St. Damien's life story
Today fifth grade is going to read you a story. It is a true story about Father Damien of Molaiki who lived a long time ago. May 10th is his feast day.
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.
Francis and Catherine De Veuster were blessed by the birth of their second youngest child, when Joseph was born January 3rd, 1840. Joseph loved to listen to the stories of saints, martyrs and heroes of the Bible that his mother read to them at night. The family was very religious. They fasted, prayed and did good works for God.
Growing up, Joseph and his many brothers and sisters helped do many chores around the farm. The chores helped Joseph grow into a strong young man. Joseph loved to have fun, like skating on the Dyle River when it froze, and loved mischief, but most of all, he loved his family.
Joseph made his first Communion on Palm Sunday, 1850 when he was ten years old. At age 13 Joseph finished his studies at the village school. He stayed home and worked on the family farm for the next four years. Joseph worked hard many hours each day, but he was happy.
On May 15, 1858, at age 18, Joseph traveled to Braine-le-Comte to learn the French language and commercial business to help his Dutch speaking family sell their grain to French speaking people. Joseph was a very good student who loved to learn. He impressed his teachers with his hard work and good grades.
Joseph had always been close to God, but was especially happy when his sister Pauline became a nun and his brother Auguste decided to study to become a priest. Joseph went to visit his brother in the Belgian city of Louvain. The more he talked to his brother, the more Joseph wanted to become a priest, too. Joseph was worried that his parents would not let him follow his dream.
Mama and Papa De Veuster were both happy and sad when they received the letter Joseph wrote them on Christmas Day telling them he wanted to become a priest. They were happy he loved God and sad because they knew they would see little of him when he became a priest. Papa De Veuster took Joseph to the monastery in Louvain for him to study for the priesthood.
As his brother August took the religious name, Pamphile, Joseph took the religious name, Damien. 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 on Christmas Day, 1800. This is the same religious order which founded St. Joseph Church and St. Joseph School.
Joseph was now called Brother Damien and he had to study Latin, Philosophy and Theology. His brother, Father Pamphile, helped him every day. Brother Damien also prayed for God’s help. He went to study at the Congregation’s school in Paris, France. Damien professed his vows when he was only 20 years old on October 7, 1860.
One day Damien heard a missionary bishop speak. Damien was inspired by this priest who brought the word of God to people in far away lands who had never heard of God. He wanted to do this special work, too.
Brother Damien soon 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. It was hard for Damien to say good bye to his family. He would write to them often, but he would never see them again.
Damien spent four and a half months on the ship R.W. Wood as it crossed the Atlantic, crossed around Cape Horn- the tip of South America to the South Pacific. At first Damien was seasick, but soon he was preparing the Communion for the daily mass. Damien prayed every day for their arrival. Finally, on March 18, 1864 they sighted land.
The plants, animals, land and people were very strange to Damien. Damien had to learn the language of the native people. After further study, Damien was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1864 at the Cathedral in Honolulu. Damien wrote to his family and his brother about this day and many others that followed during his years in Hawaii.
Damien then did a very special thing. He volunteered to go to Molokai, the “land of the cliffs” where people with Hansen’s disease lived. Molokai is an island covered in gray mountains and jagged cliffs. Hansen’s disease was an awful disease which infected a person’s verves and causes deformities of the body. The Law of Segregation of 1865 said those people with the disease had to live away from those who did not have it. Damien was happy to serve others just as Jesus did.
Life on Molokai was very difficult. Damien lived under a large pandanus tree until his own home was built. He visited settlers all over the island, even climbing tall mountains to get to them. He treated the people with kindness and respect. Damien was not afraid of them or of getting the disease.
Damien showed them how to believe in God and to make their lives better. Often, the people were too sick to build homes, to care of the sick and even bury the dead. He rebuilt St. Philomena’s Church which still stands today.
He helped them bring fresh water down from the mountains.
Damien lived on the island for 17 years. Damien was happy to care for God’s people. Money and supplies were finally being sent to help the island’s people. Princess Liliuokalani of Hawaii visited Father Damien in 1881. She was impressed her with his care of the people. She would give him a jeweled cross to recognize him for his good work.
Mother Marianne Cope and 7 sisters of the Franciscan Sisters arrived to help carry on Father Damien’s work. Mother Marianne would later become a saint. Joseph Dutton, a convert to our faith, also came to Molokai to help Father Damien.
Sadly, Father Damien became sick in September 1888. He continued to work until his body no longer let him. He died April 15, 1889 at the age of 49. People all over the world were sad at this news and remembered him.
Pope John Paul II beatified Father Damien in 1995. He was canonized November 11, 2009. Father Damien became a saint. His feast day is May 10th and celebrates the day he set foot on Molokai. His statue stands in the National Statuary in Washington, D.C. and another outside the Hawaiian Capitol.
Intentions The Response is: Saint Damien pray for us.
May we grow in our love of God as Father Damien teaches us. R
May we use our gifts and talents to serve others. R
May we share our material gifts with the sick or less fortunate. R
May God continue to bless the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts
of Jesus and Mary and the work they do. R
May we honor the memory of Father Damien during the school year. R
For our own silent intentions. R
PRAYER FOR THE FEAST OF BLESSED DAMIEN JOSEPH DE VEUSTER
Saint Damien, you learned to love others with the heart of Jesus. You saw the dignity and beauty of each person you served, where others saw only pain and misery. You embraced a new land and culture and helped people to have a new hope.
Pray for me that I might see others as Jesus saw them- as my brothers and sisters. May I recognize the needs of 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 today to honor Father Damien de Veuster, a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Today fifth grade is going to read you a story. It is a true story about Father Damien of Molaiki who lived a long time ago. May 10th is his feast day.
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.
Francis and Catherine De Veuster were blessed by the birth of their second youngest child, when Joseph was born January 3rd, 1840. Joseph loved to listen to the stories of saints, martyrs and heroes of the Bible that his mother read to them at night. The family was very religious. They fasted, prayed and did good works for God.
Growing up, Joseph and his many brothers and sisters helped do many chores around the farm. The chores helped Joseph grow into a strong young man. Joseph loved to have fun, like skating on the Dyle River when it froze, and loved mischief, but most of all, he loved his family.
Joseph made his first Communion on Palm Sunday, 1850 when he was ten years old. At age 13 Joseph finished his studies at the village school. He stayed home and worked on the family farm for the next four years. Joseph worked hard many hours each day, but he was happy.
On May 15, 1858, at age 18, Joseph traveled to Braine-le-Comte to learn the French language and commercial business to help his Dutch speaking family sell their grain to French speaking people. Joseph was a very good student who loved to learn. He impressed his teachers with his hard work and good grades.
Joseph had always been close to God, but was especially happy when his sister Pauline became a nun and his brother Auguste decided to study to become a priest. Joseph went to visit his brother in the Belgian city of Louvain. The more he talked to his brother, the more Joseph wanted to become a priest, too. Joseph was worried that his parents would not let him follow his dream.
Mama and Papa De Veuster were both happy and sad when they received the letter Joseph wrote them on Christmas Day telling them he wanted to become a priest. They were happy he loved God and sad because they knew they would see little of him when he became a priest. Papa De Veuster took Joseph to the monastery in Louvain for him to study for the priesthood.
As his brother August took the religious name, Pamphile, Joseph took the religious name, Damien. 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 on Christmas Day, 1800. This is the same religious order which founded St. Joseph Church and St. Joseph School.
Joseph was now called Brother Damien and he had to study Latin, Philosophy and Theology. His brother, Father Pamphile, helped him every day. Brother Damien also prayed for God’s help. He went to study at the Congregation’s school in Paris, France. Damien professed his vows when he was only 20 years old on October 7, 1860.
One day Damien heard a missionary bishop speak. Damien was inspired by this priest who brought the word of God to people in far away lands who had never heard of God. He wanted to do this special work, too.
Brother Damien soon 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. It was hard for Damien to say good bye to his family. He would write to them often, but he would never see them again.
Damien spent four and a half months on the ship R.W. Wood as it crossed the Atlantic, crossed around Cape Horn- the tip of South America to the South Pacific. At first Damien was seasick, but soon he was preparing the Communion for the daily mass. Damien prayed every day for their arrival. Finally, on March 18, 1864 they sighted land.
The plants, animals, land and people were very strange to Damien. Damien had to learn the language of the native people. After further study, Damien was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1864 at the Cathedral in Honolulu. Damien wrote to his family and his brother about this day and many others that followed during his years in Hawaii.
Damien then did a very special thing. He volunteered to go to Molokai, the “land of the cliffs” where people with Hansen’s disease lived. Molokai is an island covered in gray mountains and jagged cliffs. Hansen’s disease was an awful disease which infected a person’s verves and causes deformities of the body. The Law of Segregation of 1865 said those people with the disease had to live away from those who did not have it. Damien was happy to serve others just as Jesus did.
Life on Molokai was very difficult. Damien lived under a large pandanus tree until his own home was built. He visited settlers all over the island, even climbing tall mountains to get to them. He treated the people with kindness and respect. Damien was not afraid of them or of getting the disease.
Damien showed them how to believe in God and to make their lives better. Often, the people were too sick to build homes, to care of the sick and even bury the dead. He rebuilt St. Philomena’s Church which still stands today.
He helped them bring fresh water down from the mountains.
Damien lived on the island for 17 years. Damien was happy to care for God’s people. Money and supplies were finally being sent to help the island’s people. Princess Liliuokalani of Hawaii visited Father Damien in 1881. She was impressed her with his care of the people. She would give him a jeweled cross to recognize him for his good work.
Mother Marianne Cope and 7 sisters of the Franciscan Sisters arrived to help carry on Father Damien’s work. Mother Marianne would later become a saint. Joseph Dutton, a convert to our faith, also came to Molokai to help Father Damien.
Sadly, Father Damien became sick in September 1888. He continued to work until his body no longer let him. He died April 15, 1889 at the age of 49. People all over the world were sad at this news and remembered him.
Pope John Paul II beatified Father Damien in 1995. He was canonized November 11, 2009. Father Damien became a saint. His feast day is May 10th and celebrates the day he set foot on Molokai. His statue stands in the National Statuary in Washington, D.C. and another outside the Hawaiian Capitol.
Intentions The Response is: Saint Damien pray for us.
May we grow in our love of God as Father Damien teaches us. R
May we use our gifts and talents to serve others. R
May we share our material gifts with the sick or less fortunate. R
May God continue to bless the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts
of Jesus and Mary and the work they do. R
May we honor the memory of Father Damien during the school year. R
For our own silent intentions. R
PRAYER FOR THE FEAST OF BLESSED DAMIEN JOSEPH DE VEUSTER
Saint Damien, you learned to love others with the heart of Jesus. You saw the dignity and beauty of each person you served, where others saw only pain and misery. You embraced a new land and culture and helped people to have a new hope.
Pray for me that I might see others as Jesus saw them- as my brothers and sisters. May I recognize the needs of 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 today to honor Father Damien de Veuster, a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.