Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-06-28
FATHER DAMIEN.

FATHER DAMIEN.
thing marvellous and in nc !
he possessed the rare combination II
suasive eloquence, signally able Cd,
trat!ve capacity, and immense nh
endurance. Of later wears
Damen has scarcely teen thu. r,
nent figure ne was in earlier
but there are thousands who RENE
that not SO very long ago the anna
ment that he was to preach woul
the great edifice of Holy Family cbun
Twelfth street to overlooking. NH
presence and extremely henignan.
meanor, he was for thirty years in Ch
a never-swevring power Of good
thousands owe the beginning Of
spiritual life and we'll as their wd
welfare to his impassioaed appeals
the pulpit and his earnest pleadip
teachings as devoted priest.
Father Damen first went to Chica,
1857. He was then AZ years of aye h
been born, in the PROVING. OF North
bant, Holland, March 20, 1915. EaI
life he manifested his fitness tor
ligious vocation, and when in ls3
famous missionary to the Indians
West, Father de Smet, was le:u
from Belgium to this country
Damen was one of the young en,LI
who accompanied him. After The
and vicissitudes which for tiity
beset the path of the western
missionary had been successfully
come young Damen was I'D
as a novice to the Jesuit establi
ut Florissant, Mo-, in the days ta.,
sives adore .sed to st. Louis W.
scribed: est. Louis, near FlorissaI.
was admitted to the novitiate Nov
and soon afterward became teaya
theology and philosophy at the St
university. Here he remained unsil
when he was ordained priest and app
pastor of the college chu, Oh.
His power as pulpit orator game
a wide reputation AM he soon baca
leader in the aggressive mission wor
ried on by the order thro ,ghout the
West. Bishop O. Regain of Chicago
Jesuit church and school establisie
and he earnestly invited the PROVING
perior of the order, the Rev. j. RI
at st. Louis, to start the work. III
terprise was deemed full OF promise
in the summer of 1857 Father Dame
selected as the one best qualified TO
the infant mission. With what must
admitted as q farsighted judgmen.
the future growth and population
cago, Father Damen personally s.
the location on which now stands the
did buildings of the Jesuit churri
college, on 18th street, between BLU
and avenue and May street.
a little church was constructed,
school house, ard dwelling for theta
Father Gamen's energy and endu
We're resistless, and with indomitabl
severence and marvellous physi~ale
he preached, appealed, and raised mon
the erection of the great church aud
lege, which together form the end
monument of his good works.
Holy Family church was complete
dedicated in 1860. Then FOLLOWED
further undertaking of building tho
lege, which Father Damen opened in
Meanwhile there had deem growing
great parochial-school system, cons
of five large parish schools,
modating an aggregate attendance
900 pupils. The ministrations o: the
of the church and the co lege extenl
parish community of $4,000 SOUS
this may be said to have been the
result of the life work in Chicagoot
Arnold Damen.
In marked contrast to his rare int
ual and administrative ability has
the severe simplicity of his persona
Rigid as are the regulations OF hs
Father Damen in his personal hatl's
methods was a very Spartan in NAV
which his own personal comfort al'
venience were concerned. From tue
morning until night, in the wea
ho"rs of the confessional, in CIV
preaching or travel, he for many
outdistanceI all his immediate ass
in personal toll and unremittlns e '
up to his 72d year. His Simpler,
humility were always as great as u,
ent for his k. Two years aso
the Catholics of the variogs paris "
country were uniting in getting up
timonial in honor of the tiftleth ~ T..
airy Of his admission to the order ~
lively refused to accept preSeh,
kind. The offerings of gold anu
paintings, money, and other ar.l.',
by his express wish converted INV "a.
o.; money for the benefit OF 81 s ~
hon for girls and the school for a ~.
dumb, two institutions which a."s ~;
a warm place in his heart. such W., N
instance of the simplicity ana s shi:
which marked the whole life OF VD'
mission nriasf