The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-15
TO LABOR AMONG LEPERs.
Bishop Ropert Brings Priests and Broth.
ers for Molo<ai.

ers Tor moiOkaL
From the San Francisco Call
Right Rev. Bishop Ropert of the Ha-
waiian islands will sail for Honolulu this
morning on the Oceanic steamship Aus
tralia 81
The bishop has just returned from Eu-
rope, where he went to secure recruits
for missionary work in the islands of the
South Pacific. He brought back with him
two priests, four brothers and four sis
tiers. all belonging to the order of the Sa-
cred Heart, the mother house of which is
In Paris. The sisters go to the convent
at Honolulu, where they will be engaged
as teachers. and the reverend brothers
will take up their stations on the leper
island of MolokaL All will sail with the
bishop this morning.
About one of the party much interest
centers. He is Father Pamphile Damien,
brother to Father Joseph Damien, who.
while laboring among the lepers at Mol
okaf six years ago. contracted the awful
disease and died. Now his brother goes
to take up his unfinished work. He will
be stationed at Kalawao, Molokai, where
his late brother lived and built a church.
Father Pamphile will be in charge Of
this church and administer to the relig-
ious wants and physical comforts of the
suffering lepers about him, as his broth
er before him did He will live there per-
manently and, like his self-sacriicing
protner, POSSIBLY perish, TOO.
Bishop Ropert. who is staying with the
fathers of the French church on Bush
street. has been six months in Europe.
Among other places he visited Rome and
had an audience with Leo XIII. who in
quired about affairs in the Hawaiian
islands and was glad to know that peace
reigned there.
The Holy Father takes a deep interest
in all the children of the world" said the
bishop, land was pleased to learn that
everything was quiet in the islands. He
is wonderful man for his age and has a
remarkable memory. He showed himself
quite familiar with Hawaiian affairs. The
church experienced no injustice from the
change OF governments in Hawaii. 1t
never interferes with political matters
Its mission is for the spiritual elevation
of mankind. We are well satisfied with
the new government and look forward to
much prosperity under its guidance.
There are about rs priests in the do
cese. They are scattered over the differ
ent islands and are constantly at work
for the spiritual good of the people. At
Honolulu our institutions are in a -four
fishing condition. We have some 500
children attending the day school, which
is conducted by the Brothers of Mary
from Dayton, Ohio. The sisters who are
in charge of the convent belong to the
Sacred Heart Our schools are regarded
as the best in Honolulu.
THE government provides for the lep-
ers at Molokai setting Off a portion of
the island for them. They receive their
food and clothing from the government
aud are very well cared for. There is
also a physician on the island to attend
to their physical ills. We have two mis-
sions there-one at Kalawao and another
at Kalaupapa. q ~
Father Damien founded the former
mission. He was 16 years on the island
working for the lepers. He suffered from
the disease for several years before he
died. His brother, who accompanies me.
is a few years older than he. He was ed
ucated at Louvaine and has been teach
ing at different places in Europe where
our order, the Sacred Heart, has estab-
lished colleges. The mission at Kalau-
papa is in charge of Father vendelin Null
Ter. a native Of Germany. Father Damien
is from Belgium. There are also seven
sisters distributed among the leper mis-
sions. They are from Syracuse. N. Y,
and are Iouchingly devoted to their I'M
fortunate wards. We should like to have
more priests, brothers and sisters to as
sist in this work, but other countries
make demands upon the resources of the
church and we must accept what we can
get"
Bishop Ropert first went to Hawaii in
1865. few years after the late Father
Damien. He has since been located there
permanently. Three years ago he was
made Bishop of Honolulu, the consecrat-
ing services being performed In this city
by Archbishop Riordan. He is a French
man by birth. slight in stature, retiring
and transformations in manner.
Father Damien is IS years of age. He
comes from an old Belgian family and is
a man of profound scholarship. He has
held the chair of theology at the Univer-
sity of Louvaine and like high places in
other great institutions of Europe. Now
he goes to console the lepers at Molo-
kai.