The Bessemer indicator., 1894-06-09
ZERO AMONG LEpERs.
SACRIFICE OF A PRIEST IN
SOUTH AMERICA.
Don unia, Member of the saIesIan Faith
ers. Slowly Dying of tho Terrible Dis
case Caught While Numbering to tho
Comfort of Sufferers.

simple, pious man will die, and tho
world will call him a hero. Tho
scales OF leprosy cover his body and
he must present a very unattractive,
perhaps hidcous appearance. News
was recently received in this city
that the dread disease had at last
taken hold OF him.
lie is Roman Cath olic priest and
belongs to the order OF Salcsian
Fathers. Like Father Damien, who
laid down his life for tho lepers OF
Malokai. this man. who is called Don
Unia, went out to minister to tho
spiritual wants of leper colony.
For two years he has been among
tho POO outcasts who compose the
leper settlement OF Aqua do 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 Il
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 lopers he hastened to the lazar-
etto. There was great Joy among
the outcasts over his coming, says
the New York Herald. This is the
way Don Unia describes the recep-
| tion.
| LAS we drew near about hundred
little boys in Sunday clothes and
with shining faces advanced with
many little banners Mapping 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 tho sight soon changed for
me when visited those lying in the
lazaretto. God help them.-breath-
ing carcasses, in "a 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 Il
miserable decade! My heart sank at
first, but as | found these afflicted
beings brighten at my presence l
felt that ghastly smile great re-
ward for weakness overcome"
Don Unia was the only priest
among tho 1,2Oo afflicted ones in that
outcast community. He looked af.
ter the ones who suffered most. eel
ebrated mass, administered the sac
ramonts and paid consoling visits to
those in the last stages OF tho dis
| ease.
Taking everything into account"
he said in ono of his lotters, al
think work won't be wanting. so my
life will be happy one."
lie did not expect to escape the
disease, he said, but the fact that
even as a leper he would be able to
hear confessions and console the af-
ficted 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 a
shed, divided into two little chambers
and covered with palm leaves,
through which the rain passes beau
tifully, but with the burning heat
ono suffers a little water will do
no harm. "a fine little boy has
been told off to attend to my wants.
He brings me something to eat twice
day, just as the crow used to do
by the old hermit"
l. took two months for his letter
begging to be allowed to pass his
life with the lepers to reach the su-
per,or in Turin. Don Unia was al
most heartbroken 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,
ons thankfulncss.
When the letter ordering him to
go 20 tho City of Mexico was re-
ceived Dun Unia at once made prepa-
ratiops to leave the lepers, and to
tho superior he sent letter of
urgent entreaty, in which he said:
"In order to render my departure
less bitter to those poor, agonized
souls l will not leave them without
hope. l shall give them to under
stand that, after visiting Mexico, In
the lapse of few months, l shall be
back again among them, to remain
with them forever. My dearly be-
loved superior will not surely make
me break my word. When NIL mat
ters will DO definitely settled for the
Mexican house imploro you to send
rector with tho necessary staff
from Turin and allow me to rerurn
to the care of my lepera. The part
ing moment, fear, will call forth
hoartrending scene, but holy obedi-
ence will give mo force to conquer
myself and surmount every difficulty.
.On returning to Bogota | shall
Immediately set out for Mexico. but
my thoughts and my heart will al
ways be with the poor creatures
leave in desolation behind me- My
lepers-my poor lepers that is my
mission. That is what God has
called me to. This is consolation
which your reverence cannot deny
me-"
Don Unia has lately been Joined
by other priests OF his order. They
are earning for him, and when he
dies they are to continue tho work
he began.
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