Saint Damien de Veuster

[Lei Liko]

Father Damien to become a Saint

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI today approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of a 19th century Belgian priest who ministered to leprosy patients in Hawaii — opening the way for him to be declared a saint.
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Benedict declared that a Honolulu woman's recovery in 1999 from terminal lung cancer was the miracle needed for canonization of the Rev. Damien de Veuster. The miracle was attributed to the intercession of the late priest, to whom the woman, Audrey Toguchi, had prayed.

The approval means that Father Damien, beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995, will be canonized at a date still to be set.

Growing up and being raised Catholic, I was always surrounded by the images and stories of Father Damien and Mother Marianne and their work with the patients and residents of Kalaupapa. I was able to travel to Kalaupapa in high school, and it's an experience I'll never, ever forget.

While I'm a no longer practicing Catholic, I do have gratitude to the Priests and Sisters of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary for giving me the best education I've ever had.

I imagine there's a lot of smiles in Kalaupapa right now.

[matapule]

Re: Saint Damien de Veuster

In Septermber, 1967, I hiked down the face of the cliff to Kalaupapa to visit the facilities there. Kalaupapa still had leprosy residents there at that time and they were quite congenial and gave us a tour around the place. Visited Fr. Damien's church.

And then we hiked back up the cliff. I was in better shape then.

Ofa 'atu
Mui Houma

[Random]

Re: Saint Damien de Veuster

I imagine there's a lot of smiles in Kalaupapa right now.

Smiles and teary eyes.

There is also a lot of outrage if they read this web article:

Damien miracles merely mystical Catholic PR