With gladness of heart and great joy, Randy, Tom and I send you greetings from Rome on the occaision of Damien's "Canonizzazione". 
 
The weather looked forboding at five in the morning, and the Vatican officials decided to move the ceremony from the Piazza and into St. Peter's itself.  We arrived early, but the lines were already winding down many city blocks.  Tom suggested we join the line to the left of the colonade.  Finally, the guards and police started to let the crowd in through the gates, we walked past the thousands of chairs set up outside, and right into the basilica.  We had thought that our chances of getting in were small when we arrived, but providence allowed us to witness the ceremony, while, unfortunately thousands more stood outside to watch on Jumbotrons.
 
Our seats were about half way back on the right hand side, and a red and gold throne was set in the center for the holy father.  As the procession lined up, there were only six candles, then the MC pushed forward a tardy candle bearer with the tallest candle for the center of the high altar.  

 
Rows of bishops and cardinals walked by, and then when the organ began to crescendo, the schola began "Tu es Petrus", the curtains parted, the Vatican Guards snapped to attention, and the holy father began his walk through the crowd and down the nave.
 
Five servants of God were recognized Saints today, Zygmunt Szxzensy Felinski, Francisco Coll y Guitart, Jozef Damian de Veuster, Rafael Arnaiz Baron and Marie de la Croix (Jeanne) Jugan).  I think Damien had the largest following.  Tour groups had arranged cheerful silk scarfs with the official photo and dates of the saint's lives emblazoned on in rich and beautiful colorings, which many wore around their necks.  Our Randy had a lovely lei around his neck in a show of love and support and we all wore smiles and misty eyes as we recognized bits an pieces of the ceremony in Italian, French, Spanish, Polish, Flemmish and Latin (very little English today).
 
The organ and schola were better than I remembered, and the cantor was excellent.  Randy was especially moved as we all, over 30,000 of us, chanted the Litany of the Saints and the Rite of Canonization began.  The Prefect for the Congregation of the Cause of the Saints humbly presents the names of those to be recognized.  Then the Holy Father says, Decernimus.  Then the Prefect exchanges the peace with the holy father.  The Gloria is sung and the rite ends in prayer.  Then the Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist are followed by an Apostolic blessing and the Angelus.
 
It was beautiful.  All of our clergy and parish family have been in our prayers on this red letter day.  How we made it in and found such good seating to the feast is only known in the Father's heart, perhaps our little chapel to Saint Damien inspired his intercession on our behalf.  Please know that prayers have been offered for you and all our parish family before Saints, Holy Icons and Holy Places.
 
With love and prayers via Roma,
 
Steve, Randy and Tom
  
For those of who might find it interesting, I've included information on the outline of a canonization and what "Canonizzazione" means to the cult of a saint.
 
Here is the outline of a rite of canonization:

The saint's life history is read aloud.

The pope chants the following in Latin:

In honor of the Blessed Trinity, for the exaltation of the Catholic Faith and the growth of Christian life, with the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and Our Own, after lengthy reflection, having assiduously invoked God's assistance and taken into account the opinion of many brothers of ours in the episcopate, we declare and define [name] to be a saint [or "to be blessed"], and we enroll him in the Catalogue of the saints, and we establish that in the whole Church he should be devoutly honored among the saints. In the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The person is officially recognized as blessed or as a saint at this point. A large tapestry with an image of the saint is unfurled before the faithful to admire and venerate.

 
Being canonized as a saint means that:

The saint's name is added to the catalogue of saints (meaning that veneration is authorized)

The saint is invoked in public prayers

Churches may be dedicated in the saint's memory

The Mass can be offered in the saint's honor

Feast days are celebrated in the saint's memory

Images of the saint are made in which his or her head is surrounded by a halo

The saint's relics (remains) are enclosed in vessels and publicly honored.

Blessed Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. (January 3, 1840 - April 15, 1889), born Jozef De Veuster and also known as Damien De Veuster (Dutch: Pater Damiaan or Zalige Damiaan De Veuster), was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a missionary religious order. Pope Benedict will officially declare him a saint on 11 October 2009. He won recognition for his ministry to people with leprosy (also known as Hansen's Disease), who had been placed under a government-sanctioned medical quarantine on the island of Molokai in the Kingdom of Hawaii. He eventually contracted and died of the disease, and is widely considered a "martyr of charity".