Sodality of Our Blessed Lady Presentation, 9-12-2026: 200 Years of Catholicism in Hawaii

For the third time, this ministry had the privilege of sharing about the history of the Catholic Faith in Hawaii.  This time around, the presentation was conducted during a Day of Recollection, a one-day retreat held by St. John Vianney Church's Sodality of Our Blessed Lady, a women's religious lay-association dedicated to promoting devotion to the Virgin Mary in their parish, as well as charitable works.

The Lourdes Grotto at the St. Anthony Retreat Center.

The retreat was held in Kalihi Valley at the beautiful St. Anthony Retreat Center, a place I personally consider to be holy ground.  In particular, there is a large replica of the Lourdes Grotto on the far end of the compound, where the presence of God and the Holy Virgin is particularly tangible ... and special graces have occasionally been reported.  I always enjoy time spent here whenever I visit.

A participant prayerfully reaching for a Saint's

intercession through contact with a relic.

All in all, the presentation was well-received by the 30+ women who attended, several of whom are close friends and acquaintances of mine through my weekly attendance at St. John Vianney Church; feedback was consistently positive as the stories I shared touched hearts ... and the presence of certain relics allowed for meaningful, personal connections with their respective Saints.

Having done this presentation three times already in a short period of time, I am finding that there is something about the sacrifices of the early Hawaiian Catholics that deeply resonates with my audiences.  Most are surprised to learn that extraordinary sanctity in our islands existed decades before our official Saints of Kalaupapa!

     

Lastly, there may have been a special blessing granted by our Lord to the pious women of the Sodality, inadvertently captured in a photo this author took of the holy grotto before my presentation started.  I had been praying for the group before the pic was snapped so it may just be an affirmation that our Lord has His loving gaze upon them!