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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:36 a.m., Thursday, February 5, 2009

Pope expected to announce Damien sainthood date Feb. 20

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer

Now we know when we'll know the date of Father Damien's canonization.

The Sacred Hearts priest who served Hansen's disease patients at Kalaupapa is expected to be made Hawaii's first saint sometime this fall, most likely in October.

Bishop Larry Silva received a partial calendar of Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming liturgical calendar, which included this entry:

"Saturday, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. in the Clementine Hall, consistory for certain causes of canonization."

That would be 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, Hawaii time.

"It is assumed that this will be the day that Father Damien's canonization date will be announced," wrote Diocese of Honolulu spokesman Patrick Downes in an email. "This is not the day of canonization."

To keep up with the countdown, check out the Honolulu Advertiser's new blog, Countdown to St. Damien: http://countdowntostdamien.honadvblogs.com/