Happy 82nd Birthday to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

May God bless and protect you today on your birthday and every day of your life, especially during your pontificate.

Ad Multos Annos!

DAMIEN - ONE MAN PLAY

HAWAII 2009
In preparation for the canonization of Blessed Damien Joseph deVeuster, actor Casey Groves arrives in Hawaii April 14 to educate and present the "One Man Play, Damien" written by Aldyth Morris. This "One Man Play" portrays the compelling story of our beloved Belgium-born Father Damien, who ministered to people afflicted with Hansen's Disease and banished to the island of Molokai, before dying of the disease in 1889, at the age of 49.

"Casey Groves' performance of Damien is very powerful, and I encourage parishes and schools throughout the islands to host a performance as a way of celebrating Blessed Damien's coming canonization." - Most Reverend Larry Silva; Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church of Hawaii

The "One Man Play" Damien is being presented in parishes and schools. Although benefactors have stepped forward to take care of any necessary expenses for the school performances, free will offerings are most welcome to aid Casey as he engages with our Hawaii students. Come and relive Fr. Damien's story through Casey Groves.

Casey's current island itinerary:

* Oahu: April 14-21
* Kauai: April 22-24
* Big Island: April 25-27
* Maui: April 28-30
(See below for dates and locations)

For more information about Casey Groves and his performances, visit https://caseygroves.backpackit.com/pub/705567. Preview a 6-minute video is at http://www.caseygroves.com/damien.htm.
To schedule a performance, please contact Leoda Shizuma at shizuma@wave.hivc.net or 808-553-5583.

OAHU April 14-22
April 17, Friday - 7:00 p.m., St. Ann, Kaneohe
April 18, Saturday - 6:00 p.m., St. Anthony of Padua, Kailua
April 21, Tuesday - 9:00 a.m., St. Michael School, Waialua
April 21, Tuesday - 7:00 p.m., Manoa-Punahou Catholic Community, Sacred Heart Church (Punahou)
April 22, Wednesday - 1:00 p.m., Maryknoll Grade School

KAUAI April 22-24
April 23, Thursday - 6:30 p.m. Holy Cross Church, Kalaheo
April 24, Friday - 9:00 a.m. St. Catherine School, Kapaa
April 24, Friday - 7:00 p.m. St. Catherine Church, Kapaa

BIG ISLAND April 25-27
April 25, Saturday - 6:30 p.m. St. Michael the Archangel, Kailua-Kona
April 27, Monday - 7:00 p.m. Annunciation, Kamuela

MAUI April 28-30
April 28, Tuesday - 10:30 a.m. - Christ the King, Kahului
April 29, Wednesday - Sacred Hearts School, Lahaina
April 29, Wednesday - 6:00 p.m. Maria Lanakila, Lahaina
April 30, Thursday - 1:30 p.m. St. Anthony Grade School, Wailuku

Go to Casey's Blog Spot for updates on his whereabouts at

Thanks Steve O!

Accurate Information on Union City Cloistered Nuns

Regarding my post Update on Cloistered Nuns in NJ and Prayer Request. I received the following information via an email from a sister who wishes to remain anonymous.

Pax Christi!

I just saw your entry about Union City . Let me give you some accurate information.

Sr. Gemma and Sr. Carol Marie are at the Infirmary at the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell. So, with Mother Mary Jordan there along with 2 of our nuns there are 5 nuns being beautifully cared for by our Dominican Sisters! A little mini-monastery, you might say!

Sr. Mary Aquinas transferred to the Bronx monastery and is very happy there. She looks great!

The monastery will be used by several religious congregations in NJ as a place for single moms with children to live. The building is in a lot of disrepair and will need renovations.

When a monastery begins the process of closure the Master of the Order appoints a friars as vicar to over see everything. For union City Fr. Izzo, the provincial has been appointed and he has been amazingly tender and concerned for them.

Sr. Mary of the Compassion’s artwork is going to the Provincial archives.

That’s about all I can tell you for now!

Regina Coeli Reminder

During Easter, we pray the Regina Coeli instead of the Angelus.

Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia: Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, Alleluia,

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus: Deus qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus, ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen.


Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. / For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Has risen, as he said, alleluia. / Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. / For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Source Second Exodus

One Widow's Remembrance

One of my mom's favorite EWTN hosts has always been Johnette Benkovic. She suffered along with Mrs. Benkovic when she lost her beloved son and then when she lost her beloved husband.

Now my mom finds comfort in knowing she is not alone in her grief by reading Widowhood and Remembrances

Happy Easter

Easter Prayer of St. Hippolytus

Christ is Risen: The world below lies desolate
Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,
the first of the sleepers,
Glory and power are his forever and ever

St. Hippolytus of Rome (AD 190-236)

~~~~~~
Easter Prayer of St. Hippolytus

Prayer Source here

Photos of Easter morning Mass Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ. The little lady lighting the Easter candle is my mom. Thanks to Father Patrick R. for his kindness to our family.

It was his idea to place the Hawaiian lei sent to my mom by our good friend Mrs. Lum, on the Easter candle.

Pictures taken by my phone camera as I forgot my digital camera today.

Catholic Identity Card Launches at Easter to Proclaim Personal Faith & Promote the Priesthood

Worldpriest, a group of committed Catholic communications lay people, will launch their latest initiative to promote the Priesthood -- a Catholic Identity Card -- on Easter Sunday, 12th April 2009.

Based in both the United States and Ireland Worldpriest is made up of a group of communications professionals who love and cherish the Priesthood of Jesus Christ and employ their skills to promote the Priesthood.

Read the rest here

St. Luke Productions - St. John Vianney

When Pope Benedict XVI recently proclaimed June 2009 through June 2010 The Year of the Priesthood, dedicated to Saint John Vianney, Leonardo Defilippis was overjoyed. That’s because Defilippis, the director and star of the feature film THÉRÈSE, has been working for two and a half years on a new live production on John Vianney, which will open on August 4, 2009, the 150th anniversary of the saint’s death. The U.S. tour of VIANNEY will travel to parishes, theaters, seminaries, universities and throughout the Catholic school system, as a significant contribution to the year-long celebration and renewal of the priesthood and family life.

“The Pope’s focus on John Vianney is right on target,” says Defilippis. “The Curé of Ars is the saint who will inspire all of us, especially young people, with a deeper understanding of the heroic life of the priest. I believe we’ll see a tremendous upsurge in vocations from this Year of the Priesthood - because our youth are seeking a radical choice, a way to make a difference in our world, and John Vianney points the way through his dramatic life of self-sacrifice and his struggle with evil.”

Father John Cihak, pastor, seminary professor and Vianney scholar, who has recently been appointed to a Vatican Congregation, agrees. “St. John Vianney is pivotal in bringing about a renewal of holiness among priest and laity alike…We need a drama to help create this spiritual renewal. Writing books and articles about the Curé of Ars is good, but nothing gets a saint into the minds and hearts of people today better than drama and film.”

Leonardo Defilippis’s new production tells the story of the Curé of Ars (1786 – 1859), from his childhood during the French Revolution through his death after forty years as the parish priest in the tiny village of Ars, France, where pilgrims from all over the world flocked to his confessional and to hear his preaching. During that time, Ars went from a decaying community with a lax spiritual life to a vibrant Christian center, a model of holy living for the world, a place of such radiant peace the many of the thousands of people who came to visit described it as “heaven on earth...

Read the rest by clicking below:

For immediate Release

Divine Mercy Novena Starts Tomorrow, Good Friday

Tomorrow is Good Friday. It is also the first day of the Divine Mercy Novena which ends the day before Divine Mercy Sunday on the 19th of April.

The Divine Mercy Novena can be found here or Notebook III paragraph 1209 of the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska.

Jesus, I trust in You.

Thank you All for the Prayers

My mother, family and I would like to thank everyone of you from the bottom of our hearts, for all the kindness, compassion and caring we have received through messages, prayers, comments, etc.

My father's funeral was yesterday morning. It was a very beautiful funeral Mass which followed my father's happy death. St. Francis' reference of Sister Death finally made sense to me. He was surrounded by those who loved him the most. I believe he realized we didn't leave his side for a moment during that entire week. All of us were together.

We will miss my dear father very much and the void can never be filled. However, we know he is or will soon be in Heaven.