SACRED HEART PARISH - PAHOA

The Our Lady of Sorrows statue was commissioned from China by Jonathan Perreira, son of Isabelle and John Perreira. It was originally ordered to have the resemblance of St. Marianne Cope, which obviously the statue does not have. It was then by public acclamation that the statue became that of Our Lady of Sorrows.

The statue was originally destined to be displayed either at St Joseph Church or at St. Joseph School in Hilo. It appears that the leaders of the two said destinations did not deem their places suitable for the devotion to the Lady of Sorrows. The 8-foot-tall solid white marble statue remained packed at St Joseph School storage shed since 2012.

Only then, the Perreira Family thought of offering the statue to the Sacred Heart Church Pahoa graveyard “to honor” the outstanding parish services of Isabelle Andrade Perreira and Remigio Salazar.

The definite transfer of the statue to the Pahoa church graveyard did not materialize for 10 years and for many reasons. The renewed insistent desire of transporting the statue to the Pahoa church complex was solicited by Mike Tavares, grandson of the Perreira couple, through the long-time Sacred Heart parishioner, George Salazar.

In 2018, the St Joseph School principal, Dr. Llewellyn Young indicated to the then-newly assigned Administrator of Pahoa Parish that the statue had to be finally transported to the church complex. The effects of the pandemic prolonged the processes of the actual transfer. Meanwhile, for unknown reasons, the statue was now to be found at St. Theresa’s Church – Mountain View and there it could still be seen in its original wooden casing.

At the beginning of this year 2022, there have been prolonged phone calls and continuous insistence of the grandson of the Perreira couple with Sharen Chaves who was requested by the Parish Administrator to deal with the transfer of the statue. Finally, the pastor of St Theresa’s – Mountain View gave a strong suggestion that in September 2022 the transporting of the statue had to be accomplished.

With the coordination programmed by Mr. Jim Manion, the present chairperson of the Sacred Heart – Pahoa Parish Building, Planning and Maintenance, and the generosity of Roberta and Allen Mendes of St Theresa’s Church – Mountain View, the statue was brought from St Theresa’s Church to the graveyard of Sacred Heart Church on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 11:11 in the morning. With the help of four volunteers at Sacred Heart Church, the temporary platform upon which the statue stands secure was done. A more stable base is planned to be constructed at a later time.

The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows can now be seen and admired at her post near the 11th and 12th Stations of the Parish “Way of the Cross” Meditation Trail, “in her absolutely stunning posture of humility and supplication,” praying for us and with us.

The once “homeless” statue has at last found shelter on the grounds of Sacred Heart

Church – Pahoa and hopefully, in the hearts of all.

Aloha,

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