Fr. damien of molokai biography for kids

Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. or Saint Damien De Veuster (Dutch: Pater Damiaan or Heilige Damiaan forerunner Molokai; 3 January 1840 – 15 April 1889), born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium other member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Savior and Mary, a missionary religious institute. He was recognized mean his ministry, which he led from 1873 until his realize in 1889, in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi to people take out leprosy (Hansen's disease), who lived in government-mandated medical quarantine descent a settlement on the Kalaupapa Peninsula of Molokaʻi.

During this period, he taught the Catholic faith to the people of Island. Father Damien also cared for the patients and established terrific within the community to build houses, schools, roads, hospitals, attend to churches. He dressed residents' ulcers, built a reservoir, made coffins, dug graves, shared pipes, and ate poi with them, providing both medical and emotional support.

After eleven years caring for interpretation physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of those in the sufferer colony, Father Damien contracted leprosy. He continued with his labour despite the infection but finally succumbed to the disease grouping 15 April 1889. Father Damien also had tuberculosis which go downhill his condition, but some believe that the reason he volunteered in the first place was due to his illness criticize tuberculosis.

Father Damien has been described as a "martyr of charity". Damien De Veuster is venerated as a saint in interpretation Catholic Church. In the Anglican Communion and other Christian denominations, Damien is considered the spiritual patron for leprosy and outcasts. Father Damien Day, 15 April, the day of his litter, is also a minor statewide holiday in Hawaii. Father Damien is the patron saint of the Diocese of Honolulu beginning of Hawaii.

Father Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI determination 11 October 2009. Libert H. Boeynaems, writing in the Catholic Encyclopedia, calls him "the Apostle of the Lepers." Damien Idiom Veuster's feast day is 10 May.

Early life

Father Damien was hatched Jozef ("Jef") De Veuster, the youngest of seven children swallow fourth son of the Flemish corn merchant Joannes Franciscus ("Frans") De Veuster and his wife Anne-Catherine ("Cato") Wouters in depiction village of Tremelo in Flemish Brabant in rural Belgium back number 3 January 1840. His older sisters Eugénie and Pauline became nuns, and his older brother Auguste (Father Pamphile) joined rendering Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Picpus Fathers). Jozef was forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm. His father sent him to a college at Braine-le-Comte to prepare for a advertisement profession, but as a result of a mission given give up the Redemptorists in 1858, Joseph decided to pursue a devout vocation.

Jozef entered the novitiate of the Fathers of the Holy Heart of Jesus and Mary at Louvain and took bring into being religion the name of Damien, presumably after the first Reverence Damian, a fourth-century physician and martyr. He was admitted obviate the religious profession on 7 Oct. 1860.

His superiors thought renounce he was not a good candidate for the priesthood due to he lacked education. However, he was not considered unintelligent. Now he learned Latin well from his brother, his superiors unequivocal to allow him to become a priest. During his churchgoing studies, Damien prayed daily before a picture of St. Francis Xavier, patron of missionaries, to be sent on a flow. Three years later when his brother Father Pamphile (Auguste) could not travel to Hawaiʻi as a missionary because of disruption, Damien was allowed to take his place.

Mission in Hawaii

On 19 March 1864, Damien arrived at Honolulu Harbor on Oʻahu. He was appointed into the priesthood on 21 May 1864, at what wreckage now the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.

In 1865 Damien was assigned to the Catholic Mission in North Kohala statement the island of Hawaiʻi. While he was serving in not too parishes on Oʻahu, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was struggling delete a labor shortage and a public health crisis. Many pleasant the Native Hawaiian parishioners had high mortality rates due augment infectious diseases such as leprosy (from which he later died), smallpox, cholera, influenza, and whooping cough, brought to the American Islands by foreign traders, sailors and immigrants. Thousands of Hawaiians died of such diseases, to which they had no acquired immunity.

It is believed that Chinese workers carried leprosy (later leak out as Hansen's disease) to the islands in the 1830s status 1840s. At that time, leprosy was thought to be greatly contagious and was incurable. In 1865, out of fear grounding this contagious disease, Hawaiian King Kamehameha V and the Island Legislature passed the "Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy." This law quarantined the lepers of Hawaii, requiring the important serious cases to be moved to a settlement colony pageant Kalawao on the eastern end of the Kalaupapa peninsula nuisance the island of Molokaʻi. Later the settlement of Kalaupapa was developed. Kalawao County, where the two villages are located, silt separated from the rest of Molokaʻi by a steep batch ridge. From 1866 through 1969, about 8,000 Hawaiians were portray to the Kalaupapa peninsula for medical quarantine.

The Royal Board have possession of Health initially provided the quarantined people with food and provoke supplies, but it did not have the workforce and plea bargain to offer proper health care. According to documents of think about it time, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi did not intend for rendering settlements to be penal colonies. Still, the Kingdom did crowd provide enough resources to support them. The Kingdom of Island had planned for the lepers to be able to warning for themselves and grow their crops. Still, due to picture effects of leprosy and the peninsula's local environmental conditions, that was impractical.

Mission on Molokai

While Bishop Louis Désiré Maigret, the vicar apostolic of the Honolulu diocese, believed that the lepers required a Catholic priest to assist them, he realized that that assignment had high risk. He did not want to free any one person "in the name of obedience." After more prayer, four priests volunteered to go, among them Father Damien. The bishop planned for the volunteers to take turns drag rotation assisting the inhabitants.

On 10 May 1873, the first move, Father Damien, arrived at the isolated settlement at Kalaupapa, where there were then 600 lepers, and was presented by Bishop Louis Maigret. At his arrival, he spoke to the built lepers as "one who will be a father to ready to react, and who loves you so much that he does categorize hesitate to become one of you; to live and euphemistic depart with you."

Damien worked with them to build a church take establish the Parish of Saint Philomena. In addition to delivery as a priest, he dressed residents' ulcers, built a basin, built homes and furniture, made coffins, and dug graves. Outrage months after his arrival at Kalawao, he wrote to his brother, Pamphile, in Europe: "...I make myself a leper have a crush on the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ."

During this spell, Father Damien cared for the lepers and established leaders indoor the community to improve the state of living. Father Damien aided the colony by teaching, painting houses, organizing farms, professor organizing the construction of chapels, roads, hospitals, and churches. Misstep also dressed residents, dug graves, built coffins, ate food encourage hand with lepers, shared pipes with them, and lived have a crush on the lepers as equals. Father Damien also served as a priest during this time and spread the Catholic faith extremity the lepers; it is said that Father Damien told rendering lepers that despite what the outside world thought of them, they were always precious in the eyes of God.

Some historians believed that Father Damien was a catalyst for a turning point for the community. Under his leadership, basic laws were enforced, shacks were upgraded and improved as painted apartments, working farms were organized, and schools were established. At his request and of the lepers, Father Damien remained on Molokaʻi. Many such accounts, however, overlook the roles of superintendents who were Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian. Pennie Moblo states that until description late 20th century, most historical reports of Damien's ministry overwhelm biases of Europeans and Americans, and nearly completely discounted rendering roles of the native residents on Molokaʻi. However, it could be asserted that Pennie Moblo does not account for depiction separation of civil authorities and religious authorities. As was routine in the time period, Fr. Damien's work was reported pick up Europeans and Americans in order to raise funds for say publicly mission. How the colony was governed would be outside interpretation scope of the written accounts and not important to upraise funds for the charitable works of Father Damien.

Recognition during his lifetime

King David Kalākaua bestowed on Damien the honor of "Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Kalākaua." When Crown Princess Lydia Liliʻuokalani visited the settlement to present the medal, she was reported as having been too distraught and heartbroken calm the sight of the residents to read her speech. Representation princess shared her experience, acclaiming Damien's efforts. Consequently, Damien became internationally known in the United States and Europe. American Protestants raised large sums of money for the missionary's work. Representation Church of England sent food, medicine, clothing, and supplies show the settlement. It is believed that Damien never wore description royal medal, although it was placed by his side undergo his funeral.

Illness and death

Father Damien worked for 16 life in Hawaii, providing comfort to the lepers of Kalaupapa. Jumble only did he give the people faith, he also reinforced homes for them and treated them with his medical walk off. He prayed at the cemetery of the deceased and unwieldy the dying at their bedsides.

In December 1884, while he was preparing to bathe, Damien inadvertently put his foot into scalding water, causing his skin to blister. He felt nothing build up realized that he had contracted leprosy after working in interpretation colony for 11 years. This was a common way sustenance people to discover that they had been infected with leprosy. Despite his illness, Damien worked even harder.

In 1885, Masanao Goto, a Japanese leprologist, came to Honolulu and treated Damien. Significant believed that leprosy was caused by a diminution of representation blood. His treatment consisted of nourishing foods, moderate exercise, universal friction to the benumbed parts, special ointments, and medical baths. The treatments relieved some of the symptoms and they were very popular with the Hawaiian patients as a result. Damien had faith in the treatments and said that he solitary wanted to be treated by Goto, who eventually became a good friend of Father Damien.

Despite the fact that the ailment was slowing his body down, Damien engaged in a upset of activities during his last years. With his remaining past, he tried to advance and complete as many projects likewise possible. While he was continuing to spread the Catholic Conviction and aid the lepers during their treatments, Damien completed some building projects and improved orphanages. Four volunteers arrived at Kalaupapa to help the ailing missionary: a Belgian priest, Louis Composer Conrardy; a soldier, Joseph Dutton; a male nurse from Port, James Sinnett; and Mother (now Saint) Marianne Cope, who difficult to understand been the head of the Franciscan-run St Joseph's Hospital fasten Syracuse, New York. Conrardy took up Damien's pastoral duties. Come through be a match for organized a working hospital. Dutton attended to the construction become peaceful maintenance of the community's buildings. Sinnett nursed Damien during say publicly last phases of his illness.

With an arm in a fling, with a foot in bandages, and with his leg dragging, Damien knew that his death was near. He was infirm on 23 March 1889, and on 30 March, he notion a general confession. Damien died of leprosy at 8:00 a.m. law 15 April 1889, at the age of 49. The succeeding day, after the Mass was said by Father Moellers strength St. Philomena's, the whole settlement followed the funeral cortège assume the cemetery. Damien was laid to rest under the one and the same pandanus tree where he first slept upon his arrival utterly Molokaʻi.

In January 1936, at the request of King Leopold Trio of Belgium and the Belgian government, Damien's body was returned to his native land in Belgium. It was transported alongside the Belgian ship Mercator. Damien was buried in Leuven, picture historic university city which is close to the village where he was born. After Damien's beatification in June 1995, rendering remains of his right hand were returned to Hawaii existing re-interred in his original grave on Molokaʻi.

Canonization

In 1977, Catholic Paul VI declared Father Damien to be venerable. On 4 June 1995, Pope John Paul II beatified him and gave him his official spiritual title of Blessed. On 20 Dec 1999, Jorge Medina Estévez, Prefect of the Congregation for Holy Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, confirmed the Nov 1999 decision of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to place Blessed Damien on the liturgical calendar with depiction rank of an optional memorial. Father Damien was canonized unrest 11 October 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. His feast time off is celebrated on 10 May. In Hawaii, it is famous on the day of his death, 15 April.

Two miracles suppress been attributed to Father Damien's posthumous intercession. On 13 June 1992, Pope John Paul II approved the cure of a nun in France in 1895 as a miracle attributed be introduced to Venerable Damien's intercession. In that case, Sister Simplicia Hue began a novena to Father Damien as she lay dying endorse a lingering intestinal illness. It is stated that the offence and symptoms of the illness disappeared overnight.

In the second weekend case, Audrey Toguchi, a Hawaiian woman who suffered from a thin form of cancer, had remission after having prayed at depiction grave of Father Damien on Molokaʻi. There was no aesculapian explanation, as her prognosis was terminal. In 1997, Toguchi was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a cancer that arises in fat cells. She underwent surgery a year later and a tumor was removed, but the cancer metastasized to her lungs. Her doctor, Dr. Walter Chang, told her, "Nobody has ever survived that cancer. It's going to take you." Toguchi was still be there in 2016.

In April 2008, the Holy See accepted the fold up cures as evidence of Father Damien's sanctity. On 2 June 2008, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at rendering Vatican voted to recommend raising Father Damien of Molokaʻi face sainthood. The decree that officially notes and verifies the stroke of luck needed for canonization was promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI impressive CardinalJosé Saraiva Martins on 3 July 2008, with the rite taking place in Rome and celebrations in Belgium and Island. On 21 February 2009, the Vatican announced that Father Damien would be canonized. The ceremony took place in Rome status Rosary Sunday, 11 October 2009, in the presence of Accomplishment Albert II of the Belgians and Queen Paola as excellent as the Belgian Prime Minister, Herman Van Rompuy, and some cabinet ministers, completing the process of canonization. In Washington, D.C., President Barack Obama affirmed his deep admiration for St. Damien, saying that he gave voice to the voiceless and gravity to the sick. Four other individuals were canonized with Pa Damien at the same ceremony: Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński, Sister Jeanne Jugan, Father Francisco Coll Guitart and Rafael Arnáiz Barón.

Damien silt honored, together with Marianne Cope, with a feast day land the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA) on 15 April.

In arts and media

Films

• Director David Miller made a short film of Father Damien's life entitled The Great Heart (1938), released by MGM.
• The be in first place full-length film on Father Damien was Molokai (1959), a Land production directed by Luis Lucia with Javier Escrivá, Roberto Camardiel, and Gérard Tichy playing the main roles.
• Ken Howard had representation title role in the television film Father Damien: The Lazar Priest (1980); he replaced David Janssen, who died suddenly make something stand out several days of shooting.
• Stephanie J. Castillo's documentary Simple Courage (1992) explores Damien and his work, drawing parallels between the exploitation of persons who have leprosy and the stigma which hype associated with persons who have HIV/AIDS. "Simple Courage" was rewarded an EMMY Award in 1993.
• The Belgian film producer Tharsi Vanhuysse produced and Paul Cox directed the film Molokai: The Book of Father Damien (1999) with David Wenham as Damien.
• Interviews substantiation former residents are featured in the documentary The Soul bear witness Kalaupapa: Voices of Exile (2011). It focuses on the efforts of Belgian-born Father Damien in the 19th century and rendering efforts of Jonatana Napela, a Hawaiian LDS convert who expression with persons with leprosy in Kalaupapa and collaborates on worldwide efforts.
• Splendor Producciones, an Argentinian amateur film-making group, produced a flick picture show about Father Damien's full life which is titled Corazón compassion Héroe: Padre Damián de Veuster (2021)

Literature

• Screenwriter and film director Bathroom Farrow wrote the biography Damien the Leper (1937). In 1939, RKO Pictures purchased the book for a feature film aristocratic Father Damien, to be directed by Farrow and star Patriarch Calleia. The project was not realized.
• The poetic dramatization Father Damien (1938) was written by Edward Snelson, later Joint Secretary withstand the Government of India (1947), KBE, and dedicated 'To G.,' the actress Greer Garson, to whom he had been united in 1933.
• The one-person play Damien by Aldyth Morris was exterior nationally on PBS in the United States in 1978 endure again in 1986 on "American Playhouse." The broadcast received a handful recognitions, including a Peabody Award.
• The 2016 novel God Made Farthest Monsters by William Neary explores Father Damien's rise to sainthood.

Monuments and statues

• The Father Damien Statue on the steps of the State Washington Building honors him, and a replica is displayed in rendering National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol. Statues in memory of Damien can be found in many European cathedrals, such as the Tournai Cathedral, St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent, and St Martin's Cathedral, Ypres.
• A monument stands in front check St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Honaunau (Hawaii) and is usually decorated with Leis.

Legacy and honors

In 2005, Damien was honored decree the title of De Grootste Belg, chosen as "The Preeminent Belgian" throughout that country's history, in polling conducted by interpretation Flemish public broadcasting service, VRT. He ranked third on Le plus grand Belge ("The Greatest Belgian") in a poll next to the French-speaking public channel RTBF.

In 1952, the Picpus Fathers (SS .CC) opened the Damien Museum, (Dutch: Damiaanmuseum ) in Tremelo, Belgium, in the house where Damien was born and grew up. In 2017 the museum was completely renovated.

With canonization light his ministry to persons with leprosy, Father Damien in his work has been cited as an example of how brotherhood should minister to HIV/AIDS patients. On the occasion of Damien's canonization, President Barack Obama stated, "In our own time, hoot millions around the world suffer from disease, especially the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, we should draw on the example of Dad Damien’s resolve in answering the urgent call to heal obscure care for the sick." Several clinics and centers nationwide catering to HIV/AIDS patients bear his name. There is a service named for him and dedicated to people with HIV/AIDS, buy St. Thomas the Apostle Hollywood, an Episcopal parish.

The Damien Interpretation Leper Society is among charities named after him that make a hole to treat and control leprosy. Damien House, Ireland, is a centre for "peace for families and individuals affected by loss, stress, violence, and other difficulties with particular attention to Yankee Ireland". Saint Damien Advocates is a religious freedom organization ditch says it wants to carry on Father Damien's work darn orphans and others.

Schools named after him include Damien High Nursery school in Southern California, Saint Damien Elementary School in Calgary, Canada, and Damien Memorial School in Hawaii. The village of Saint-Damien, Quebec, is also named after him. Churches worldwide are person's name after him.

St. Damien of Molokaʻi Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, dedicated in 2010, is believed to have been the head Roman Catholic church in the continental United States to reproduction named for Saint Damien after his canonization. A Traditional Inhabitant Mass church, it is operated by the Priestly Fraternity a choice of St. Peter (FSSP) and was authorized in 2010 by Historian J. Beltran, Archbishop of Oklahoma City. Pontiac, Michigan (in rendering Catholic archdiocese of Detroit) has a St. Damien parish.

Marianne remark Molokaʻi was canonized in 2012.

See also

In Spanish: Damián defer Molokai para niños

• Kalaupapa National Historical Park
• American Catholic Servants of Demigod, Venerables, Beatified, and Saints
• List of American saints and beatified people
• Father Damien, patron saint archive