By Eleanor Ozoa
Special to the Herald
To prepare for the celebration of their church’s 75th anniversary, the parishioners of Sacred Hearts Church in Lanai City, Lanai, held nine days of novena and eucharistic celebrations. During these special Masses, visiting priests came to help minister to the parishioners. In their homilies they gave touching and memorable messages. One of them remarked, “You may not have McDonald’s or Wal-Mart but you have big smiles and big hearts.”
Foundation Day on Sept. 3 was a beautiful day. Bishop Larry Silva officiated at the 10 a.m. Mass. Assisting him were Father William Antonio from St. Lucy Parish in Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, Father Teodulo Gaquit, the chaplain at Straub Medical Center on Oahu, and the pastor Father Raymund Ellorin. Assisting, along with the parish altar servers, was Regina Pfeiffer from the diocesan Office of Worship.
Before the Mass began, Dolores Fabrao introduced the special guests and gave a brief history of Sacred Hearts Parish.
During the Mass, the Prayers of the Faithful were said in different languages and dancers presented the gifts.
After Mass, Bishop Silva blessed the new parish office, a new classroom and a handicap restroom. George Brosky, a parish benefactor and frequent visitor, cut the ribbon for the new additions.
The celebration continued with the singing of the National Anthem and Hawaii Ponoi followed by a lunch and entertainment that included music, hula, Filipino dances, and martial arts demonstrations. Door prizes were given away with the big winner taking home a trip to the Philippines.
Father Ellorin finished off the memorable day with a few songs of thanks to the Lord and some closing remarks.
Sacred Hearts is the island’s only Catholic church. The first Mass said on Lanai was in 1846. By the following year, a priest would travel from Maui to Lanai at Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. After 1922, when the pineapple industry came to the island and brought with it a population influx, priests made monthly visits.
In 1926, Bishop Stephen Alencastre requested land for a church and rectory from the Dole Pineapple Company, which owned the island. The majority of the pineapple workers were Catholic Filipino and Portuguese laborers, and Bishop Alencastre wanted a permanent church to serve their needs.
His request for land wasn’t acted upon until 1930, and by September 1931 a rectory and church was completed. Sacred Hearts Church has been actively serving the island’s Catholic community ever since.