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Kalaupapa

Kalaupap Peninsula and Kalawao County news, articles, and stories.

The Gathering Place

Wednesday, November 1st, 2023

Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

The Irish parliament (Dail) members were gathering for an important legislative session. As they all filed in to take their seats, there was a lot of semi-formal chatter with some money being exchanged. One member rushed in somewhat late, sat down, then unsure what already happened, he leaned over to his neighbor and asked, “Has the meeting started yet?” 

The other member chuckled and said, “No. This is the time for placing of bets for the Sunday game.” 

Well at least the Irish members of parliament get their priorities straight, unlike other gatherings of government representatives!…

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The New Recruits

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Community Contributed 

Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

“There is a season for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens,” Ecclesiastes 3.

It was the time for police recruitment in a small town and the story goes that the police sergeant was in the process of interviewing a candidate for a position in the town police department. 

He asked the candidate, “if you had to arrest your wife for reckless speeding, what would you do?” 

The applicant replied, “I would call for backup, Sir.” 

The sergeant followed up with, “what’s your biggest weakness?” 

The applicant replied, “my principal weakness is my problem with reality.…

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Kalaupapa Barge Day

Wednesday, August 16th, 2023

Community Contributed

By Father Pat Killilea, St Francis Church, Kalaupapa

It was Saturday morning and I was enjoying my extra hour of rest since Saturday Mass is celebrated at 7 a.m. rather than at the usual weekday hour of 6 a.m. Suddenly, I was awakened by a couple of really loud and enthusiastic “meows” and when this did not receive the intended response from me, Titus The Tiger, the number two of my seven cats, launched his plump body onto my bed. Titus had never done this previously, even though I often permit him and Bailey, my number one cat, to stay in the house overnight.…

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Electric Upgrades for Kalaupapa

Wednesday, July 19th, 2023

By Jack Kiyonaga, Reporter 

Residents of Kalaupapa will soon benefit from essential upgrades to their electrical distribution system, including a comprehensive eicr inspection to ensure safety and efficiency.

Superintendent of the Kalaupapa National Historic Park, Nancy Holman, explained that the Kalaupapa community faces problems with the electric system at least once every couple of months. 

“The components of the system are pretty old,” said Holman, “lots of exposure to the elements down here.” 

The last time the Kalaupapa electric system was upgraded was in 1969. 

“Any project at Kalaupapa is challenging due to logistical restraints such as barge access, transport and lodging for workers, environmental impacts such as salt air, high winds and pests all deteriorate materials quickly, sensitivity for impacts to patient residents, protection of cultural and natural resources, cost… just to name a few,” explained Holman.…

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Stranded

Wednesday, March 8th, 2023

Community Contributed

By Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

Flight 583 from Honolulu to Kalaupapa was rather bumpy but we made it safely across the treacherous waters of the Ka’iwi Channel. The plane looped around the south side of Molokai island, then headed north before turning to the right and shortly thereafter preparing to land. At which, the cry went up, “This is not Kalaupapa.” Sure enough, we were about to land at Ho’olehua, the topside Molokai airport. We were not happy. We had landed at the wrong airport and it was close to sunset.

Sunday, Feb. 19, had started well for me.…

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Ship Ahoy!

Wednesday, August 31st, 2022

Community Contributed

Opinion by Father Pat Killilea

It was 7:30 a.m. as it arrived at the outer fringes of the inner harbor. By 8 a.m. it was being nudged closer to the pier by two tugboats and at 8:30 a.m., it had nestled close to the dock. Then at 9 a.m., the action began for real. It had been one of the earliest dockings of the Young Brothers barge during my 10 years here in Kalaupapa.

As I sat on my front porch, the crew were unloading empty shipping containers off the barge. Old friend Lionel from Hawaii Island stopped by to say hello and told me that these containers would be filled with metal and wood scraps before going back on the barge.…

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Gov. Signs Bill Appropriating $5M for Kalaupapa Memorial

Wednesday, July 6th, 2022

Gov. Signs Bill Appropriating $5M for Kalaupapa Memorial

Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa News Release 

Governor David Ige signed a bill passed by the State Legislature that appropriates $5 million to plan and build The Kalaupapa Memorial. Ige signed the bill, which was proposed by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, last Wednesday in a ceremony in his offices at the State Capitol.

“I really want to thank everyone involved with getting this measure to my desk,” said Ige.

The Governor singled out Senators Lynn DeCoite and Brian Taniguchi for their persistence in leading the effort in the State Senate to pass the bill to fund The Kalaupapa Memorial that will list the names of the nearly 8,000 men, women and children who were taken from their families and forcibly isolated on the peninsula known as Kalaupapa because they were diagnosed with leprosy, now also known as Hansen’s disease.…

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Down To Earth

Wednesday, July 6th, 2022

Community Contributed

Opinion by Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

It was 4:30 a.m. as I stepped out onto the back porch and looked skyward. There it was, clearly visible to the naked eye and moving rapidly in my direction from the western sky, the International Space Station. Its sight took me back to that night in my freshman year in St. Joseph’s secondary school when we, in our pajamas, stuck our heads out the dormitory windows to catch a glimpse of the Russian Sputnik as it passed by overhead. Now, as the space station swiftly moved past my range of vision, Bailey and Titus, my longest serving mouseketeers, brought me back to earth as they showed up at my feet.…

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The Heart of the Matter

Wednesday, May 25th, 2022

Community Contributed

Opinion by Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

I had been attempting to entertain the accompanying nurses when the anesthesiologist stuck this gadget in my mouth, presumably to keep me quiet. Then he told me to take a deep breath and then to exhale which I did. He then repeated the command which I obeyed and I swiftly slipped into the land of nod, trusting my heart to my lovely cardiologist, Dr. Carol Lai. She would zap my ticker back into a normal rhythm and would take pictures of that same ticker. When I returned to wakefulness, she had disappeared but I saw an angel hovering over me in the person of a most tender, loving care nurse.…

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Kalaupapa Memorial to Get $5M

Thursday, May 19th, 2022

Kalaupapa Memorial to Get $5M

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

For almost 20 years, families and members of nonprofit Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa have been working to make the Kalaupapa Memorial a reality, honoring the men, women and children who were taken from their families and exiled on the peninsula because they were diagnosed with Hansen’s disease. That dream came one step closer to completion when the Hawaii State Legislature approved $5 million in funding for design, planning and construction of the memorial on May 5. 

“Today was monumental for all those exiled to Kalaupapa,” said Charmaine Woodward, President of the Board of Directors of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.…

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