St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-08-03
Story of a Hero,

OunS people always ike TO near ABOUT
heroes. The following sketch of the life
of Father Damien, whose death last April
at Molokai has just been announced, not
only awakens the interest which true
heroism commands, but will be of use to
Sunday school scholars. If they will con-
suit the dictionary and study the full
meaning of the word hero, and then if
they will take concordance and turn to
all the places in the Bible where leprosy
is mentioned and read what is told of
lepers, also what the encyclopedias say
about them, they will read with greater
intelligence the following sketch, which
accompanied the notice in one of our daily
papers of Father Damien's recent death.
b. Father Damien was born in Lovain, Bel
four aud twenty, his brother, who had
to embark for Honolulu, but at the mo-
ment fell sick with typhoid fever Young
Damien, who was theological student at
the university, having received minor
orders 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 on the mis-
he was on his way to that far country. He
was ordained upon his arrival in Homo
lulu, and for a few years led the life of
toll and privation which invariably falls to
the lot of the Catholic missionary.
In 1878, he, in common with others of
the clergy, was invited to be present at
the dedication of beautiful chapel COM
pleted by Father Leonor at Waikiki, 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, l hear that small vessel will
next week take cattle from kawaihae to
kaulapapa. If you will permit me, will
go there to help the lepers make their
Easter duties. ~ %
His request was granted, and in com
pany with the Bishop and the French Con
sui, he landed at the settlement, where he
found colony of eight hundred lepers, of
whom between four and five hundred
were Catholics. s-s Aa
Thus the good work was at once begun.
1t was high time She lepers were dying
at the rate of from.~eigh to twelve per
week. The priest had not the time to
build himself hut-he had not even the
material with which to build it-and for a
season he slept in the open air, under a
tree, exposed to the wind and rain. Soon
after, he received letter of congratula-
ton from the white residents of Honolulu
chiefly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with some
lumber and purse of $120. Then he
put up his little house, and began to feel
at home. %
After remaining some weeks at Kala-
wac, he was obligedto go to Honolulu,
there, being no more convenient priest to
whom he could make his confession.
He nat 1rally called upon the President
ofthe Board of Health, who received him
with frjgid politeness.
Father Damien explained to hissgentle-
man how necessary it was for one priest to
see another at reasonable intervals, in
order tomake his confession but he was
told that he must remain at Kalawao,
and not leave it on any pretensions what
eyer. IL,
Shortly after his return he received
an official notice that he, must remain
where he was, and that on any attempt to
leave the island, or even to visit other por-
tions of Molokai, he would Immediately
be put under, arrest. E. This. notice was
sharply worded. This reused the indigna-
ton of the priest, and he notified the
Board of Health that if they would attend
strictly to their duties he would attend to
his. When it became necessary him to
visit priest on a neighboring island he
did So asking no odds of any man. He
also visited his scattered flock on the Cir
cult of Molokai, attending faithfully and
fearlessly to the wants of his people,.
But in 1885, the noble priest contracted
the disease from which his associates suf-
fered. A few months later he wrote: cit
is impossible FOR me to go any more to
Honolulu, on account of the leprosy. The
microbes have settled themselves in my
left leg, and my ears and one eyebrow
begin to fail. l expect to soon have my
face distigured. Having no doubt of the
true character of my disease, feel calm,
resigned and happier among my people. !"
Letters received from Father Demien a
year ago show that the leper colony has
increased to 1900 souls. For fifteen years
heswas the guide, the friend and comforter
Of the suffering lepers Of Molokwai. He
built 1.-TWO churches-one in Kalawao and
another in Kaulapapa- both of which he
attended hlAiself. He also established a
school for leper children He has attended
the death-bed of nearly 1000 lepers
during his residence in Molokai. His
abors were shared by a band of the Sis
tiers Of Charity Of Sc. Francis, who went
from Syracuse, N. Y ., in order to under
take the nnrsing of the lepers.--selected.
e.