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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, May 14, 2005

Moloka'i nun's rite at Vatican is today

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer

When Monnette Forte signals the choir in Rome to begin singing a special Hawaiian song today to honor Kalaupapa nun Mother Marianne Cope, the pressure will be on — and not just because she'll be performing in front of an international audience.

Mother Marianne: Life and legacy

Important dates in the life of Mother Marianne Cope:

Jan. 23, 1838: Born in Heppenheim, Germany, to Peter and Barbara Koob.

1862: Joined the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis in Syracuse, N.Y. She took her vows on Nov. 19, 1863).

1877: Became provincial (leader) of the community.

1883: Answered a call to help the kingdom of Hawai'i with what was being called its "national affliction," leprosy, now called Hansen's disease. She arrived here expecting to stay just a few weeks.

1888: Arrived in Moloka'i to help with the home for girls. After the Rev. Damien de Veuster died several months later, she took charge of his home for boys.

Aug. 9, 1918: Died at Kalaupapa, Moloka'i.

May 14, 1983: The cause for sainthood was officially begun.

April 19, 2004: A decree of her virtues was issued by Pope John Paul II.

Dec. 20, 2004: A miracle attributed to her was approved, paving the way for her beatification.

Today: She will be declared "Blessed" in a beatification ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica. (The event was to be broadcast live at 5 a.m. Hawai'i time via streaming video on Eternal Word Television Network, ewtn.com, with a repeat at 5 p.m. today.)

She's more concerned about just one person, who may or may not be watching.

"I hope we impress the pope, because he's a musician, a concert pianist," said Forte. "We have to definitely impress him."

It's not a given that Pope Benedict XVI will take a seat during today's beatification ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica, when Mother Marianne and another nun earn their title "Blessed." He will, however, grant a papal audience to a contingent of Hawai'i and New York travelers on Monday.

In a departure from recent practice, a Portuguese cardinal will preside over today's beatification of Mother Marianne. The late Pope John Paul II made it his practice to oversee beatifications himself. His successor is handing the job to the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins.

But it was prospect of seeing the new pope that was the talk of the town in the days leading up to departure day for Hawai'i's contingent, which now numbers more than 80, according to the nun in charge of disbursing tickets.

The death of John Paul II nearly derailed the beatification in its final stages. Events got pushed back and the pontiff's schedule had to be juggled. For a few days, Mother Marianne's beatification was looking as if it were a casualty: Benedict XVI needed to ordain new priests for the Diocese of Rome, and that was scheduled for tomorrow, the original date of the beatification.

Travelers halfway across the globe were frantic: They would be stuck taking their trip anyway; it was too late to cancel. Syracuse Bishop James Moynihan fired off a letter to the Vatican asking for a new date, post haste, and just as quickly, the event was slated for today, a day earlier than planned.

"People seemed to be very surprised it got to Cardinal (Angelo) Sodono's desk," Moynihan said with a laugh by phone from Syracuse on Wednesday, referring to the Vatican's secretary of state. "It got to Cardinal Sodono's desk, just like every letter gets to my desk."

Checking in Tuesday, the day the largest group was to depart, Sister Marie Jose Romano was scrambling to get packed. She needed to make a pit stop at a lei seller, where she was picking up a maile lei with special berries she had pre-ordered. That lei was going to be presented to the pope on Monday, so she picked one that would travel well.

For Debbie Freitas, director of agency operations for Seawind Tours & Travel who's leading a group of 24 from Hawai'i as they travel to Rome and environs, seeing the new pope will make up for a missed opportunity.

Back in the early 1980s, she and her family lived in Thailand. Her parents in Guam alerted her to a windfall opportunity: John Paul II was coming for a visit and would be staying with Archbishop Anthony Apuron, who happened to be their next-door neighbor on Guam.

"My parents strongly encouraged us to travel to Guam for the opportunity to meet privately with the pope," she said, noting that they would be able to greet him in the archbishop's house, receive the Holy Eucharist from him, even shake his hand.

"I remember my sister saying I missed the opportunity of a lifetime, which we did. ... It's a regret I've always had. So this is my opportunity to travel to Rome to meet the holy father. It's like a dream come true. All those regrets seem to be lighter. I don't have that heavy thing on my heart."

She's not alone in believing everything fell into place as it should. Said Dr. Amy Jacang, who is part of the choir: "I said when we found out about (the papal) audience, 'See! The miracles are always taking place.' "

The nuns, however, knew they needed faith.

"Prayer does work," said Romano. "I always knew we were going, and it has to happen. If you just believe and don't have any doubts, it will happen."

Sister William Marie Eleniki, provincial for the religious order here, said Tuesday she was making room for special cargo in her luggage. Friends had entrusted several rosaries to her, hoping to get them blessed by the pope. She also needed to squeeze in some Mother Marianne buttons, which she hopes to give to Kalaupapa patients later.

"There will be a celebration on Kalaupapa (tomorrow), a Mass and luncheon after," Eleniki said. "We want to make sure Kalaupapa doesn't get forgotten."

One Kalaupapa patient, Winnie Harada, was able to make the trip with the nuns of Mother Marianne's order, the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, which continues to staff the Moloka'i settlement.

"They were the AIDS patients of their day," said Moynihan, bishop of Syracuse, who is in Rome today to celebrate the Mass. "... The folks in Hawai'i took wonderful care of her — in her lifetime, in her death and in the way they cared for her grave. We're in solidarity with the diocese in paying tribute to this wonderful woman, who, in truth, is a born German. How poetic we should have a pope who shares a kinship with her."

Reach Mary Kaye Ritz at mritz@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8035.