The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-04-13
FATHER DAMIEN.
His Work Is Being Successfully Done
on MOIOkai Island.

on M0i0kai Island.
Though the remains of Father Da-
mien, the leper priest, have rested for
more than eleven years under the pu-
kella tree in the cemetery, surrounded
by so many of his spiritual children,
yet his example has not been forgot
ten, and on that sad island Of Molokai
other devoted apostolic workers are
carrying on his labors among the sore
ly afflicted lepers, says the Irish Cath
Ollie. The settlement is much in the
shape of a triangle, two sides of which
are bounded by the ''pale" or precip-
tous volcanic cliffs, more than 1000
feet high. Here the path communicate
Ing with the outer parts of Molokai is
so steep that independently of the very
stringently enforced prohibition, few
of the lepers could have the strength
to climb to the top of the ascent. In
the settlement there are now the Bald
win Home for men and boys, and the
Bishops Home for girls; the former,
founded by Senator Henry Baldwin,
is under the special supervision Of
Brother Joseph Dutton and his assist
ants from the Damien institute; the
latter under the care of the devoted
franciscan nuns, who have made it,
indeed, a very real home to many
helpless girls and women struck down
by leprosy.
The Baldwin Home, which is not far
from the church built by Father Da-
mien, stands in an enclosure of two
acres and half. The dormitories,
schoolhouse, laboratories and bath
rooms are on three sides, and the
fourth side is the residence of the In
firmarian Brothers. The grounds are
very we'll kept, and a fine lawn sur
rounds a rockery and fountain. AS
occupation is good for the lepers, they
are employed, as far as their malady
will permit, in various household du-
ties, as well as in other little industries.
Brother Joseph Duntons old military
habits have been Of great use since Ire
was appointed head of the home,
where the utmost order and cleanli-
ness reign. We are told he would not
accept any money for his labors from
the Hawaiian government, and that
he has changed into garden the bare
and rocky ground around and inside the
Baldwin Home. The kitchen garden,
under the care of Brother Van Lii, was
most successful, and it produces album
dant vegetables for the home Brother
Dominic, from the English branch Of
the Damien Institute, was over the
tailoring department, where his boys
made their clothes, for which the gov
eminent paid them small sum, which
was devoted to the purchase Of little
additions to the government rations.
The boys have their own band
which indeed, was first established by
Father Damien, who displayed Won
derful ingenuity in making some of the
Instruments. Now they have a fine set,
presented by Il benefactOr, and the
band is a great sort of pleasure to tire
mllSlc-loving Hawaiian lcprrs. The
inmates of the home are conterted and
as happy rs they can be under their
afiliction. and the children are cheer
full and much attached to the kind
brothers, who do all they possibly can
to alleviate suffering. Besides the
Baldwin Home. the hospital and dis
pensary, the resident physicians house,
and other buildings belonging to the
government are also at Kalawao, the
village where many lcpers reside
Though supported with the greatest
generosity, and every care bestowed on
them. still few of these poor people
live very long; though of late years,
owing to admission in an early stage,
ana the more improved methods of
treating the disease, the death rate
has diminished among the Iolokai
lepers.
The Bishops Home for girls and
women at Kalaupapa is kept with the
same scrupulous cleanliness and order
as the Baldwin Home by the good
franciscan Sisters. 1t seems to come
to them naturally, as it were, this de-
Votion to the lcpers as part of their
spiritual inheritance from their great
father, st. Francis of Assist, who was
ever jealous in his attempts to relieve
the poor lepcrs, who in his day were
trrnted as pariahs. AS we have said
before, the excellent Sisters yolun-
teered readily for the MolOkai mission
when the call came to their convent at
syracuse. in the state, of New York.
At Honolulu these nuns have their
schools and the charge of the Kapio-
lani Home, on the island of Oahu,
where girls are kept until their 18th
year, when they are given their liber-
ty if quite free from all faint of lep-
rosy AS it is, there have been very
few cases among these children. A
similar home is much needed for nom
ieprous boys, in order to give them a
chance of escaping the malady.
AT Molokai the Sisters service is
invaluable. and besides their chanel
they have a schoolhouse and the four-
teen roomy cottages which form the
Bishops Home, near which is the fine