Documentary - “THE STORY OF SAINT DAMIEN OF MOLOKAI, SACRED HEARTS PRIEST”

The video premiers on Oceanic Cable OC 16 Friday, October 10 at 9 pm, an hour before the live coverage of the Damien canonization on EWTN Channel 408 at 10pm; both are replayed on OC 16 Sunday, Oct. 11 from 1-4pm. EWTN, a global Catholic station and CatholicTV will also show the Damien special The broadcast dates are as follows:

The following are the broadcast dates for the Damien canonization-related event:

Sat. Oct.10, 9pm - premier showing of "The Story of Saint Damien of Molokai, Sacred Hearts Priest" on Oceanic Cable, OC 16;

Sat. Oct. 10, 10pm - live coverage of the Damien canonization in Rome on EWTN Digital Channel 408

Sun. Oct. 11, 7:30am - replay of Damien canonization in Rome on EWTN Digital Channel 408

Sun. Oct. 11, 1pm - replay of "The Story of Saint Damien of Molokai, Sacred Hearts Priest" on Oceanic Cable, OC 16;

Sun. Oct. 11, 2pm - replay of Damien canonization in Rome on Oceanic Cable, OC 16;

Sun. Oct. 11, 4:30-5:30pm - "The Story of Saint Damien of Molokai, Sacred Hearts Priest" on KWHE-TV14 (Oceanic Cable Chan. 11)

You will also learn a brief history about the valiant dedication of the first Catholic missionaries in Hawaii who, like Father Damien belonged to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Their untold sacrifices, sufferings and triumphs served as the cornerstone of what we know today as the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu.

As Bishop Larry Silva remarked on the video: “We hope the story of Father Damien will enlighten all of us to follow in his footsteps. We do not canonize saints so they can be in some Catholic Hall of Fame. They’re canonized so they can inspire us to do what they did, to love God will all our hearts and to reach out to the poor, the outcasts, the dispossessed. We thank God for Father Damien, that God chose him to be a special evangelizer of our islands…”

For those who helped in this video project, a very special mahalo go to: Father Herman Gomes, SS.CC. who did an excellent job as the documentary’s “storyteller;” veteran broadcaster Jim Manke of Hawaii Public Radio for his inspiring voice as narrator; Father Stephen Van den Eynde , SS.CC., a retired Belgian Sacred Hearts priest for his Damien “voice;” and Sacred Hearts Provincial, the Very Reverend Chris Keahi, SS.CC. and Bishop Larry Silva for their unconditional support in helping make this video a reality.

“THE STORY OF SAINT DAMIEN OF MOLOKAI, SACRED HEARTS PRIEST” was produced for the Father Damien/Mother Marianne Commission of the Diocese of Honolulu, by Venny and Jessica Villapando, 20-year veterans in Hawaii’s local television broadcast industry. Venny is also a member of the Father Damien/Mother Marianne Commission.