The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-04-23
FATHER DAMIEN DEAD.
The Famous Leper Priest Goes to His
Long Home-Sketch of His Life by
Charles Warren Stoddard.

/ The Famous Leper Priest Goes to Hi
Long HOme-Sketch OF His Life b,
Charles Warren Stoddard.
, By the steamer Mokolii that arrived
from Molokai on Saturday morning new
was brought of the death OF Fathe
Joseph Deveuster Damien, the Roman
Catholic priest who had gained world
wide fame for devoting his life to minis
trations among the inmates of the Molo
kai leper settlement. He died on Mon
day morning, April 10Th. Father
Damien had been sixteen years in that
living tomb, and three years ago con-
tracted the terrible disease that has
ended his days. Upon his death he was
dressed in priests vestments and the
following day the body was laid in a
coffin that the Sisters had lined with
white silk. A requiem high mass was
said on Tuesday by Father Wendelin,
who preached to crowded church from
the words, The Good Shepherd layeth
down his life for the sheep" The body
was borne to the tomb by white lepers.
There had been a vault prepared under
the lauhala tree beneath which the de-
parted Father was wont to sleep when
he first arrived at the settlement. This
last resting place had been chosen by
himself. Next week requiem mass for
the repose OF Father Damien's soul will
| be celebrated at the Roman Catholic
| Cathedral.
The following sketch OF Father Da-
| MEMS early life and instalment at the
| settlement was written by Charles
Warren Stoddard after getting the story
! from the priests own lips ut KalawaO.
| 1t is reprinted from a little work, The
| Lepers OF Molokai," by that well-known
author, and the copy used Tor this pur-
| pose was mailed by the late priest to the
local editor of this paper only 4 few
weeks ago, for use in writing sketch OF
! Father Damien and the Leper Settlement
to the order OF an Australian newspaper
editor. An autograph letter from the
| then dying Father, pathetic in Its state
ment OF the writer's weak condition, was
Temailed to the gentleman soliciting the
article. Mr.. Stoddard who wrote the
book four or five years ago, said:
Born in Louvain, Belgium, January
,, 1910 wien he was but four and TWEEN
ty, his brother, who had just entered the
priesthood, was ordered to embark Tor
Honolulu, but at the moment fell sick
with typhoid fever. Young Damien,
who was i theological student at the
University, having received minor or
ders, and belonging to the same order
the Society OF the Sacred Hearts of Jesus
and Mary Commonly called Society of
Picpus)-at once wrote to his superior,
and begged that he might be sent upon
the mission in his brothers. stead. In
one week he was on his way TO that far
country. He was ordained upon his ar
rival in Honolulu, and for few years
led the life OF toll and privatiOn which
invariably falls to the lot of the Catholic
missionary.
'In 1873 he, in common with others
OF the clergy, was invited to be present
at the dedication of beautiful chapel
Just completed by Father LeOnor at Wal
luku, on the Island OF Maui. There he
met the Bishop, who expressed regret
that he was still unable to send priest
to Molokai for the demand was far in
excess OF the supply. Father Damien at
once said: My Lord, hear that small
vessel will next week take cattle from
Kawaihae to Kalaupapa: if you will per-
NIT me will 90 there to help the lepers |
make their Easter duties
His request was granted, and, in
company with the Bishop and the French |
Consul, he landed at the settlement,
where he found colony OF eight hun
bred lepers, OF whom between four and |
five hundred were Catholics. A public
meeting was Immediately called, at |
which the Bishop and the Consul pre-
sided. His Grace arose to address the |
singular gathering, and said: Since |
you have written me so often that you |
have no priest, leave you one for a lit
tie time; and, imparting the benediCtion,
he returned Immediately TO the vessel, |
which was to sail that very hour. Father |
Damien added: AS there is much to be |
done here, by your leave | will not even
accompany you to the shore Thus the
good work was at once begun. 1t was
high time the lepers We're dying at the
rate OF from eight to twelve per week.
The priest had not time to build himself
a hut-he had not even the material
with which to build it-and for a season
he slept in the open air, under tree, ex-
posed to the wind and the rain.
"Soon after, he received a letter OF
from the white residents
OF Honolulu-chefy Protestants-to-
gether with some lumber, and purse OF
$l20; then he put up his little house,
and began to feel at home. After re-
naming some weeks at Kalawao, he was
obliged to go to Honolulu, there being
no more convenient priest to whom he
could make his confession"
The sketch proceeds to relate the cool
Father Damien received from
the President OF the Board OF Health,
who in the course OF an interview said
the priest might 90 to Molokai, but, if
so, he must remain there for good. 1t
was in vain that the Father urged the
necessity OF one priest having to make
confession at stated intervals to another.
AN eminent physician" one OF the
Board, pleaded the cause OF the priest
and, aided, by the French Consul, a
special permit was obtained on which
Father Damien returned to KaiawaO.
MIR. Stoddard continues:
Shortly after his return he received
official notice that he must remain where
ne was and that on any attempt to
cave the island, or even to visit other
portions of Molokai, he would be i'm
put under arrest. The notice
vas sharply worded This reused the
Of the nripSt and he notified |