HONOLULU -- Oahu Catholics on Sunday celebrated at a special Thanksgiving Mass downtown at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral.

They rejoiced at the official announcement that the Rev. Damien de Veuster of Molokai will be canonized as a saint in Rome Oct. 11.

The Bishop of Honolulu Larry Silva made the announcement Saturday in a teleconference from Rome.

It has been 120 years since Father Damien, who gave his life to comfort and care for the forgotten patients of Molokai, died from Hansen's disease.

On Sunday at a news conference downtown came the long-awaited news by telephone from Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva in Rome for the announcement.

"I am just very overwhelmed," Silva said. "I thank God for the privilege of being here."

Father Damien will be among 10 to be canonized. His ceremony will be held at a Mass at the Vatican in St. Peters Square Oct. 11.

Thousands will be there, including Hansen's patients from Kalaupapa. The Catholic diocese has promised to take them to Rome for the occasion.

"I think the people of Kalaupapa certainly have been waiting for this for many generations," Silva said. "I think there will be great joy and I thank God this happened while there are still some patients there."

Damien's sainthood depended on verification of two medical miracles.

Eighty-year-old Audrey Toguchi is considered to be one of the miracles.

After praying to Damien, Toguchi's cancer, which had spread from her hip to her lungs, healed.

"I just put my whole self in Father Damien's hands," Toguchi said.

Toguchi's doctor said the healing of Toguchi's lungs without medical treatment is one for the record books.

"This is a very durable, unexplainable event," Dr. Walter Y.M. Chang said.

Toguchi said she will be in Rome for Damien's canonization.

"Of course, I cannot let him down because he's never let me down," she said.