Born on Jan iii 1840, Father Damien of Molokai was a Roman Catholic priest from Kingdom of Belgium as well as fellow member of the missionary institute called Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus as well as Mary.
He won recognition for his ministry building from 1873 to 1889 inward the Kingdom of Hawaii for his tremendous help as well as devotion to people amongst leprosy (also known every bit Hansen's disease), who were required to alive nether a government-sanctioned medical quarantine on the isle of Molokai on the Kalaupapa Peninsula.
During this time, he taught the Catholic faith to the people of Hawaii.
Father Damien likewise cared for the patients himself as well as established leadership inside the community to get houses, schools, roads, hospitals, as well as churches.
He dressed residents' ulcers, built a reservoir, made coffins, dug graves, shared pipes, as well as ate poi [a Hawaiian dish made from the rootage of taro, cooked as well as pounded to a paste] from his hands amongst them, providing both medical as well as emotional support.
After 16 years of caring for the physical, spiritual, as well as emotional needs of those inward the leper colony, Father Damien realized he had likewise contracted leprosy when he was scalded yesteryear hot H2O as well as felt no pain.
He continued amongst his move despite the infection merely lastly succumbed to the illness on xv Apr 1889.
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| Father Damien on his deathbed |
Father Damien has been described every bit a "martyr of charity".
He was the 10th someone inward what is directly the U.S.A. to live recognized every bit a saint yesteryear the Catholic Church.
In both the Latin Rite as well as the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, Father Damien is venerated every bit a saint.
In the Anglican communion, every bit good every bit other denominations of Christianity, Damien is considered the spiritual patron for leprosy as well as outcasts.
Father Damien Day, Apr 15, the hateful solar daytime of his passing, is likewise a child statewide vacation inward Hawaii as well as to this hateful solar daytime Father Damien is the patron saint of the Diocese of Honolulu as well as of Hawaii.
Upon his beatification yesteryear Pope John Paul II inward Rome on four June 1995, Blessed Damien was granted a memorial feast day, which is celebrated on 10 May.
Father Damien was canonized yesteryear Pope Benedict XVI on xi Oct 2009.
The Catholic Encyclopedia calls him "the Apostle of the Lepers." Sumber http://www.dnbstories.com/