Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-01
FATHERDAM|EN'S
With
LEPERS IS DEAD
Father Wendein Passes Away
After Long Ministry to Suf-
fering and Poor

After a prCtracted sickness, Father
Wendel,n MCeller. d highly esteeme
member OF the Catholic Mission. died
at the Parish house today about II
o ClOcx
He had been suffering for over a
year from What first was thought to
be asthma, but what s"Cn was recog-
nized as a serious disease of the heart.
However, il was only since the begin
ming Of February Of this year that
repeated attacks forced the Jealous
missioner to give UP priestly minis
trations. Toward the middle CT April
all hope OF even temporary recov.
cry had to be given up. and the end
was daily expected. and ardently de.
sired by the patient. for whom death
seemed to have no horrors.
Father Wendel'n was born at Duel
men, Westphalen. Germany. on the
21st Of March. 1850. Al the termina.
ton Of his humsnitary studies, FEELING
calling to missionary life, he left
his country for France, as Germany
was then in the clutches of the KuL
turkampf and offered but little oppor
tunitv for the following of religious
vocatiOns.
At Paris the young Robert Moellel
entered the Congregation of the Sa
cred Hearts, where in conformity with
the mCnastic custom he changed his
name to that CT Wendelin He made
his religious vows on November 10,
1873. and was ordained a priest at
Paris On Nav 26, 1877. Three weeks
later be embarked for the Marquesas,
where he arrived on August Is. Short
w afterward he was given charge of
Puamau, missionary district Of the
island CT hiya-oa. but after a stav OF
only six weeks he was transferred to
the island of Tahuata On approach
ing the mission residence at Vattahu
he found it occupied bv a multitude
CT refugees The inhabitants of two
valleys were lust then engaged in
internecine warfare.
Father Emmeran Schultz. however,
the same who died on Molokai in
1912. and had accompanied Father
Wendelin to Tahuata to install him in
his new post, succeeded in making
peace between the warning factions.
Toward the end of 1884 the French
government began to look askance at
the presence of German missionaries
in it's colonies and the ecclesiastical
authorities were required to send
them away. In consequence Fathers
Emmeran, Anschaire and Wendelin
were sent to Hawaii. where they ar.
rived February 8. 1885. ....:...-.
Father Wendelin's first mission in
this group was at Heeia, Oahu. He
remained in charge Of the district of
Koclau until the approaching end of
Father Damien made it imperative
to send another priest to the leper
settlement. Father Wendelin arrived
at Molokai on, November; 20, 1888, and
exercised the, ministry among the len.
ers ever since for nearly IA years. On
account Of serious frictions between
himself and the board of health, which
at that time caused considerable COM
motion at Honolulu, the Father asked
his suneriors to be removed. and hav.
ing left the settlement on September |
%, 1902, to attend the spiritual exer.
c'ses at Honolulu. he returned to the |
island fortnight later to take charge A.,
cf the mission work outside of the
settlement. Afterward the districts :
CT Makawao, Lahaina and Hilo were |
entrusted to his care. In |
the latter place he remained from the