Damien Memorial School celebrates name change with special mass

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Damien Memorial School celebrated its new name, Saint Damien School, on Sunday.

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Damien De Veuster was a Belgian Roman Catholic priest and missionary who helped people on Molokai who had Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, during the 1870s before he died in 1889.

The school was founded in 1962 to honor Father Damien. He was later beatified in June 1995 and later canonized as a saint on Oct. 11, 2009.

To celebrate the school’s name change, a special mass was held Sunday at the Kalihi campus, which coincides with the 17th anniversary of Saint Damien’s canonization.

School officials said the gathering will mark a new chapter for the campus while honoring Saint Damien’s legacy of faith and service.

For alumni and staff, the change is an exciting way to honor the namesake of the school.

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“Adding saint is to honor him for what he did versus how he passed away,” said Walter “Wally” Marciel, school president and CEO. “Memorial is more on how he passed away, and we want to honor him moving forward and how he lived.”

The mass was celebrated by Rev. Monsignor Gary L. Secor, vicar general.

The school also extended the De Veuster Multi-Sport Field from 80 yards to a regulation-length 100-yard football field. Football games will continue to be played at Farrington High School, but Marciel said they hope to play football games on campus starting in 2027.

School officials said fundraising efforts for the next phase of the sports complex will continue. There are also plans to build a culinary classroom.

“We’re looking forward to generations and generations to come of the school being called Saint Damien’s School,” Marciel said.

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