Joan Lewis on Moloka'i

Reader Dallas told us that EWTN's Joan Lewis is visiting the leper colonies on the Kalaupapa penninsula of Molokai. She's posting on her pilgrimage and even gives some photos. Go have a look.

Joan had the same driver and guide that I had; how I wish I were there with her!

Thanks for the tip, Dallas!

At the grave of a holy priest

My pilgrimage to the grave of Blessed Father Damien of Molokai and my prayer there remain etched in my memory. Such peace flooded my soul and tears came to my eyes as I spoke with the leper priest.

I asked Father Damien to intercede for me before the throne of God and to show me how to be a good and holy priest, a true servant of Jesus Christ and of his people.

Of all of the workers on the Kalaupapa peninsula only one contracted leprosy: Father Damien.

The doctors today will tell us this is because Father Damien was one of the small percentage of humanity who are genetically prone to leprosy, today called Hansens’ Disease. But I wonder if there isn’t a greater reason.

Father Damien once said, “I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ.” In these words he echoes the words of Saint Paul who said that he became “all things to all to save at least some” (I Corinthians 9:22).

This is the duty of a priest, to become like his people, to share in their suffering, to show them how to suffer with and for Christ. In doing so Father Damien imitated the love of Christ who gave himself for our salvation.

Commenting on his ministry among the lepers, Father Damien said, “I would gladly give my life for them.” Here he imitated the love of the Good Shepherd and showed that “greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

After he came down with the disease then called the “separating sickness,” Father Damien accepted this Cross as a true disciple. He said, “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.’”

He found that his “greatest pleasure is to serve the Lord in his poor children rejected by other people.” He devoted all of his efforts to the lepers of Molokai and like Saint Francis of Assisi he embraced them with the love of Jesus Christ. This every priest must do.

Father Damien found his life’s mission on the island of Molokai. Brother Joseph Dutton, one of Father Damien’s most trusted helpers, said, “One’s Molokai can be anywhere.” Where shall I find mine?

My heart has found its home in Hawaii. I have fallen in love with life on the islands and with her people. Their faith is strong and vibrant; they are peaceful, kind and friendly; the climate could not be better for my health. Yet the Lord has not placed me in Hawaii, though my heart longs to remain there. He has placed me in central Illinois.

Is it my will that I be in Hawaii, or is it will? At present I am not certain. I trust Blessed Damien to guide me.

Now we come to the heart of my prayer. On the day of my ordination to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, I made a series of promises. Most notable in the eyes of many is the promise of celibacy and the promise of obedience.

It is often presumed that remaining faithful to the promise of celibacy is the most difficult aspect in the life of a priest. It is not. It is the promise of obedience - which also entails the promise of respect – to the Bishop that is often the most difficult.

Were it not for my promise of obedience I would not have boarded the plane last May to return to Effingham, nor would I have boarded the train yesterday to return to Effingham; I would have followed my heart’s desire and remained in Hawaii. But such does not seem now to be the will of the Lord. I must trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit who is active in the Church through the ministry of the Bishop.

I know not why, but for one reason or another the Lord has put me in Effingham. I must trust that it is for my sanctification and, with Blessed Damien, I, too, must repeat, “Thy will be done.”

To be resigned to the will of God and the will of Mother Church is not always easy. Yet this is required of those who wish to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Bishop Lucas has already said to me once, “What I need you to do is to stop thinking about going somewhere else.” I shall do my best. It is all I can do.

The Lord has sent me to Effingham and it is there that I will find my Molokai. But who are my lepers?

I feel the Lord calling me to greater involvement in youth ministry. Are the youth my lepers? They have certainly been neglected by many today and I was able to have many powerful conversations with them throughout our pilgrimage to WYD 2008. They brought me much joy (and a few headaches, but joy mostly). But how and where do I begin?

I also still feel a pull toward more blogging and the beginning of a podcast. I do enjoy blogging and I often hear from those who are touched through it.

Are these two areas my Molokai? They are very often the same area.

Wherever my Molokai is, whoever my lepers are, I must give more generously of myself than before. I must allow myself to be wounded by and for them. I must abandon myself in their service. In serving them I shall serve the Lord and so come to salvation.

I have returned to Effingham to serve whatever form of contemporary leper to whom the Lord shall send me. I only pray that he shall reveal them to me soon.

A destination reached

Upon landing at the airport in Kalaupapa we were met by Gloria from Damien Tours who was driving an old school bus. Climbing on board I felt like a little kid again, and my excitement and joy at finally being on Molokai and I my way to visit Father Damien’s only made me feel more childlike.

Joe and I were also met at the airport by four other persons for the Damien Tour who flew into Kalaupapa.

Gloria – a former patient - drove us into Kalaupapa where we collected four others who rode mules down the 3.8 mile path weaving down from the cliffs above Kalaupapa. Their guide down the trail, whose name I regret to say I cannot remember, then took over the tour and guided us around the island and drove us around at the same time. He was an excellent tour guide.

Kalaupapa is the second leper colony on Molokai. Mother Marianne Cope established Kalaupapa because the living conditions Kalawao – the first leper colony – were too difficult and she realized she could get supplies into the colony sooner from the new location, which was also more livable.

Kalaupapa, a very quaint and quiet place, is still home to sixteen former patients. Around eighty other people live at Kalaupapa. These others are workers and park employees, etc.

We stopped first at the local bar which serves alcohol beginning at 4:00 p.m. Being too early for a drink, we stopped for a rest room break and to purchase sodas, water, chips or ice cream. You’d be hard pressed to find any other food items to buy on the island.

We stopped next at St. Francis of Assisi church. We were given time to explore the church and to pray. Holy cards were available to us, as were a few pamphlets and movies. The movie Molokai, being filmed on island (along with Jurassic Park II and Jurassic Park III) comes very highly recommended by the residents of the island. I have yet to see it but I will watch it soon.

St. Francis of Assisi parish currently does not have a resident pastor, but is served by visiting “supply” priests. Some come from Belgium (Father Damien’s home country), Hawaii and many other places. Perhaps I could be one someday. If nothing else, Kalaupapa would be a perfect place to take my annual retreat (which I’ll probably be looking into).

Next to the church was a one room building that had pictures and articles relating to Father Damien along the walls. There was even a small green lizard of some kind climbing one of the walls.

We next stopped at the local book store which offered several good titles and even a few t-shirts. If you go to Kalaupapa, bring cash to buy books because credit cards are not accepted (and I don’t expect you’ll find an ATM). I wish I had known this before leaving Honolulu.

After touring Kalaupapa we drove to the site of the first settlement at Kalawao, the destination of this little pilgrimage.

Blessed Father Damien’s original grave is located just to the right of the church of St. Philomena. In 1936, his remains were brought to Leuven, Belgium, near the town of his birth. In 1995, Blessed Damien’s right hand was sent to Hawaii, where it was buried in his original grave.

I cannot begin to describe what joy and peace flooded my soul as tears welled in my eyes as I knelt to pray at his grave. I asked Father Damien to show me how to be a good and holy priest, how to give myself generously and completely to the people entrusted to me, how to give myself in imitation of Christ. I’ll have more to say about this later.

I touched the two rosaries I have been carrying with me these past four weeks to his grave. One is from the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. and has the coat of arms of Benedict XVI on the centerpiece and other the has a second class relic of St. Anthony of Padua in the centerpiece. These rosaries I also took the grave of Blessed Mary MacKillop, though I didn’t think to touch them to her grave.

After praying at his grave, I did what Christians have done for two thousand years: I picked up a rock (a lava rock), touched it to his grave, and put it in my backpack.

That’s about all I’ll say for now; it’s time for bed.

A delightful flight

I left the house this morning at 7:00 in order to arrive at Hawaii From Above – located at the airport - and meet Captain John Callahan at 8:30. When traffic flows well the airport is only a twenty-minute or so drive, but wet roads early in the morning can result in a few accidents (Hawaiians aren’t known to be the best of drivers, spending much time simply enjoying the weather or the views).

Very soon after I entered the eastbound lanes of Interstate H1 (the other two are cleverly named H2 and H3) I encountered heavy traffic moving very slowly. I felt as though I were back in Chicagoland.

After driving for nearly thirty minutes I finally discovered the cause of the slow traffic: an accident in the left-most westbound lane. As in Chicago, so in Honolulu. As soon as the gawkers passed the accident traffic picked up and moved well.

After only one wrong turn (the boys who travelled with me in Hawaii quickly learned that I almost always make one wrong turn but that I also always find my destination), I arrived at Captain Callahan’s at 8:00. Having arrived so early I had time to begin this blog post and also to listen to the news (which I haven’t caught in almost a month).

From my car I could see the plane on which we would be flying: a Cessna 337 Skymaster. It sits six people. I’ve never before wanted to fly on a plane so small and yet somehow this morning I wasn’t at all nervous about the flight.

I met Captain Callahan and his assistant Cyndi. I also met the other man, Joe, who wanted to go to Molokai and whose presence made this morning’s trip possible. Sandy at Hawaii Adventure Hiking arranged for the two of us to fly with Captain Callahan; Cyndi flew along for the ride and to walk along Molokai while Joe and I went on the tour.

Captain Callahan is a most excellent and accomplished pilot, having flown the military version of the Cessna 337 in the Viet Nam war. Both takeoffs and both landings were perfect and completely smooth. I was very impressed!

The views from the plane were phenomenal! We even drove straight through a few clouds, and I could see clouds from above and from the side. It was amazing!

I would highly recommend Captain Callahan to anyone. As Cyndi said, I’m now a lover of small planes. I’d love to fly in one again soon.

Molokai

I've just returned from a fantastic day on Molokai! I'll write up a post about the day later tonight, but for now enjoy some pictures taken from the plane, of the island of Molokai and of the leper colonies.