The Story of Father Damien, a Humble Man and Saint Feast Day May 10th
Once upon a time in the village of Tremelo, in the northern region of Belgium, also known as Flanders, lived the hardworking De Veuster family. They grew grain on their large farm and sold it to make a good living.
January 3, 1840 Joseph was born to Francis and Catherine De Veuster. Joseph loved to listen to the stories of saints, martyrs and heroes of the Bible that his mother read to them at night. Joseph and his brothers and sisters did chores on the farm, loved to have fun, loved mischief, but loved God most of all!
Palm Sunday, 1850 Joseph made his First Communion on when he was 10 years old. At age 13 Joseph finished his studies at the village school. He was going to stay at home and WORK on the farm for the next four years.
May 15, 1858 At the age of 18, Joseph traveled to Braine-le-Comte to learn the French language and commercial business to help his family grow. Joseph was a very good student who loved to learn. He impressed his teachers with his hard work and his good grades. Joseph had always been close to God. He was very happy when his sister Pauline became a nun and his brother Auguste wanted to study to become a priest. Joseph visited his brother at school. The more he talked to his brother about God the more he wanted to become a priest, too. Joseph wrote to his parents on Christmas Day and told them he wanted to become a priest. Papa took Joseph to the monastery in Louvain for him to study for the priesthood.
Christmas Day, 1800 Joseph joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary founded by Father Pierre Coudrin and Mother Henriette d’Aymar de la Chevalerie. Joseph took Damien as his religious name. This is the religious order which founded Saint Joseph Church and Saint Joseph School.
October 7, 1860 Damien went to study at the Congregation School in Paris, France. Brother Damien made his first vows when he was only 20 years old on. Damien heard a missionary bishop speak about missionaries who brought the word of God to people in far away lands. He wanted to do this special work, too. Brother Damien got his wish. He was to take his brother's place when Pamphile became very sick with typhoid fever. Damien would travel around the world to the Sandwich Islands which today we call Hawaii.
March 18, 1864 The ship Damien spent Damien 4 ½ months on crossing the Atlantic and rounding Cape Horn finally sighted land. At first he was seasick, but them he was able to prepare communion for daily mass.
May 21, 1864 Damien was ordained a priest on at the Queen of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu. He had to study hard and learn the language of the native people, too.
1865 The Law of Segregation said that people with leprosy must live apart from everyone else. Damien did a brave thing and volunteered to be the priest who helped the people on the island of Molokai. The people with Hansen's disease had damage to their nerves, deformities of their limbs and sores. This was the same type of work that Jesus had done.
1881 Princess Liliuokalani visited Damien and gave him a jeweled cross for the good work he was doing. He said mass, administered the sacraments, aided the sick and buried the dead. He would become sick with Hansen's disease, too.
April 15, 1889 Father Damien died of Hansen's disease Everyone was sad. He was only 49 years old. Mother Marianne Cope, now Saint Mother Marianne Cope and Joseph Dutton continued the work Father Damien started.
Pope John Paul II beatified Father Damien in 1995. He was canonized October 11, 2009. Father Damien became St. Damien. His feast day is May 10th and celebrates the day he set foot on Molokai. Today you can visit his grave at the church he celebrated mass called St. Philomena's Church on Molokai.
Intention The Response is Saint Damien pray for us.
May we grow in love of God as Father Damien teaches us to do. R.May we use our gifts and talents to help others as Father Damien did. R.
May we remember the sick and the less fortunate as Father Damien did. R.
May God continue to bless the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and all the good works that they do. R.
May we remember and honor Father Damien throughout the school year. R.For our own silent intentions. R.
Let us Pray St. Damien’s Prayer
Saint Damien, you learned to love others with the heart of Jesus. You saw dignity and beauty in each person you served, where others saw pain and misery. You embraced a new land, a new culture, and helped people to have new hope.Pray for me that I may see others as Jesus sees them- as my brothers and sisters. May I recognize the needs of the people around me, and be willing to help even when it is difficult, just as you did. When I experience challenges or suffering, pray for me that I may always be courageous and hope-filled. And may my own heart be filled with the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Thank you for coming to celebrate the life and work of St. Damien, a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Once upon a time in the village of Tremelo, in the northern region of Belgium, also known as Flanders, lived the hardworking De Veuster family. They grew grain on their large farm and sold it to make a good living.
January 3, 1840 Joseph was born to Francis and Catherine De Veuster. Joseph loved to listen to the stories of saints, martyrs and heroes of the Bible that his mother read to them at night. Joseph and his brothers and sisters did chores on the farm, loved to have fun, loved mischief, but loved God most of all!
Palm Sunday, 1850 Joseph made his First Communion on when he was 10 years old. At age 13 Joseph finished his studies at the village school. He was going to stay at home and WORK on the farm for the next four years.
May 15, 1858 At the age of 18, Joseph traveled to Braine-le-Comte to learn the French language and commercial business to help his family grow. Joseph was a very good student who loved to learn. He impressed his teachers with his hard work and his good grades. Joseph had always been close to God. He was very happy when his sister Pauline became a nun and his brother Auguste wanted to study to become a priest. Joseph visited his brother at school. The more he talked to his brother about God the more he wanted to become a priest, too. Joseph wrote to his parents on Christmas Day and told them he wanted to become a priest. Papa took Joseph to the monastery in Louvain for him to study for the priesthood.
Christmas Day, 1800 Joseph joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary founded by Father Pierre Coudrin and Mother Henriette d’Aymar de la Chevalerie. Joseph took Damien as his religious name. This is the religious order which founded Saint Joseph Church and Saint Joseph School.
October 7, 1860 Damien went to study at the Congregation School in Paris, France. Brother Damien made his first vows when he was only 20 years old on. Damien heard a missionary bishop speak about missionaries who brought the word of God to people in far away lands. He wanted to do this special work, too. Brother Damien got his wish. He was to take his brother's place when Pamphile became very sick with typhoid fever. Damien would travel around the world to the Sandwich Islands which today we call Hawaii.
March 18, 1864 The ship Damien spent Damien 4 ½ months on crossing the Atlantic and rounding Cape Horn finally sighted land. At first he was seasick, but them he was able to prepare communion for daily mass.
May 21, 1864 Damien was ordained a priest on at the Queen of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu. He had to study hard and learn the language of the native people, too.
1865 The Law of Segregation said that people with leprosy must live apart from everyone else. Damien did a brave thing and volunteered to be the priest who helped the people on the island of Molokai. The people with Hansen's disease had damage to their nerves, deformities of their limbs and sores. This was the same type of work that Jesus had done.
1881 Princess Liliuokalani visited Damien and gave him a jeweled cross for the good work he was doing. He said mass, administered the sacraments, aided the sick and buried the dead. He would become sick with Hansen's disease, too.
April 15, 1889 Father Damien died of Hansen's disease Everyone was sad. He was only 49 years old. Mother Marianne Cope, now Saint Mother Marianne Cope and Joseph Dutton continued the work Father Damien started.
Pope John Paul II beatified Father Damien in 1995. He was canonized October 11, 2009. Father Damien became St. Damien. His feast day is May 10th and celebrates the day he set foot on Molokai. Today you can visit his grave at the church he celebrated mass called St. Philomena's Church on Molokai.
Intention The Response is Saint Damien pray for us.
May we grow in love of God as Father Damien teaches us to do. R.May we use our gifts and talents to help others as Father Damien did. R.
May we remember the sick and the less fortunate as Father Damien did. R.
May God continue to bless the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and all the good works that they do. R.
May we remember and honor Father Damien throughout the school year. R.For our own silent intentions. R.
Let us Pray St. Damien’s Prayer
Saint Damien, you learned to love others with the heart of Jesus. You saw dignity and beauty in each person you served, where others saw pain and misery. You embraced a new land, a new culture, and helped people to have new hope.Pray for me that I may see others as Jesus sees them- as my brothers and sisters. May I recognize the needs of the people around me, and be willing to help even when it is difficult, just as you did. When I experience challenges or suffering, pray for me that I may always be courageous and hope-filled. And may my own heart be filled with the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Thank you for coming to celebrate the life and work of St. Damien, a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
