Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-05-31
HERO AMONG. LEPERs.
SACRIFICE OF A PRIEST IN
SOUTH AMERICA.
Don Unla, Member of the salesinn Faith
ers, Slowly Dying of the Terrible Dis
ease Caught While Ministering to the
Comfort of Sufferers.


public of Colombia one of these days
a simple, pious man will die, and the
world will call him a hero Tho
scales OF leprosy cover his body and
he must present a very unattractive,
perhaps hideous appearance. News
was recently received in this city
that the dread disease had at last
taken hold of him.
He is Roman Catholic priest and
belongs to the order OF Salesian
Fathers. Like Father Damien, who
laid down his life for the lepers OF
Malokai, this man. who is called Don
Unia. went out to minister to the
spiritual wants of o leper colony.
For two years he has been among
the 1900 outcasts who compose tho
leper settlement OF Aqua dc Dios
The last heard OF him he was consid-
cred as being dangerously i'll
The story OF his life among the
lepers has been obtained from his
own pen, but nothing has been heard
directly from him since he became u
leper. Don Unia left Turin in 1889.
He wrote to his superior two years
later from the South American Re-
public saying that he longed to de.
vote his life to the services OF the
lepers. He was then in Sante Fe de
Bogota, from which the leper colony
Of Aqua de Dios is about three days
march. Without waiting to secure
the desired permission to labor among
the lepers he hastened to the lazar-
etto. There was great joy among
the outcasts over his coming, says
To ss ha
way Don Unia describes the recep-
tion.
LAS we drew near about q hundred
little boys in Sunday clothes and
with shining faces advanced with
many little banners tapping above
their heads. These were followed
by white-robed little girls bearing
palms and flowers and singing hymns.
1t was simple scene and yet SO
touching that it drew tears from my
eyes.
"But the sight soon changed for
me when visited those lying in the
lazaretto. God help them!-breath-
ing carcasses, in long protracted
putrefaction. One is without hands,
another without arms, and another
has no feet. Here is one whose flesh
is dropping off piecemeal, and in
this awful condition they drag out a
miserable decade! My heart sank at
beings brighten at my presence
felt that ghastly smile great re-
ward for weakness overcome.
Don Unia was the only priest
among the 1,200 afflicted ones in that
outcast community. He looked az
ter the ones who suffered most, cell
ebrated mass, administered the sac
raments and paid consoling visits to
those in the last stages OF the dis
ease.
"Taking everything into account,
he said in one of his letters. al
think work won't be wanting, SO my
life will be happy one"
He did not expect to escape the
disease, he said, but the fact that
even as u leper he would be able to
hear confessions and console the az
flicted ones seemed to console him.
He would do this he declared. though
he was covered with ulcers. The
only thing he complained OF was the
heat. and all he said on this point
was that the temperature was ''un-
pleasantly high
He described his quarters as
shed, divided into two little chambers
and covered with palm leaves,
through which the rain passes beau
tifully, but with the burning heat
one suffers a little water will do
no harm. "A fine little boy has
been told off to attend to my wants.
He brings mo something to eat twice
day, Just as the crow used to do
by the old hermit.
1t took two months for his letter
begging to be allowed to pass his
life with the lepers to reach the su-
perior in Turin. Don Unia was al
most heartbrokcn when he received
from the superior an order to take
charge OF the Salesian house in the
City OF Mexico He believed that
this meant that his request had been
refused, but the fact was the order
had been sent from Turin before Don
Unia's letter had been received by
the superior Don Unia's request
was granted. the superior wrote.
.wi.h tears aud heart full OF zeal
Gus thankfulness.