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Aloha Mass on Jan. 31 set for Mother Cope

An aloha Mass for Mother Marianne Cope, who helped care for leprosy patients at Kalaupapa, Molokai, and could be considered for Catholic sainthood, is scheduled for Jan. 31 at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in downtown Honolulu.

Her remains are to arrive earlier in the day from Kalaupapa and will lie in state at the cathedral beginning at 3 p.m. The Mass is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Exhumation of her remains will begin at Kalaupapa next Monday. The remains are to be returned to the Franciscan motherhouse in Syracuse, N.Y., where a shrine is being constructed for veneration by the faithful.

Three Franciscan nuns from Syracuse are to leave Saturday for Hawaii to accompany the remains of a woman who led their religious community more than a century ago.

Pope John Paul II accepted a report last month of a miracle attributed to the intervention of Cope. That cleared the way for beatification, expected this year, the last step before canonization, or sainthood. As part of the process, Cope's remains must be exhumed and identified.

Once beatified, she takes the title "Blessed" and is assigned a feast day on the church calendar. Acceptance of a second miracle is required for sainthood.

Cope left Syracuse for Hawaii in 1883. She and two other nuns were sent to Kalaupapa from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in 1888. She died at Kalaupapa in 1918 at the age of 80.

$1 million released for Hoopono Annex

Gov. Linda Lingle has released $1 million in general obligation bond funds for the renovation of the Hoopono Annex of the Lanakila Rehabilitation Center in Liliha.

The center's building is owned by the state and leased to the private, nonprofit agency. The Hoopono Annex is used for adult day services, life-skill building programs for the disabled and the Meals on Wheels program, which delivers hot meals to people in need.

The building has not had a major renovation since it was built 35 years ago, a release from the Governor's Office said.

The two-phase renovation project began in October and includes expanding the kitchen; meeting health and safety standards; upgrading fire, electrical and disability access; redesign of adult day-care service areas; construction of living and educational spaces; and a new roof.

Total project cost is $6.7 million, of which the state is providing $1.5 million and the federal government $2.8 million; $2.4 million is being sought through private donations. Lt. Gov. James Aiona is an honorary campaign chairman for the capital campaign.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Woman's body found in submerged car

A snorkeler found a dead woman inside a car about 10 feet underwater off the Pohoiki boat ramp in Puna on the Big Island yesterday.

Police said the snorkeler spotted the woman in a 1995 two-door Ford Thunderbird 50 feet from the shoreline at 7:26 a.m. The vehicle was filled with water.

Police said the woman was a resident of Hawaiian Beaches in Puna. Her identification has not been released pending notification of family members. Police said they do not know how the vehicle got in the water. An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death. Anyone with information on the incident can call Police Officer David Abelaye at 966-5835.

NORTH SHORE

Surf reaching 35 feet is expected today

North Shore lifeguards were busy warning beachgoers yesterday to stay away from the shoreline as waves as high as 20 feet roared in. But lifeguards and Civil Defense volunteers are bracing for high surf that is expected to reach 35 feet today.

A high-surf warning was issued yesterday for the north- and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu and Molokai through tomorrow. The surf was expected to peak last night and continue today. Tim Craig, lead forecaster of the National Weather Service, said the large waves are expected to subside tomorrow.

HONOLULU

Man, 61, dies while swimming at Waikiki

A 61-year-old man died at Waikiki Beach on Saturday. Police said the man went swimming and was later found floating in the water at about 4:19 p.m.

Attempts to revive the victim were unsuccessful.