La Salette Father Napoleon Andres blesses St. Raphael’s stations. (Photo courtesy of Bob Dwinell)
By Bob Dwinell | Special to the Herald
La Salette Father Napoleon Andres blessed the new outdoor Stations of the Cross at St. Raphael Parish in Koloa, Kauai, on June 25.
He was assisted by La Salette Father Edison Pamintuan who designed the meandering trail following a suggestion by parishioner Sonny Gerardo about 18 months ago.
Approximately 45 families donated funds for the project.
Thousands of hours of loving labor went into building each station and pouring 87 cubic yards of concrete for the 1,500-foot pathway from near the new church to the Risen Christ Grotto, formerly a grotto of Lourdes.
Hundreds of plants and flowers were planted along the route, and a watering system installed.
Most of the volunteers were parishioners, but an Alaskan couple spent their whole winter working on the project.
After the blessing, parishioners joined in a farewell dinner for Father Andres who has been reassigned to St. Joseph Church in Makawao, Maui.
The grotto, redesigned by Father Pamintuan, was inaugurated at this year’s Easter sunrise service under a sudden downpour which did little to dampen the spirits of the 200 people celebrating.