Every age has its stories of heroic men and women who inspire us, because their faith challenged them to reach out in selfless love and service to meet the suffering needs of others.

The local media have been full, recently, of one such hero. Joseph de Veuster, later known as Father Damien, was born in Belgium in 1840. He was drawn to the religious life and sent to Hawai‘i to fill in for his sick brother. He was ordained a priest May 21, 1864, right here on our mall at Our Lady of Peach Cathedral. He eventually heard of the needs of the leprosy patients at the isolated Kalaupapa, Molokai, and volunteered to be their first priest.

From the day he arrived, May 10, 1873, his life was focused on serving the needs of the patients. He constructed coffins, dug graves, led worship, bandaged wounds, washed bodies, taught people to farm, to play musical instruments, and to sing. His cheerful disposition touched their lives, and little by little their accomplishments restored the sense of dignity their illness threatened to destroy.

He eventually died from Hansen’s disease at the age of 49 after serving Kalaupapa for 16 years.

His life and ministry was recognized by the world as Pope Benedict VXI canonized him as a saint at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome Oct. 11. To learn more about Father Damien from one who attended the canonization, join us at our HPU Chapel service Oct. 21 from 1 to 1:30 p.m. in the Cathedral Storefront on Fort Street Mall.