The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-07
FATHER ooNRARDys HERoIsM.
An Oregon Priest Goiig to Minister to
the Leper Exilesin Molokai.
From, ae C1tA1hc Sentinel

SAAO DcPOA IHAllbet III ANOA>"A'
From, ae cIthSfc Sentinel.
For some time pasfit has been pretty
generally known thatthe Rev. L. l.. Con
rardy, Of Umatilla reservation, had de-
cided TO go to the reLsf of Father Damien,
the apostle Of the lpers in the Island Of
Moloka, Sandwich Stands. The reverend
father, having received permission from
Archbishop Gross has been waiting for
some time to be rtlieved as Indian mission
airy on the RESPIRATION; and now that his
place is supplied by two young priests, he
is here, III tnigcty, on route for Molokal,
the home of bhe poor lepers, to whom he
proposes to cdnsecrate, we may add sacrifice,
his life.
Father Cpnrardy is a countryman of
Father DaAien, having been born IN the
city OF LlBe, Belgium, where also received
his early eaucation. Father Conrardy is
type Of pose intrepid, fearless souls who
court sacffice and peril to further the in
terests Of religion and give glory to God.
lmpellef by the missionary spirit he gave
up lage parish, to which he had been APP
pointed immediately after his ordination, to
devotqhmself to foreign missions Going
TO Pans to the celebrated seminary which
has for more than 200 years supplied Ind a,
Japan and China with 50 many missionaries
AND martyrs, he remained there some time,
ana In 1871 was assigned to the mission at
F9ndlcherry, III Southern India, where he
lSbored nearly three years under the killing
feat OF the tropical sun, and enduring all
ENDS of privations. His health failing, he
was advised to go to a temperate climate,
and chose TO cast his lot among the Indians
OF Oregon, where he arrived in 1874. He
was placed in charge of the Indian tribes
on the Umatllla reservation by the sanity
Archbishop Blanchet, where he has re-
manned ever since
But Father Conrardv, whose ambition
has always been to take the worst and most
dlihcult place, was not satisfied. 1t was in
1916 That he, having heard of the heroic I'M
dertak1ng of Father Damien among the
lepers OF Molokai, conceived the idea of be-
coming his companion AS early as 1881 he
was accepted for that mission, but, owing
TO the scarcity of priests in this archdiocese,
he was constrained to postpone his depart
Qre Tor TINS field till more favorable time.
Letters received from Father Damien re-
Gently show that the leper colony has in
creased to 500 souls, and they are arriving
IN large numbers, sometimes as many as
thirty a week.
1t is well known that Father Damien has
fallen victim to bis charity. He writes
rather Conrardy that, disease having set
tied In his hands, he will soon be unable to
celebrate mass, and there will be no one to
break the bread of life to these poor Great
ures. In order to hasten to his relief Father
Conrardy gives up farewell visit which he
contemplated paying to his family in
Europe. A short time ago Father Con-
rardy was offered a fine parish in the Ar
gentlne Republic, but that did not fill his
ideal of self-sacrifice. The reverend gentle
man leaves the city next Sunday, and will
soon be among the stricken ones of Molokai
We bespeak for him the prayers of ALL