Nestled in the humble town of Kalaupapa lies the St. Elizabeth Chapel and next to it the St. Elizabeth Convent; here’s a little background on how the St. Elizabeth Chapel and Convent came to be, Saint Marianne Cope along with 6 of her Sisters of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis founded the St. Elizabeth Chapel & Convent, and the cottages of Bishop Home for Women and Girls in the 1880’s. The Convent is not only where the Sisters lived but also where they tended to the women and girls who were orphaned with Leprosy.

Here is where we, those of us who went on this E.P.I.C. Ministry retreat, learned about the works of the Franciscan Sisters and St. Marianne and how their works influenced the world from Sister Alicia. While talking with Sister Alicia in front of the Chapel she gave us homework. She wanted us to find the similarities of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and St. Marianne Cope.

Through a little bit of research here are some of the similarities:

They all left their old lives to do God’s calling, and they didn’t hesitate to do God’s will.
When St. Francis of Assisi was in his 20s he had chosen to abandon his rich and lavish lifestyle for an austere and holy life. While praying in church one day he heard Jesus Christ on the crucifix speak to him saying, “Francis, repair my church.” He took it literally and repaired the church he was praying in; in foresight what Jesus was really saying to St. Francis was to “Repair My Church”. Through his actions in helping the poor and needy St. Francis coincidently founded the Franciscan religious order where in just 10 years the brotherhood grown to 5,000! Till this very day the Franciscan is continually growing in numbers and still serves our brothers and sisters who need it most.

At the age of 16, St. Elizabeth of Hungary learned of St. Francis of Assisi and his profound compassion and works for the poor, this is when she decided she wanted to work with those who needed help the most, but it wasn’t until her husband died that she decided to leave her wealthy lifestyle and made arrangements for the care of her three children to become a tertiary of St. Francis and make working with the sick her life. 

By the time St. Marianne Cope was 24 years old she decided to pursue a religious life and joined the Sisters of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. She became a teacher in the New York and later a principal for immigrant children. She also helped open two Catholic hospitals in New York. St. Marianne pioneered in medical field e.g. patients were allowed to refuse treatment, she allowed medical students to work at the hospitals, she was very strict with ever worker to have good hygiene.

They loved the poor and the sick.
When St. Francis was a young lad one day he came across a leper along the countryside at first he was disgusted with the way the leper looked and smelled, but something inside him led him to embrace and kiss the leper. When the leper returned his act of compassion, St. Francis was filled with Joy. When St. Francis gave up on his old life, he started preaching about God and his love for us. He preached for the rich to give to the poor, for us as apostles to take nothing on the journey, and to take up our cross daily. St. Francis wanted to “live by the Gospel” and this is what he did.

St. Elizabeth had so much compassion for the sick she built a hospital from her own personal wealth when she was 19 years old! She wanted to make sure the patients in her hospital were taken care of, so twice a day she would bring food to the feed the people in the Church she built. Before she died at the age of 24, St. Elizabeth built two churches for the sick and poor.

It was no secret that St. Marianne loved the poor and the sick. For the beginning part of her religious life she taught as a teacher and then later became a principal for immigrant children. Then later in life she focused on giving medical care for poor in the hospitals of New York. In 1883 at the age of 45 the King of Hawaii, King Kalakaua himself requested St. Marianne to help treat the leprosy patients of Kalaupapa, Moloka’i. St. Marianne helped establish the Malulani hospital in Maui, and helped reform the management of hospitals on Oahu.

They help build Hospitals/Churches for the physically sick and spiritually sick. 
St. Francis of Assisi, St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Elizabeth all had the heart to serve those in most need, the poor, the broken, and the sick. They helped build Churches for those whose souls needed healing and Hospitals for those were also physically sick. They taught us about God’s love; and more importantly they taught us that through loving actions inspired by God we can truly heal the world. Even in death their influence and works resound till this day.

Place Where Outcasts Meet
The starry skies was never clearer,
The water never tasted so sweet,
Even time seemed to be slower,
This place where outcasts meet.
Was this really a place where the diseased were abandoned?
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide?
Chaos was rampant, until the Saints arrived.
Saint Marianne and the Franciscan Sisters,
Saint Damien and Brother Dutton.
They did not see Leprosy patients,
But our sisters and our brothers.
They did not see outcasts,
They saw God’s sons and daughters.
Their faith, hope and love will never be forgotten.
And the greatest of these is love, will remain certain.
The starry skies was never clearer,
The water never tasted so sweet,
Even time seemed to be slower,
This place where outcasts meet.
A place where God sent his Saints.
Where God’s love is still present.
Kalaupapa, Molokai the place I felt I belonged,
The place I long to be.

by Kainoa Fukumoto

Ok, a little dramatic of a title for a blog in response to the Supreme Court of the United States’ landmark ruling on legalizing same-sex marriage…but there is truth to it.

If you’re just waking up and checking Facebook for your daily news (I guess that’s what we do now days), you might have discovered that the Supreme Court had narrowly made a decision that same-sex marriage must be legalized in the nation, which effectively overturned any state laws that banned same-sex marriage.

Now, as an opponent of the same-sex marriage movement, I could go off on why this is contrary to our faith and the Bible.  I could rant about facts about how this destroys children, families, and ultimately society.  I could talk about the further legitimizing of sexual sin.  But I’m not.  Mostly because we’ve heard the arguments and pretty much all that could be said has been said.

But what I do want to talk about is our response, as Catholics, to those who will label us as “haters” and “bigots” because of our opposition.  I want to talk about the repercussions that Catholics will undoubtedly face in light of this ruling.  To me, the battle is not lost, but it has become much more difficult to fight as well as to live out our faith openly.

Accepting Jesus’ teachings and following him whole-heartedly is hard for even us Christians to do.  It requires a complete trust in him that is nothing short of divine intervention.  And when we don’t walk the talk, it’s much simpler for others to call us out on it.

It isn’t easy being Christian because we get in the way of ourselves.  We value our selfish needs over our personal relationship with God.  We spend more time outside of prayer than within it.  And the more time we spend away from God, the more we tend accept things that are contrary to him.

So what do we do?  We live like a saint of course!  And if you know anything about the saints, it’s that they weren’t perfect.  They were sinners just as much as all of us are.  But what makes them unique and holy is they continually emptied themselves from that life of sin and aligned their hearts with the hearts of Jesus and Mary.  Not just once or twice, but over and over again.

Sometimes, that required major sacrifices.  Sometimes, that required speaking the truth of the gospel even when it was not easy, acceptable, or popular.  And sometimes, that required making the ultimate sacrifice.

Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!  Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.”

Want to be a saint?  Then prepare to die!  Maybe not literally, but spiritually...in order to be a saint, we must die to ourselves and our selfish needs and our desire for self-preservation, and instead, put on the mantle of Christ.  As St. Paul said, “I no longer live but Christ who lives in me.”

In the face of opposition, whether it be against same-sex marriage or abortion or anything else contrary to life and religious freedom, the Church is in need of more saints.  The Church needs YOU just as much as you need the Church.  And more than ever, we need you today.

Just the other day I was contemplating about my life, my ministry and all the things I do, and the biggest question I ask myself, "do I make a difference?" I ask this question a lot because I work with youth and young adults, and as a youth and young adult minister, the only thing on my mind is "am I making a difference?" In that moment of contemplation, I am reminded of the times when I was reassured by God that I am on task and completing my mission.  

As a catechist, I spend a lot of time racking my brain and beating myself thinking, "Did they get it?  Did they understand it?  Did anything I say or do make a difference in their lives?" Because as a catechist all you want to do is bring your students closer to God.  One day I encouraged my students to go and pray before Mass.  Most of them went and sat the back of the church and kept quiet, but one student’s actions moved me.  

She entered the church, went straight to the first pew, knelt down, and began to pray a deep contemplative, silent prayer that could be felt in her simple actions. I knew Jesus was there using my student to show me that I am reaching them, that I am making a difference, and I am building disciples even if it is one at a time.

The most profound moment happened just the other night at Faith Sharing when we read the Gospel. One thing that stood out to me was the passage, "you have received your reward," and I dwelt on it.  Then the unexpected happened.  I never knew how much of an effect I have on people. I continually ask God how do people see me? Am I really making a difference in people’s lives?  And he came back that night with about 20 different answers all from the people I love, my brothers and sisters in Christ my second family, my YAMily.

God knows me better than I know myself, and we both know I’ll  probably never stop asking myself if I’m making a difference. But I know that in the small things that Jesus places in my path and through the many people in my life that I am making a difference, and I am touching the hearts of many people.