Father Damien

The father Damien , born Joseph De Veuster was a missionary Belgian (Flemish), known for its work near the leprous on the island of Molokai (Hawaii).

Biography

Joseph de Veuster - the future Father Damien - is born with Tremelo, in Flanders (Belgium), the January 3rd 1840 in an large family of farmer-tradesmen.

At eighteen years Joseph enters the Congregation of the Pères and nuns of the Crown-Hearts of Picpus. In February 1859, it begins its noviciate with Leuwen under the name of Damien.

Missionary with Hawaii

After its studies, it unloads with Honolulu the March 19th 1864 where it is ordered priest the next on May 21st, becoming thus the Father Damien. Consequently it launches out in the hard life of “priest-missionary” on the island of Hawaii.

To slow down the propagation of the Leprosy, the government decides, in 1866, to off-set with Molokai, a close island, all those which are reached of this evil then incurable. Their fate worries all the mission and, on May 10th, 1873, Damien is the first to be left. It will remain definitively in Molokaï, humble among the humble ones.

Molokaï

In this hell, he becomes the consolator of leprous, their Pasteur, the doctor of the hearts and the bodies. He does not make distinction of race or religion. He shares their life and little by little, he builds a true community with a church, ways, a hospital, a school, an orphanage.

Died

In November 1884, it notes that it is in its turn reached of leprosy. With four collaborators it continues to assume his mission up to 2 weeks before its death, the April 15th 1889, at the 49 years age.

Its body is repatriated in Belgium by the Mercator in 1936, and finishes its long tour with Leuwen.

Beatification

The June 4th 1995, it is béatifié by the Pope Jean-Paul II. After this ceremony a Relique (right hand) of the Damien father was transferred to Molokaï and was buried there the July 22nd 1995 with Kalawao.

The Foundation Damien

The Foundation Damien considering the day in 1964. This Governmental organization Belgian fight against leprosy and tuberculosis in 16 country of Africa, Asia and Latin America, while working almost exclusively with local personnel. It finances also scientific research. More half of its needs are covered by the Belgian population, in particular by the sale of markers at the time of the annual countryside of the last weekend of January.

Association Damien de Molokaï

Association Damien de Molokaï was created by young students in 1993 in Paris. Its action is inspired by three aspects of the life of the Happy Damien: its work near the marginal ones, its determination so that each man and each woman can find his blooming personal, and finally its respect of the differences.

Anecdotes

on February 1st 2005, it is elected like " Larger Belgian in the History " by the televiewers of the Flemish television channel VRT. A few weeks later, it finished third on the RTBF (French-speaking Belgian television).
the Damien father has a statue in the building of the Congress with Washington.
In 2000, one made a film on its life: Molokaï: The Story off Father Damien , with Derek Jacobi, Kris Kristofferson, Sam Neill, Tom Wilkinson, Peter O' Toole and David Wenham.

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