By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Hawaii’s saints are bringing people together again this fall for the second annual Damien and Marianne Catholic Conference. The gathering takes place at the Hawaii Convention Center Oct 5-7.
Last year about 400 people attended, and planners are hoping to double that turnout this year and are looking beyond the state.
“We are trying to engage the Pacific Rim,” said Deacon Modesto Cordero, one of the organizers. Invitations to the conference have gone out to Australia, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga and Guam. A small delegation from Stowe, Vermont, the birthplace of Kalaupapa’s Brother Joseph Dutton, will also be attending.
Each day of the conference, which this year is themed “Share the Journey,” will include music and Mass. On Friday, Bishop Larry Silva will preside at a multicultural service, and there will be a young adult concert that night. Saturday’s Mass will be said in Vietnamese, and Sunday’s service will be in Hawaiian.
In addition, the Blessed Sacrament and relics of Sts. Damien and Marianne will be available for adoration and veneration in a chapel set up at the conference center.
Conference attendees can expect to pick from a diverse array of sessions during the weekend.
Father Tony Ricard, an Archdiocese of New Orleans priest, whom Hawaii Catholics last saw dancing and preaching on stage at the 2007 State Youth Rally, is one of two keynote speakers. His three talks will focus on humorous and joyous religious storytelling, evangelization and the marginalized of society. He’ll also emcee Friday night’s concert.
Msgr. Ray East of the Archdiocese of Washington is the other headliner. He is the pastor of historically African American St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Washington, D.C. His two sessions will focus on how Hawaii’s saints can help people in the “art of accompaniment.”
Musician David Haas, was originally slated to give a third keynote address and perform at the conference but is now unable to attend.
Among the 20-plus other session leaders are two “miracle women” whose cures led to the canonizations of St. Damien de Veuster and St. Marianne Cope.
Kate Mahoney survived multiple organ failure at age 14. The intercession of Mother Marianne led to her healing, one of two miracles needed for the Franciscan Sister’s canonization. (see story below) Retired school teacher Audrey Toguchi’s rapid remission from an aggressive cancer was attributed to the intercession of Father Damien, leading to his canonization.
Mahoney and Toguchi also spoke together in a session at last year’s conference.
The Damien and Marianne Catholic Conference is a nonprofit organization established in 2016. It receives some of its funding from the Diocese of Honolulu’s With Grateful Hearts campaign.
The 2019 conference is already being planned for Oct. 11-13.
