In 1873, at his request, he was sent to the leper colony at molokai. He responded to gods call to enter the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary, taking the name of a fourthcentury physician and martyr, st. In 1860, he joined the sacred heart fathers, and was ordained a priest in 1864 on the island of honolulu, hawaii. Damien, father, saint, 18401889 lc linked data service. Growing up on the farm, jozef was prepared to take over for his family, but he did not want the responsibility. This, of course, is not to diminish the role of the poverello in my spiritual journey as one of my favorite guides, but is to say instead that something in father damien reached more deeply into my soul than did saint francis.
A special guardian must have been watching over the little stone church for the last century. Damien in the bible of a visitor to the island greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Upon his oldest brother pamphile entering the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary, at the age of, joseph quit going to school when his help was needed on the family farm fulltime. It was presumed that young joseph would someday take over the family farm. At age 19, he joined the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary. Joseph became father damien and was sent as a missionary to hawaii and, eventually, to molokai to become a priest for those suffering from leprosy. Cc, he supplanted saint francis of assisi as my favorite saint. Damien of molokai parish in pontiac michigan, formerly parishes of st. He was unable to finish school because he was needed on his familys farm at the age of. Damien, and soon volunteered to go to the hawaiian islands in place of a brother who had. He joined the same community his brother had joined and took the name damien. It is often just one decision that releases the bolt, opening the door to. Saint damien certainly knows a thing or two about infectious diseases and the feelings of being outcast from having them. His was a large family and his father was a farmermerchant.
He studied at the college at brainelecomte, belgium. He spent the rest of his life, including the four years from his own contracting of leprosy until his death, ministering to the lepers. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. When his oldest brother entered the congregation of the sacred hearts called picpus after the street in paris where its generalate was located. Damiens brother had dreamed of being a missionary overseas. It is operated by the sacred hearts fathers and has the archives of fr. His father, a small farmer, sent him to a college at brainelecomte, to prepare for a commercial profession.
He volunteered for a mission to the hawaiian islands and was ordained in honolulu. Each year more than 4,000 hawaii residents, visitors and pilgrims visit the church, built in 1876 by father damien and the kamalo community. Ordained a priest in hawaii in 1867, father damien was sent to the leper colony on the island of molokai, remaining with the lepers of molokai for 16 years. After his beatification by pope john paul ii in 1995, the process towards sainthood took a significant step forward, and now additional efforts are being made to move. Joseph, however, decided to become a religious himself. The canonization of father damien took place on october 11, 2009 at. As a member of this religious community, he took the name damien. This little piggy went global, sent thousands home local news. Father damien kalaupapa national historical park u. Missionary on islands where his single parish was the size of all of his native belgium. I pray that i will have the same love toward all i meet, especially those who are different than me.
He traveled to hawaii as a missionary brother in 1863. Upon entering the seminary he took the name of damien. He contracted leprosy in 1885, and though severely crippled by the disease, father damien worked until the end. Damien catholic parish news release due to the pandemic spread of the covid19 virus, the catholic diocese of honolulu has given. Volunteered for missionary work while still in seminary, and was sent to hawaii. While at college, he decided god was calling him to be a priest. Its frame ravaged by termites, storms and the forces of time, saint philomena has continued to stand, for the most part intact, despite warnings that the next hurricane force wind could carry the unattached roof away. Joined sacred hearts fathers joined the congregation of sacred hearts of jesus and mary when he was twenty. Damien, you were a spiritual minister and leader to people with leprosy. Damien s brother had dreamed of being a missionary overseas. There are two saints who worked with the lepers of molokai.
Joseph church at kamalo is a state historic site and one of the most visited on molokai. Six years later he joined the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary, taking the name damien. Molokai eastern molokai with a portion of kamakou and moloka. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of. For nine years, father damien worked on the big island hawaii as a priest.
Jozef jef began his novitiate with the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary picpus fathers at the beginning of 1859 and took the name damien. The suffering and faith of saint damien of molokai catholic world. Born in tremelo in belgium on january 3, 1840, he was son of a farmer and his wife. He served as a priest in the leper colony for 16 years before he succumbed to the disease.
Damien of molokai, was born in rural belgium, on january 3, 1840. Damien has been canonized in both the eastern and latin rites. He chose this name after a fourthcentury physician and martyr. He lived a devout life and in 1860 obtained permission to join the con. When his oldest brother pamphile entered the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary, his father planned that joseph would take charge of the family business.
When his oldest brother entered the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary, his father planned that joseph should take charge of the family business. Damien of molokai parish, pontiac mi home facebook. Mouritz, physician to the leper settlement in molokai, hawaii, from 1884 to 1887. Father damien with residents of the molokai settlement. Upon his oldest brother pamphile entering the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary, at the age. Damien of molokai parish, pontiac mi, pontiac, michigan. Joined the picpus fathers on 7 october 1860, taking the name damien. A belgian man who spent his adult life in the south pacific and is memorialized in the u. He was known for helping people with leprosy in the colony of kalaupapa on the island of molokai in hawaii. Saint damien of molokai spiritual patron for leprosy and outcasts blessed laminated italian holy card with gold accents. He took the name of a fourthcentury physician and martyr and left his name, joseph, behind. The life and letters of father damien, apostle of the lepers.
Right now an unseen virus is making its way around the world, causing panic and alarm, causing mankind to be fearful of one another once again, as they were in the times of leprosy. He died april 15th 1889 a long way from home on molokai in hawaii. Pewter saint damien of molokai medal with laminated holy prayer card. When he was only he had to quit school to work on the family farm. I had never heard of him until i came across a reference to him in some article i had read. Father clyde guerreiro of molokai belongs to the same sacred hearts order as father damien and has been following this process since he was a child. He cleaned and bandaged their sores, bathed them, amputated their gangrenous limbs, and washed their clothes. He joined the picpus fathers on 7 october 1860, taking the name damien. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options.
He restrained the strong from brutalizing the weak. Thank you lord jesus for the powerful witness of love that you provided in st. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. Charles paolino permanent deacon diocese of metuchen, new jersey. In 2009, pope benedict xvi canonized father damien, saint damien of molokai, apostle to the patients. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Molokai served as home for sixteen years, to father damien, a 19th century sacred hearts priest from belgium, who volunteered to care for the hansen disease leprosy patients at kalawao, on the desolate kalaupapa peninsula of molokai.
Damien of molokai january 3, 1840 april 15, 1889, was a missionary of the congregation of the sacred hearts of jesus and mary who is. Summary of st damien of molokais life path of death in december 1884 while preparing to bathe, damien inadvertently put his foot into scalding water, causing his skin to blister. From wikipedia father damien or saint damien of molokai, ss. Damien is known as the leper priest and the hero of molokai. A joyful celibate brings hope and dignity to the walking dead.
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