A prayer service with Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square highlighted Wednesday's tour of Rome as Maui Catholics prepared for Sunday's canonization of Father Damien, Hawaii's soon-to-be first saint.
Contacted by telephone in Rome, Sister Roselani Enomoto, a Maui native and former director of the Office of Social Ministry on the Valley Isle, said "Hawaii-like" weather set the mood for thousands of faithful who gathered in the square for a general audience to see the pope and pray with him.
Hawaii's contingent of more than 500 people from across the state donned yellow baseball caps bearing Father Damien's image. Benedict waved to the Aloha State travelers when the Diocese of Honolulu was announced as one of the groups in the St. Peter's Square general audience.
"We waved our yellow caps and cheered as loud as we could," said Marie LaBanca, a Honokowai resident traveling with Hawaii Bishop Larry Silva's entourage.
With Benedict at the center of a stage in St. Peter's Square, Silva was positioned on one side with religious leaders from around the world, while special guests were placed in a VIP section on the pope's opposite side.
Audrey Toguchi of Aiea, Oahu, whose cancer cure after praying to Damien was deemed the miracle that qualified him for canonization, sat in the VIP section, LaBanca said.
Following the audience, the pope greeted Toguchi and other VIPs.
Toguchi said she thanked the pope for deciding to have Damien canonized, according to a report from The Associated Press.
A native of Belgium, Damien de Veuster was a Catholic priest who ministered to patients with Hansen's disease on Molokai in the 19th century. Pope Benedict XVI will canonize Father Damien with four other saints during a ceremony set for 10 a.m. Sunday (10 p.m. Saturday HST) in Rome.
Prior to arriving in Rome, Silva, Toguchi and others traveling from Hawaii visited Damien's hometown of Tremelo, Belgium, where an all-day festival was held and a statute honoring the Sacred Hearts priest was unveiled.
Having been to Rome once before, Enomoto initially thought the pope was going to wave from a balcony above St. Peter's Square. She said she was delighted when after nearly two hours of waiting, Benedict rode in a "pope mobile" that transported him around the square close to the people who had gathered to see him.
"It was definitely the highlight of the day," Enomoto said.
The Rev. Gary Colton, pastor of Maria Lanakila Church in Lahaina, agreed. "Just being in his presence was a powerful moment."
Colton said Benedict addressed the crowd in Italian and in German. A diocesan priest, Colton said he was not bothered a bit that Benedict spoke no English in his public address.
"I really enjoyed just seeing him," Colton said.
LaBanca said she and her husband, Anthony, were about 25 rows back from the road where Pope Benedict passed in the pope mobile.
"It was a wonderful, wonderful experience to see him and for him to see us," LaBanca said.
Colton said a group from Germany, Benedict's homeland, outnumbered and probably cheered louder than the Hawaii contingent. Still, Colton and LaBanca said they were proud when the Diocese of Honolulu was introduced on a loudspeaker as one of the groups visiting from the United States.
The Hawaii contingent broke out in song and waved their yellow caps when they were called.
"We were very identifiable," LaBanca said. "It was just unbelievable."
Wednesday's tour of Rome included the famous Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon, originally rebuilt in the 2nd century as a temple to all gods of ancient Rome. Since the 7th century the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs.
Colton said while at the Pantheon, he seized the opportunity to shake hands with each of the 11 Kalaupapa patients traveling in the tour group.
"I told them: 'I'm so glad you're here,' and they said, 'I'm so happy to be here.' . . . For me that was something I had hoped to do, meet the patients - and it overshadowed the Pantheon. I wasn't even paying attention to the building after that."
LaBanca said the Hawaii travelers are enjoying each other's company each night at dinner. She said she finds it especially rewarding to see the patients from Kalaupapa where Damien ministered.
"You try to put yourself in their shoes and you wonder what's going through their minds. They all look so happy," LaBanca said. "Everyone is just so happy. We're all so blessed to be on this trip."
"The excitement is building up," Colton said. "We're all looking forward to Sunday."
* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.
