Jean Muragin was 11 years old when she watched a casket bearing the remains of Father Damien de Veuster carried via wagon down Bishop Street toward a ship bound for Damien's native Belgium.

A Catholic, she was well aware of Damien's work on Kalaupapa, where he spent 16 years helping a quarantined community of people afflicted with what was then known as leprosy.

"But I didn't understand how significant it was to witness that event," she said. "I was young and it was just something I had to do. I didn't know that he would one day become a saint."

That day is finally at hand, and in the hours leading up to Damien's canonization in Rome (at 10 p.m. yesterday Hawai'i time), Muragin, 84, honored Damien's spirit of giving by volunteering at a charity garage sale hosted by Blessed Sacrament Parish. The sale was among a number of special events being held across Hawai'i yesterday and today in honor of Damien's elevation to sainthood.

"This is a labor of love," Muragin said of the garage sale. "God is good and today is just a way to remember Damien and say thank you for all of our blessings."

Like many in Hawai'i's Catholic community, Muragin said she had waited with growing anticipation for Damien's most holy recognition.

"I get chicken skin thinking about it," Muragin said.

Last night, about 50 people attended a live viewing of the canonization at St. Philomena Parish in Salt Lake.

Some came with friends and family, others — most, in fact — came alone. They sat one or two per pew, vigorously fanning themselves to ward off the unusual late-evening heat and humidity.

KGMB9's coverage of the event was projected onto a large while wall, its baroque imagery unfolding just to the right of a large wooden crucifix.

For 69-year-old Michael Ho of Moanalua Valley, there was no more appropriate way to witness the long-awaited canonization Damien than within the familiar walls of his church, which shares the same name as Damien's church in Kalaupapa.

Ho admitted that he wasn't sure if he would live to see the day that Damien would achieve sainthood, particularly given the cynical tenor of the times.

"The fact that you need two verified miracles made it seem unlikely," Ho said. "There are so many skeptics and so many people seem to want to debunk things. But I haven't heard anything like that in relation to Damien."

Indeed, Ho said he has been surprised at the way in which those outside the Catholic Church have been drawn to the event.

"People are skeptical of religion and everything is more humanist today," Ho said. "But what Damien did for Hawai'i can also be seen as humanist."

Gwen Dalere, 62, of Pearl City was also among those silently and reverently watching the coverage at St. Philomena.

She predicted the attention given to Damien's canonization will strengthen not just the Catholic church in Hawai'i but the overall resolve of those who want to live a more just and productive life.

"He was a normal person who left his family and his country to come here and help people," she said. "He ended up giving up his life to serve others, but not everyone has to do that to make a difference. What's important is to follow his example and give of yourself."

INSPIRED TO HELP

About 400 people visited the Blessed Sacrament garage sale through the early afternoon, availing themselves of a wide assortment of household goods, clothes, books, toys and accessories — nearly everything priced at less than $6.

Volunteers pushed pews together to form massive makeshift sale bins and restocked racks and tables with a seemingly endless reserve of donated goods while comedian and former seminary student Frank DeLima entertained visitors outside.

The event also featured an impressive variety of eating possibilities, from hot dogs and hamburgers to Hawaiian, Samoan and plate lunches to Portuguese malassadas.

Damien Memorial School president and CEO Bernard Ho, who oversaw the event, said all proceeds will be directed to charitable organizations on Moloka'i.

"In a down economy, we saw this garage sale as a win-win," Ho said. "We have discounted items for sale — some people are already doing their Christmas shopping — and the food is cheap. Plus, whatever money we raise will go to help people in need on Moloka'i.

"Damien is the first and only saint that Hawai'i can lay claim to and we wanted to honor his legacy in the right way," Ho said. "Instead of a big, fancy dinner, we wanted to do as he would have done and help the people of our community."

Parish member Marlene Sagapolutele, 44, of Makiki, remembers learning about Damien in Sunday school and still finds inspiration in his story. She said she was eagerly awaiting last night's live broadcast of the event.

"His canonization strengthens our Catholic community and the general public because it raises awareness of what we can do to be like him," Sagapolutele said. "He taught us that you can't be afraid to help people. It's an honor to try and follow in his footsteps."

Marcos Brackins, 42, of Kailua spent the afternoon browsing through the sale bins and enjoying the live entertainment. Brackins said he has visited Kalaupapa several times over the years and has spoken with community members for whom Damien's legacy is still very much alive.

"Damien took care of people who, at the time, nobody else took care of," he said. "He continues to inspire other human beings to be better human beings."