HCH photo by Anna Weaver

With Robert Mondoy on the keyboards, Calvin Liu directs the Damien Choir in a Sept. 3 practice session.

Two cathedral concerts to debut hymns of St. Damien

Two hymns about Father Damien will be debuted at two separate concerts on the last two Fridays in September at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. Both events are free.

The St. John Vianney Parish Choir, directed by Robert Mondoy, will sing “The Heart of Damien,” a new hymn written by Patrick Downes, at the 16th annual Lokomaika‘i ‘Aha Himeni song festival, 7-9 p.m., Sept 18. Mondoy wrote the hymn’s choral arrangement.

Mondoy’s own new Damien hymn, “The Faithful Son of Sacred Hearts,” will be debuted at a special Sept. 25 cathedral concert by the Damien Canonization Choir, 7-8:15 p.m.

The 60-member Damien Choir, under the direction of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace choir director Calvin Liu, will be traveling to Belgium and Rome in October to sing at Father Damien canonization-related events.

Pope Benedict XVI will canonize Father Damien on Oct. 11 in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

According to Mondoy, these two Hawaii concerts are the “first real public celebrations in honor of Hawaii’s new saint.” He described them as “the kickoff for the canonization celebrations.”

The Sept. 18 Lokomaika‘i ‘Aha Himeni concert, which focuses on hymns written in the Hawaiian language, will feature eight choirs from Catholic parishes on Oahu. The theme is “Hawaii’s Saints.” Performances will feature other new works by island composers, plus older compositions about Father Damien and other holy men and women associated with Hawaii and its churches, including Blessed Marianne Cope and the renowned Maui catechist Helio.

A new Hawaiian “Hail Mary” by Kainoa Fukumoto will be sung for the first time.

A beef stew dinner (for a suggested $5 donation) will follow the performance.

The Sept. 25 Damien Choir concert will showcase some of the music the choir will sing in Belgium and Rome during the Oct. 1-13 canonization pilgrimage. For the concert at the cathedral, the musical pieces will be threaded together by a spoken narrative on the life of Damien.

Some of the music, such as the lament “A Hea La I Kuu Halawai,” date from Father Damien’s time. By comparison, Mondoy’s composition, “The Faithful Son of Sacred Hearts,” was completed last month. Other hymns are in Latin.

Some of the compositions may be previewed at www.mondoymusic.com. Click on Damien Choir.