Saint Damien de Veuster (1840–1889) was a Belgian priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts who volunteered to serve the people with leprosy exiled to the Kalaupapa peninsula on Molokai, Hawaii. He lived among them for sixteen years, building homes, churches, and community, until he contracted the disease himself and died on April 15, 1889. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
Damien chose to stay with the suffering when nearly everyone else stayed away, sharing their life completely rather than helping from a safe distance. His example shows that love is proven by presence — by remaining beside those who hurt, even when it costs everything.
Saint Damien, friend of the forgotten, teach us to stay close to those who suffer and to love without counting the cost. Amen.Enter today’s Mass → All saints →