father damien and his journey essay

Father Reese and His Journey

Between 1866 and 1873, seven hundred and ninety-seven lepers arrived about Molokai. Almost half of all of them died. Community indignation mounted, and the Board of Overall health sought to further improve conditions. In April of 1873, Walt Gibson, a politician during the time, wrote a newspaper article that manufactured a strong request. It called for a noble Christian priest, preacher, or Sister who would sacrifice their own life to console the lepers on Molokai. There were several men in Hawaii who had been willing to react, and one was Father Damien, a charitable Catholic priest while using Sacred Minds order. It may have been presentiment or prediction, but Dad Damien had known for some time that he would ultimately go to Molokai.

When ever Father Damien arrived in Molokai, it absolutely was in a condition of discompose. Sacred Minds had previously built a tiny chapel, dedicated to St . Philomena, but attendance was hard to find. There was no government on the island of st. kitts, and the lepers days had been filled with having, crime, and a general feeling of pessimism. Father Damien chose to correct this in several ways.

During the beginning upon entrance, Father D.reese took regular precautions in order to avoid contagion. This individual settled easily under a forest outside of the tiny church, and a big rock privately of the woods served because his dinning table. But if D.reese protected his body through the disease, there was clearly nothing this individual could do to protect his eyes or ears from your shock with the contact with the lepers. Gathering his courage, he began to approach the

lepers one by one. He embraced them, dined with them, and this individual cleaned and bandaged all their wounds. On his first trip to a young girl, he found that worms had enjoyed at one whole area of her body. This must have recently been a shock to the lepers, who have in the past had only viewed people who have been sent by the Department of Health. These types of previous doctors were thus afraid of contagion that they resorted to looking at their sufferers sores simply by lifting the bandages which has a cane. By another point, a health care provider left treatments on a table where the lepers could get this, insuring that he would not really have to been in the same place with these people. Having someone like Daddy Damien who was willing to acquire close to all of them, and whom spoke the Hawaiian terminology, began to provide the lepers expect. Not necessarily expect that they would live, yet hope that their lives, however short, would have some meaning.

With the help of his patients, Father Reese built houses, constructed a water system, and grown trees. This individual also structured schools, artists and finirs. He presented medical care intended for the living, and smothered the dead. He actually expanded the tiny chapel on the island. He persistently badgered the Hawaii government wonderful church for much more resources, which resulted in a greater awareness of the illness and the plight of their victims.

One day in December of 1884, although soaking his feet in extremely water, Father D.reese experienced simply no sensation to heat or pain. He knew at this point that he had leprosy. He previously lived on Molokai to get twelve years when this was confirmed. Even though the disease can be not remarkably contagious, Reese had not been careful about

hygiene. This individual did nothing to separate himself from the lepers. He consumed with all of them, shared his pipe, and did not constantly wash his hands following bandaging wide open sores.

Despite his many advantages, the Sacred Hearts Fathers were reluctant to help Daddy Damien in the long run. He asked to come to Honolulu, so that an additional priest may hear his confessions, although his Father Superior forbade it. Ultimately, he relented, but insisted that if perhaps Damien need to come to Honolulu, that he stay at the Franciscan Sisters leper hospital. He was not allowed to leave his room for the duration of his stay, which was one week. He talked of his rejection by his very own as the highest suffering he had ever experienced in his lifestyle. When Daddy Damien returned to Molokai, he was utterly alone. This individual continually begged his managers for an assistant, not only to help him in the ever-mounting work, but also to supply spiritual convenience for him. They were nonetheless reluctant to aid, as two other Sacred Hearts siblings had previously contracted leprosy from their period on the island.

Because death acknowledged, Father D.reese engaged in a flurry of activity. This individual continued to recite the Breviary the best way he could as his eyes failed, and the disease invaded his windpipe, keeping him from sleeping for over an hour or two at nighttime. He was forty-nine years old if he died about April 15th, 1889. Soon enough before his death, he wrote in a letter to his close friend, I i am gently likely to my serious. It is the will of Goodness, and I give thanks to Him quite definitely for enabling me expire of the same disease and in similar to the way as my personal lepers. My spouse and i am extremely satisfied and extremely happy (Father Damien similar. 8).

I do believe that I get Father Damien so interesting because of his selflessness wonderful devotion to his faith. He knew that to be able to show the people of Molokai the joys of

Catholicism, he would have to completely involve himself in their lives. In that way, he recognized that he would ultimately expire. Yet irrespective of knowing this, he nonetheless chose to move ahead and share what this individual could together with the people. This shows superb selflessness and a strong faith in religious beliefs, either which quality I would personally be happy to have got. I personally dont know merely would have had the opportunity to give so much of me. And in the final, when his peers may not even convenience him, he continued to complete what he could to help the people. It will have different if he hadnt known that he would have to die. Nevertheless he would, and still made a decision to go. Even if death was upon him, he performed tirelessly right up until he no longer had the strength. To me, that is amazing.

Bibliography

Functions Cited

Kalaupapa National Ancient Park. Daddy Damien of Kalaupapa. 16 June 2150.

.

Almost holy Hearts Community. Blessed Daddy Damien: Servant of Humanity.

2 June 2k. 15 06 2000..

Recorded of the Capitol, Office of the Curator. Daddy Damien. By. 15, 97.

16 Summer 2000..

D.reese Memorial High school graduation. Father D.reese de Veuster. June 9, 2000.

of sixteen June 2000.

Religion Essays