Damien, Father

Damien, Father
orig. Joseph de Veuster

born Jan. 3, 1849, Tremelo, Belg.
died April 15, 1889, Molokai, Hawaii

Belgian priest.

After training at the College of Braine-le-Comte, he joined the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in 1858. He went as a missionary to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands in 1863 and was ordained there in 1864. In 1873 he volunteered to take charge of the leper colony on Molokai Island. There he served as both physician and priest, dramatically improving living conditions and building two orphanages. He contracted leprosy himself in 1884 but refused to leave his post, and he died at Molokai five years later.

* * *

▪ Belgian priest
original name  Joseph de Veuster  
born Jan. 3, 1840, Tremelo, Belg.
died April 15, 1889, Molokai, Hawaii [U.S.]
 Belgian priest who devoted his life to missionary (mission) work among the Hawaiian lepers.

      He was educated at the College of Braine-leComte, and in 1858 he joined the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Picpus Fathers) at Leuven. In place of his brother, Father Pamphile, who had been stricken by illness, he went as a missionary to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands in 1863. He reached Honolulu in 1864 and was ordained a priest the same year. Moved by the miserable condition of the lepers (leprosy), whom the Hawaiian government deported to Kalaupapa on Molokai Island (1873), he volunteered to take charge of the settlement. He served as pastor and physician, improved water and food supplies and housing, and founded two orphanages, receiving help from other priests for only 6 of his 16 years on Molokai. In 1884 he contracted leprosy and refused cure because it would have necessitated his leaving the lepers. His remains were transferred to Leuven in 1936.

      Rumours before and after Damien's death accused him of immorality, but he was exonerated by an investigation held shortly after his death. In 1965 Hawaii placed a statue of him in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Damien, Father (Joseph de Veuster) — • Biography of the Belgian missionary priest to the leper colony on Molokai Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Damien, Father — (1840–89)    Missionary and Philanthropist.    Father Damien was born Joseph de Veuster in Tremelo, Belgium. At the age of nineteen he joined the Fathers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. He worked as a missionary first in the Sandwich Isles …   Who’s Who in Christianity

  • DAMIEN, FATHER —    a French priest, born at Louvain; devoted his life to nurse and instruct the lepers in an island of the Hawaian group, and, though after 12 years infected with the disease himself, continued to minister to them till his death (1841 1889) …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Father Damien —     Father Damien (Joseph de Veuster)     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Father Damien (Joseph de Veuster)     Missionary priest, born at Tremeloo, Belgium, 3 January 1840; died at Molokai, Hawaii, 15 April 1889.     His father, a small farmer, sent… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Father Damien — For other people with similar names, see Father Damien (disambiguation) or Saint Damien. Saint Damien Saint Damien of Molokaʻi Saint Damien de Veuster was a Roman Catholic missionary who ministered to lepers on the Hawaiian island of Mol …   Wikipedia

  • father — fatherlike, adj. /fah dheuhr/, n. 1. a male parent. 2. a father in law, stepfather, or adoptive father. 3. any male ancestor, esp. the founder of a race, family, or line; progenitor. 4. a man who exercises paternal care over other persons;… …   Universalium

  • Damien Thorn — Date of Birth: June 6, 1971 (Part 1) June 6, 1966 (Part 2) June 6, 1950 (Part 3) June 6, 2001 (Remake) Gender: Male Race Caucasian Appears in The Omen series Location …   Wikipedia

  • Damien Berry — Aug 2011 M T Bank stadium practice No. 23     Baltimore Ravens Running back …   Wikipedia

  • Damien Trotter — Only Fools and Horses character Portrayed by Patrick McManus (1991) Grant Stevens (1991) Robert Liddement (1992) Jamie Smith (1993–96) Douglas Hodge (1996; as adult) Ben Smith (2001–03) Created by John Sullivan Durati …   Wikipedia

  • Damien Karras — The Exorcist character Father Karras played by Jason Miller. Created by William Peter Blatty Portr …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”