Tom Jaconette made this month's Saint Talk presentation on St. Damien of Molokai. St. Damien, known as the Leper Priest and Hero of Molokai, is the patron saint of those afflicted with leprosy, AIDS and HIV patients and those who care for them. His feast day is celebrated on May 10.
Father Damien was born in Belgium in 1840. He joined the order known as the Sacred Heart Fathers in 1860. He was born Joseph and received the name Damien as part of his religious life.
Damien was assigned to work the missions on the big island of Hawaii where he was eventually ordained. In 1873, he was volunteered to serve the leper colony on the island of Molokai. There he served the sick, help build hospitals, clinics and churches.
Father Damien decided to stay on the island working with sick, effectively guaranteeing he would contract the disease and die away from his home. He did. He contracted leprosy in 1885 and eventually died on April 15, 1889. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in June of 1995 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in February 2009.
Tom summarized St. Damien's work as a message of hope.
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