05/10/2023
Today is the memorial of Saint Damien of Molokai.
Born in 1840 with the name Jozef, he was the youngest of 7 children. Jozef was raised in a poor farming family in central Belgium. He went to school until he was 13, and afterwards started assisting his father on the farm. A few years later, his brother entered into religious life, and Jozef's father sent him to college to prepare him to take over the family business. At school, he felt God calling him to the religous life, and at the age of 20 Jozef joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Jozef took the name Damien, and his brother Auguste took the name Pamphile.
In 1863, Father Pamphile received word from his superiors that he would be sent to Hawaii as a missionary. Before he could leave, he became seriously ill, and Brother Damien offered to take his place. His superiors allowed it, and after 6 months on a ship, he arrived in Honolulu on March 19, 1864. 2 months later he was ordained a priest.
During this time, Hawaii was struggling with a lot of disease and illness, namely leprosy. In response to the crisis, the government of Hawaii passed a legislation that forced anyone with leprosy to move to an isolated part of the island called Molokai, where they would live and ultimately die. Many fell into alcohol abuse and immorality.
In 1973, Fr. Damien volunteered to go minister to the l***rs. His superiors ordered him to not touch the l***rs, let them touch him, or to eat with them, but Fr. Damien could not obey this command. In one of his letters to his brother, he said: “As for me, I make myself a l***r with the l***rs to gain all for Christ. Because of this, when I preach I normally say, ‘We l***rs.’”
During the next 15 years, Fr. Damien worked tirelessly as a true father, doctor, construction worker, farmer, gravedigger, and priest.
He personally dug more than1000 graves and built as many coffins. He built hundreds of homes, chapels, roads, hospitals, and even a fresh water system. He taught catechism, celebrated the sacraments, and converted many souls.
After 11 years of ministering to the l***rs, Fr. Damien contracted leprosy. For 5 more years, he suffered with the disease, and died during Holy week on the 16th year. On his deathbed, he announced to his companions that the Lord was calling him to celebrate Easter that year in Heaven, and he passed away with a heart full of joy.
Father Damien, though not a martyr by blood, was a martyr of charity. His love for the rejects of society led him to lay his life down for them all, holding nothing back. Ponder your own calling to reach out to those who experience isolation within your community. The poor, sick, mentally ill, and sinner are all in need of God’s mercy. Be open to any way that God may want to use you as an instrument of His limitless charity by pledging to be a martyr of charity yourself.
"Dear brother, I continue happy and content and even though I am very sick, I only want to fulfill the will of the Good God….I am still able, though not without some difficulty, to stand every day at the altar where I never forget any of you: Please, in return, pray and get prayers for me as I am gently drawn towards my grave. May God strengthen me and give me the grace of perseverance and a good death." ~Final letter from Saint Damien to his brother
St. Damien, pray for us!
