Religion Briefs
Star-Bulletin staff &
Associated Press
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State Jehovah's Witnesses converge in Mililani
The annual convention of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Hawaii is continuing this weekend at the denomination's Assembly Hall at 239 Palii St. in Mililani Technology Park.
About 16,000 people are expected to attend the convention, which is held in 12 weekend increments for members from different geographical areas throughout the state.
"Guided by God's Spirit" is the theme of the conference, which features scriptural and spiritual talks by members and a costumed Bible drama. Meetings are presented in Chinese, Korean, Samoan, Tagalog, Spanish, Japanese, Chuukese and Marshallese as well as English.
The sessions are open to the public.
Dervishes whirl tonight
Turkish devotional music and the moving meditation of whirling dervishes will be presented in a program tonight at the Academy of the Pacific's Damon Hall, 913 Alewa Drive.
The program by members of the Mevlevi Order of America will begin at 7 p.m.
"Rumi Evening: Song of the Heart" also will feature readings of the poetry of Rumi,
internationally famous 13th-century poet and mystic of the Islamic Sufi tradition, whose writing is still popular.
General admission is $15 with discounts for students and senior citizens.
Church plans Damien museum
Renewed interest in the story of Father Damien, the Roman Catholic priest who ministered to leprosy patients in 19th-century Hawaii, has prompted a parish to lay plans for a museum in his honor.
The pending canonization that will transform the Rev. Damien de Veuster from "blessed" to "saint" has revived interest in artifacts connected to the priest.
The items - stored in an air-conditioned room out of public view - include a lock of hair, carpentry tools and reading glasses.
A Waikiki church, St. Augustine Catholic Church, has received approval to build a museum but has yet to purchase a neighboring store for the project. The ABC Store is not on the market.
"We're hoping and praying there might be a compassionate heart where they would be open to at least looking to the possibility of selling," said the Rev. Lane Akiona, the pastor at St. Augustine.