In the midst of tax day yesterday, we neglected to post that it was also the anniversary of the death of Saint Damien of Molokai (more commonly known as Father Damien).
Born Jozef ("Jef") De Veuster in Belgium in 1840, Damien moved to Hawaii in 1864. He was ordained to the priesthood later that year at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu. In 1865, the Kingdom of Hawaii set up the colony at Kalaupapa for people suffering from Hansen's Disease (then known as leprosy) and Father Damient moved to Molokai in 1873. He died of the disease on April 15, 1889.
Last year, Damien was sainted by Pope Benedict XVI and his feast day was declared as May 10th. At the beginning of this month, Hawaii's governor, Linda Lingle, signed into law a designation that May 10 will also be a holiday in Hawaii to be known as "Saint Damien Day." Stay tuned -- if there are any Saint Damien activities planned on Maui, we'll be sure to post them here.
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