[Salvation]

For you inspiration. What a story of service to mankind.

[Salvation]

Catholic Forum

JOSEPH de VEUSTER

Also known as

Father Damien

Memorial

15 April

Profile

Son of a small farmer. Studied at the College of Braine-le-Comte. Joined the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Picpus Fathers) on 7 October 1860, taking the name Damien. Seminarian in Paris, France. Volunteered for missionary work while still in seminary, and was sent to Hawaii. Ordained in Honolulu on 24 May 1864. Missionary on islands where his single parish was the size of all of his native Belgium. Resident priest in the leper colony on Molokai where for years he worked alone to minister to the patients' spiritual and medical needs. His work turned a wretched dump for the unwanted into a real community with the best treatment of the day, and patients who lived strong spiritual lives. He contracted leprosy in 1885, and though severely crippled by the disease, Father Damien worked until the end.

Born

3 January 1840 on the family farm at Tremeloo, Belgium

Died

15 April 1889 at Molokai, Hawaii from leprosy; buried next to Saint Philomena Church, Molokai, Hawaii; interred in the cathedral at Antwerp, Belgium in 1936

Name Meaning

whom the Lord adds (Joseph)

Venerated

1977 by Pope Paul VI

Beatified

3 June 1995 by Pope John Paul II

Canonized

pending

Additional Information

Catholic Online
Find A Grave
Heroes Every Child Should Know
Catholic Encyclopedia
Kalaupapa National Historial Park
Saint Michael's Center
Saints Alive
New Catholic Dictionary

[ConorMacNessa]

Blessed Damian exemplifies the heroicity of virtue and sacrifice that is the mark of a saint. I hope his canonization occurs soon.

[Global2010]

Took Chris to Kaanapali (sp) when he was smaller and portable and we could see the Island Fr. Damian served on from our hotel room.

Ahhhhh memories of roasted pig and Poi Poi.

I also remember reading about the Nuns (nurses) who first arrived at the Island and found the horrid living conditions and all the work they did to clean up and make it habitable.

Don't remember the Sisters name.

[dighton]

By Robert Louis Stevenson,

Father Damien: an open letter to the Reverend Dr. Hyde of Honolulu

[LadyDoc]

There is a new book about Molokai that they discussed recently on C-Span. It includes information about Damian.

Molokai

And the head of the sisters who went there to nurse is also up for canonization.

[Spyder]

My husband and I took the mule ride down into Kalaupapa a few years back and took the tour of the place. What an experience! I’m not Catholic, but even I was rooting for the guy for sainthood when we finished the tour. It’s a beautiful spot, hard to imagine the horrors that occured there in years past. The entire day was the closest I’ve had to a true religious experience in years.