Sacred Hearts Father William Petrie and friends pose with the new statue of Brother Joseph Dutton on the grounds of St. Joseph Church, Kamalo, Molokai. (Photo courrtesy of Catherine Cluett)
On Aug. 15, a 2,000-pound, 7-foot-tall marble statue of Brother Joseph Dutton was pushed, pulled and lifted into place at Molokai’s St. Joseph Church in Kamalo. After weeks of anticipation of its arrival from China, Molokai parishioners got to see the statue’s face for the first time.
“I wasn’t sure until right now that it would be coming for sure,” chuckled Sacred Hearts Father Bill Petrie, as he watched the statue unwrapped. With limited equipment, young parishioners joined trucking company employees to carefully maneuver the marble likeness onto a cement block near the church.
Joseph Dutton was a layman and Civil War vet who, after a troubled life on the mainland, volunteered to help Father Damien in Kalaupapa to atone for his failures. He lived out the rest of his life there in service to the Hansen’s disease patients.
The full-figure sculpture depicts a young Dutton in his Union uniform, an image not commonly known. John Perreira said he worked with the late Molokai veteran Larry Helm, commander of the organization Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans, to research and design the statue. They decided to highlight Dutton’s military service as a role model for fellow veterans and residents.
Dutton is sometimes talked about as a third Kalaupapa candidate for sainthood.
Perreira had originally hoped the statue would arrive on Molokai last month in time for the memorial service of Helm, a devout Catholic, but it was delayed in transit.
“Larry was waiting for this and … his dream was fulfilled in this statue,” said Perreira.
Helm had joined other Hawaii Catholics in an effort to start the canonization process, and Father Petrie said the statue could aid in that cause.
“As part of the process of becoming a saint, there has to be public admiration … and having a visible statue will help that,” he said. “If people start receiving favors [as a result of Dutton’s intercession], it’s a positive step to move forward.”
Perreira’s long-term goal is to see the statue erected in Kalaupapa, near the statue of St. Marianne that he also donated. However, placement of a statue in the National Historical Park requires a lengthy federal approval process.
In the meantime, the Dutton statue will stand in Kamalo, by the church St. Damien built, accompanied by an educational plaque, as a reminder to residents, parishioners and pilgrims of Dutton’s life and transformation from soldier to would-be saint.
A second statue of Dutton donated by Perreira is expected to be installed at Damien Memorial School in Honolulu. According to Damien officials, the statue will be placed in back of the school, facing the campus’ running track.
