Three Lessons from Damien of Molokai
By Kyle Shinseki @ 5:56 PM :: 879 Views
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On a tropical island in the midst of the Pacific Ocean, the example laid forth by the life of a Belgian priest presents three extraordinary lessons for all Catholics to follow. Joseph de Veuster departed his homeland for the Hawaiian Islands in 1864, where he was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu. Over the next 25 years, until his death in 1889, he would exemplify the ACU’s motto of Esto-Vir. In particular, the Blessed Damien de Veuster of Molokai demonstrated courage in the face of uncertainty, respect for human dignity, and acceptance of God’s will.

Blessed Damien confronted constant uncertainty as he began his priestly life. However, he welcomed this uncertainty because of his trust in God. As a youth, Damien prayed every day in front of an image of Saint Francis Xavier asking for his intercession so that he would be sent on a mission. His prayers were answered when he was sent off to the desolate peninsula of Kalaupapa on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai on May 10, 1873. During his ministry there he dealt with worms, horrendous scenes, and suffocating smells. Where other priests left in tears, Damien’s courage allowed him to treat patients with bulging intestines, exposed ribs, and missing limbs.

In the midst of leprosy patients who had been abandoned by society, Blessed Damien discovered the dignity of each and every one of Kalaupapa’s residents. He recruited leprosy patients to build churches, homes, and hospitals; encouraged their participation in sports and musical groups, and found ways for even the most debilitated patients to play a role in the community. For example, one patient who did not have a left hand tied a wood plank to his arm in order to play the lower notes of the organ. If a patient could not leave his home to be part of Perpetual Adoration, Damien would bring the Blessed Sacrament to his bedside. Even after life ended, Damien emphasized human dignity by organizing funeral societies and bands that would play at funerals.

Throughout his life, Damien accepted the will of God. While he treated leprosy patients, he did not pay much attention to hygiene. He ate from the same plates as the patients, shared his pipe with them, and did not hesitate to hug them and treat their wounds. Not surprisingly, he eventually was diagnosed with leprosy and he described himself as the “the happiest missionary in the world.” As the disease progressed, he had eruption on the skin of his hands, violent diarrhea, constant coughing, and obstructed breathing. As a result he could no longer say Mass and would only be able to sleep for one to two hours a night. On his deathbed in April 1889, he said “how happy am I for having giving it all to the Lord.”