JOSEPH DUTTON CAUSE FOR CANONIZATION MOVES TO ROME!

JOSEPH DUTTON CAUSE FOR CANONIZATION MOVES TO ROME!

The diocesan phase of Joseph Dutton’s cause was closed yesterday in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was during a special Mass, a moment for me that was filled with great joy but you could see some tears through the joy.

On December 18, I wrote about my just-concluded trip to Honolulu: When an historical commission for a cause of canonization has finished its work, the Vatican asks that all members meet within the diocese of the cause for canonization, and there is a specific agenda for that meeting, including the fact that each member of the commission presents a written report of their year or more of work on the cause, questions are asked of each one of us, and we must sign a number of documents in the presence of the diocesan notary.

I was on the Historical Commission for the cause of canonization of Joseph Dutton and we finished our work in November and had our meeting in the diocese of Honolulu in December, as you know from what I have posted.

I learned in December that, the commission’s work being done, Mass would be held on January 21 in Honolulu’s Our Lady of Peace cathedral to close the diocesan phase of the cause for Dutton, a huge moment on any path to canonization! Two copies of our reports would now go to Rome to be studied and evaluated by dicastery staff. One copy of the commission reports stays in the diocese that originated the cause.

I knew only one thing. After years of work on the Dutton Guild and then almost a year of research for the Historical Commission, I would have to be at that January 21 Mass!

However, the Lord had other plans. The back pain issues I have been suffering since my return from Hawaii, obviously meant that trip would not happen.

Thus, yesterday, January 21 was a day when I smiled through tears. Several of my dearest friends did a Face Time with me while waiting in the cathedral for Mass and I truly felt present because I’ve been there many times for Mass.

The noon Mass presided over by Bishop Larry Silva was streamed live so I was able to follow that, including a final half hour dedicated to the administrative matters that close a diocesan phase for a cause of canonization.  I saw so many of my Hawaii friends, especially those on the Dutton Guild, such as Guild president Dr. Maria Devera, Pat Boland, a Guild member and member of the Historical Commission, and Msgr. Robert Sarno, episcopal delegate to Dutton’s cause.

Now is the time for prayer. Prayer that the cause proceeds positively in Rome. Prayer that, through the intercession of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, a miracle occurs. One miracle is needed for beatification and a second miracle for canonization. That second miracle must occur after beatification.

No photos of yesterday’s Mass at this moment.

The following story almost seems miraculous!|

Lost Joseph Dutton collection found in Wisconsin parish rectory basement

CLICK ON ABOVE TITLE TO READ FULL FASCINATING ARTICLE IN THE HAWAII CATHOLIC HERALD!

Here’s the great website put together by the Dutton Guild of the diocese of Honolulu: https://www.josephdutton.org/

VATICAN INSIDER: RESEARCHING A FUTURE SAINT: FR. JOHN PAUL KIMES

This video from Holy See Press Office regarding the upcoming restoration of the baldachin over the papal altar is really stunning: blob:https://web.whatsapp.com/eb35429d-8bc6-40ef-9172-2fac16f25eed

VATICAN INSIDER: RESEARCHING A FUTURE SAINT: FR. JOHN PAUL KIMES

As I wrote last week, I was a member of the Historical Commission for the Cause of Canonization of Servant of God Joseph Dutton who, as you know, worked for 44 years on Molokai with Saints Damien and Marianne caring for the victims of leprosy. When such a commission closes its work, a meeting must be held in the diocese of the cause for canonization with all members present. This is required by the dicastery for the causes of saints to which we our individual reports are sent.

Thus, two other members of that commission, Pat Boland of Honolulu and Fr. John Paul Kimes, Canon law professor at the university of Notre Dame, and I met in Honolulu this past December to present our findings and work with Msgr. Robert Sarno, an advisor on the cause. One copy of the findings remain in the diocese of Honolulu and two are sent to Rome for further work by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

Though now retired, when he was on the staff of the dicastery (then the Congregation for Saints) in Rome, Msgr. Sarno also helped with the causes of St. Damien (canonized in 2009) and St. Marianne Cope (canonized in 2012).

The diocesan phase of the Joseph Dutton cause will close in Honolulu on January 21st, after which the Roman phase of his causes goes to work.

Part I of my conversation with Fr. John Paul aired last weekend. This week, in Part II,  he is back with more riveting stories about the life and times of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, a man we both hope and pray will one day join Damien and Marianne at the honors of the altar.

This is a photo of Msgr. Sarno, Fr. Kimes and me at our special fund-raising event on Honolulu in November 2022.

Dinner at Duke’s in December 2023 with Maria Devera, president of the Dutton Guild in the diocese of Honolulu.

VATICAN INSIDER: RESEARCHING A FUTURE SAINT: FR. JOHN PAUL KIMES

VATICAN INSIDER: RESEARCHING A FUTURE SAINT: FR. JOHN PAUL KIMES

I was a member of the Historical Commission for the Cause of Canonization of Servant of God Joseph Dutton who, as you know, worked for 44 years on Molokai with Saints Damien and Marianne caring for the victims of leprosy. When such a commission closes its work, a meeting must be held in the diocese of the cause for canonization with all members present. This is required by the dicastery for the causes of saints to which we our individual reports are sent.

Thus. two other members of that commission, Pat Boland of Honolulu and Fr.. John Paul Kimes, Canon law professor at the university of Notre Dame, and I met in Honolulu this past December to present our findings and work with Msgr. Robert Sarno, an advisor on the cause. One copy of the findings remain in the diocese of Honolulu and two are sent to Rome for further work by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

Though now retired, when he was on the staff of the dicastery (then the Congregation for Saints) in Rome, Msgr. Sarno also helped with the causes of St. Damien (canonized in 2009) and St. Marianne Cope (canonized in 2012).

The diocesan phase of the Joseph Dutton cause will close in Honolulu on January 21st, after which the Roman phase of his causes goes to work.

You have heard Fr, Kimes before but he is back this weekend with more riveting stories about the life and times of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, a man we both hope and pray will one day join Damien and Marianne at the honors of the altar.

This is a photo of Msgr. Sarno, Fr. Kimes and me at our special fund-raising event on Honolulu in November 2022.

Here we are at dinner in Honolulu (Duke’s restaurant) this past December with Dr. Maria Devera, president of the Joseph Dutton Guild in Honolulu. I am also on that guild.

I simply love this photo of Maria DeVera and me with Audrey Toguchi. It was Audrey’s miraculous cure of cancer through the intercession of Blessed Fr. Damien that led to his canonization in 2009. Audrey and I first met in July 2008 and have been good friends ever since: I see her during every trip I make to the islands (December was my 12th!), often with her husband Yuki. She is a lovely nonagenarian and a living history book on the Hawaiian islands. Audrey is the grandmother at whose knees you always want to sit and listen to her stories!

This was in the latest edition of the Hawaii Catholic Herald:

Canonization cause for Joseph Dutton proceeds to Rome