By Mark Jechura
Special to the Herald
CHAMPION, Wis. — The witness of St. Damien de Veuster of Molokai, St. Marianne Cope and servant of God Joseph Dutton reached pilgrims from across the United States last month during the inaugural Saints of America celebration at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin.
Through relics, sacred art, exhibits and personal witness, the lives of Hawaii’s holy people were presented July 1-9 alongside more than 76 American saints, blesseds, venerables and servants of God, demonstrating that the mission that began on Molokai continues to inspire new generations far beyond the Hawaiian islands.
That continuing witness found expression through the Tree of Hope Pilgrimage Chapel, where relics, sacred art and personal witness invited pilgrims to encounter the enduring legacy of Hawaii’s saints.
For those familiar with the story of Kalaupapa, the celebration offered more than a remembrance of the past. It became a living witness that the legacy of St. Damien, St. Marianne and Dutton continues to bear fruit through pilgrimage, education, sacred art and the faithful who carry their story to new audiences across the country.
Pilgrims encountered relics of St. Damien and St. Marianne (St. Damien’s hair, wood from the tree he planted at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Church in Kaluaaha, Molokai, and a relic from St. Marianne’s casket), learned about Dutton’s ongoing sainthood cause and explored sacred artwork by Molokai artist Paula Scott, whose paintings invited visitors to encounter the humanity of St. Damien and the people he served.
Among those participating in the celebration were Franciscan Sister Cheryl Wint of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, who spoke about the life and witness of St. Marianne, and representatives of Dutton’s sainthood cause, highlighting the continuing efforts to share his story with new generations of Catholics.
For many pilgrims, the Saints of America celebration became an unexpected encounter with the enduring witness of Hawaii’s saints.
Among them was Augustine Phan of San Francisco, who had recently visited Hawaii with his family and discovered the life of St. Damien. Their cross-country pilgrimage led them to Champion, where they sought out relics, exhibits and presentations that deepened their understanding of Damien’s life and mission.
Phan’s journey reflected one of the celebration’s central themes: The story of Kalaupapa is not confined to Hawaii or to history. Rather, its legacy continues to speak to new generations of Catholics.
The Tree of Hope Pilgrimage Chapel continued the ministry begun during the church’s Jubilee Year of Hope through last summer’s nationwide Tree of Hope Tour. During the celebration, pilgrims visited the exhibit to venerate relics, hear talks and learn how the lives of Hawaii’s saints continue to speak to the challenges of today.
One talk explored the shared Belgian roots of St. Damien and servant of God Adele Brice (who saw Our Lady of Champion in the 19th century), reflecting on their common witness to Christian hope, missionary discipleship and the God-given dignity of every human person.
Rather than simply recalling the past, the Tree of Hope ministry invited pilgrims to recognize that the mission begun on Molokai continues wherever people choose to accompany the forgotten, defend human dignity and bring hope to those who suffer.
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary continues that mission through its ministries in Hawaii, including the preservation of historical archives at St. Patrick Monastery and the development of a new education center expected to open in 2027. Sacred Hearts Father Lane Akiona, superior of the U.S. province of the congregation, said the new center will help preserve and share the legacy of St. Damien and St. Marianne, as well as the Sacred Hearts’ continuing mission in Hawaii.
That living witness continues most visibly in Kalaupapa itself. Sacred Hearts Father Pat Killilea, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Kalaupapa, offered this reflection:
“For those of us who live in Kalaupapa and take that bumpy gravel road many times over the years as we escort our pilgrims to the holy places on our peninsula, the journey can become routine.
“For Sts. Damien and Marianne, however, there was nothing routine in their journeys back and forth. These were journeys of faith and love as they gave their lives in service to the victims of Hansen’s disease.
“Our pilgrims come here to visit the holy grounds and to learn more about the saints who made these grounds holy. We can see the excitement in them, and we ourselves are renewed by their spirit. So we join in their journey.”
At Champion, pilgrims experienced that same excitement through the stories, relics, sacred art and ministries that brought the legacy of Molokai to the only approved Marian apparition site in the U.S. Champion became another place where pilgrims could encounter the witness of Kalaupapa and carry it home.