele in honor of St. Damien of Moloka'i

By Puakea Nogelmeier & Robert M. Mondoy

No Beliuma ‘o Kamiano

Ka ‘elele mana’o’i’o

He aloha ‘euanelio

  He kaua ke aloha

Pili i ko uka, pili i ko kai

Lawelawe mai ‘o a ‘o

  Mau a mau ka pilina

I ka ‘aina, i ke kanaka

He pu’uwai la’ahia

  He la’ana i ka pono

‘O Kamiano Aloha

Aloha mau loa e

  He inoa no Kamiano Aloha

  From Belgium came Damien

The faithful messenger

Revering the gospel of truth

  A humble servant of mercy

For uplanders and shore folk

Serving throughout the land

  With ties everlasting

To the land and its people

Truly a sacred heart

  An emblem of sanctity

Beloved Damien

Love that has no bounds

St. Damien and St. Marianne of Moloka'i

E ka Makua o ke aloha nui, ma o

Kana Kamiano, ua ha’awi mai ‘oe i

ka ho’ike ma’amaÿama o ke aloha i

na mea ‘ilihune a ha’alele loa ‘ia.

E ‘ae mai ‘oe, me kona kokua a i

mau ho’ike mana’oi’o no kau Keiki,

‘o Iesu, e lilo pu makou i po’e kuene

no ia po’e ha’aha’a.

Noi makou i keia ma ka in

oa o kau Keiki Iesu Kristo,

e noho aupuni la me ‘oe a me ka ‘Uhane Hemolele i

Akua ho’okahi, mau a mau. ‘Amene

E Kamiano, pray for us!

Today is the Feast of St. Damien of Moloka'i, a humble priest of the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts who left his native Belgium and sailed to Hawai'i as a missionary to spread the light of the Gospel.  

In Hawai'i in the 1800s, people who contracted leprosy were forced to leave their families and shipped to the Island of Moloka'i there to die in exile.  Fr. Damien was sent to Moloka'i to serve the lepers in Moloka'i; in administering the sacraments, Fr. Damien literally brought Jesus to a leper colony.

Aided towards the end of his life by St. Marianne Cope and her Sisters, Fr. Damien himself died of leprosy on April 15, 1889.  If he died in April, why then is his feast in May?  Since the date of his birth into everlasting life and total union with Christ often falls during Lent, the Bl. John Paul II at his beatification assigned him a liturgical memorial on May 10, the anniversary of his arrival in 1873 to Moloka'i, the island of death.  Thus is has been exactly 140 years since St. Damien first step foot on the island where he would live, work, and die in the service of the Lord.

Click here for more info about St. Damien the Leper of Moloka'i.

ART OF MANLINESS:  THE IMPORTANCE OF ROUGHHOUSING

I like to think that St. Joseph roughhoused with Jesus.  Can you imagine God willing that you playfully throw Him on the bed! 

When I was little, one of my favorite bonding times with my dad was when we would place "monster".  He would turn off the lights and put on a werewolf mask; then I would either have to hide or set a trap for him.  It got pretty intense. 

New batch of Swiss Guards take their Oath of Loyalty

Every year on the 6th of May, the Swiss Guards--the pope's bodyguard--have their new recruits take an Oath of Fidelity.  This date also marks the anniversary of the Sack of Rome in which 147 Swiss Guards were slain on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica while defending the Holy Father.

First, the chaplain of the Guards reads the oath:  "I swear I will faithfully, loyally and honourably serve the Supreme Pontiff Francis and his legitimate successors, and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the See is vacant.  Furthermore I promise to the Commanding Captain and my other superiors, respect, fidelity and obedience. This I swear! May God and our Holy Patrons assist me!"

Then, the new recruits each come up, place one had on the flag of the Swiss Guards and raise the other hand showing 3 fingers as a sign of the Blessed Trinity say,