Blessed Mother Marianne Cope :: Blessed Damien the Leper *:: Blessed Francis X. Seelos

Blessed Junipero Serra :: Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Blessed Mother Marianne Cope (1838-1918)

The "Leprosy Nun." Father Damien's replacement - She was the daughter of German immigrants living in Utica, New York. Entering the Order of St Francis, Barbara Koob took the name of Marianne. Mother Marianne was 45 years old, been in the order 21 years and supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital in Syracuse when she accepted a post in the Hawaiian Mission.

Father Damien had contracted leprosy and would soon die with Mother Marianne at his bedside. For the next 30 years, taking his place, she and other sisters of St. Francis worked among the lepers caring and making them comfortable as there was no cure. She managed homes for boys as well as girls leaving a legacy of schools, orphanages and hospitals on four islands.

Never contacting leprosy, she managed to reach the age of eighty suffering Kidney disease and confined to a wheelchair. After supper on August 8th she asked to be wheeled to the veranda of the convent. Mother Marianne raised a weak hand, looked out over the grounds and gave her blessing to the facility. Returned to her room, she died peacefully in her sleep suffering a heart attack during the night. After a funeral mass at St. Francis Church, she was interred on the grounds of the Bishop School.

Sister Marianne was beatified in a ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica on May 14, 2005. Thu she follows in the footsteps of Father Damien who was beatified in 1995. Both only face a last step before sainthood.

Blessed Damien the Leper (1840-1889)

*Fr. Damien will be canonized on October 11, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI

In 1973, Harper and Row Publishers of New York published the book, Holy Man-Father Damien of Molokai written by Gavan Da. This book reveals the life of a man who gave himself in the service of poor lepers through a life of poverty, chastity and obedience in imitation of Jesus Christ.  This paper is a book-review that contains a summary of the book and an analysis.

The book begins at the deathbed of Fr. Damien. A doctor comes to visit him the day before his death and photographs Fr. Damien as he lay dying on the floor with only a straw mattress, a pillow and a single blanket to keep him warm.The doctor, not knowing he had taken a picture of a one-day saint of the Catholic Church, knew that Father Damien had but a short time to live. He was dying from leprosy. The world would someday call him "Damien the Leper”.

The story of Fr. Damien begins Jan. 3, 1840 at his birth. He was baptized Joseph, the youngest son and seventh of eight children of Frans and Anne-Catherine De Veuster, who were small farmers at Tremeloo, near Louvain, Belgium.They were Flemish speakers, who went to Communion four times a year and confessed as regular devout Catholics would do at that time. His mother would read aloud to the children about the lives of the saints. Three of the children besides himself gave their lives in the service of the Church. As a child he was known to be sociable, competitive and a trickster. However, Joseph was also religious. His mother discovered a hard board on his bed, which he used to mortify his flesh.

Auguste, his brother, later taking the name Brother Pamphile, became a religious in the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Meanwhile, Joseph, at the age of thirteen, was big and strong enough to work in the fields with his father. Joseph followed in his brother’s footsteps and entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He took the habit on Feb. 2, 1858 under the religious name Brother Damien. His superiors thought that he was not a good candidate for the priesthood because he lacked education. However, he was not considered unintelligent. Because he learned his Latin well from his brother, his superiors decided to allow him to become a priest.

During his ecclesiastical studies, he used to pray everyday before a picture of St. Francis Xavier, patron of missionaries, to be sent on a mission. His brother was assigned to the Hawaiian Islands as a missionary, but became ill. Damien asked to replace his brother even though he had not yet been ordained.The Congregation gave him permission and after a five-month voyage he arrived in Honolulu on Mar. 19, 1864.He was ordained a priest May 21, 1864 by Bishop Maigret. 

As a new priest, he wrote to his parents about his experience in Hawaii

"Here I am a priest, dear parents, here I am a missionary in a corrupt, heretical, idolatrous country. How great my obligations are! Ah! do not forget this poor priest running night and day over the volcanoes night and day in search of strayed sheep. Pray night and day for me, I beg You."

Fr. Damien was assigned to a large volcanic region, in which they worshipped a goddess. Because he traveled much, when a Hawaiian asked him where he lived, he pointed to his saddle and said, "this is my home.” He began to learn the local language. In his homilies he preached against the open sexual misbehavior of the natives. Adultery, concubinage and pagan customs were rampant at the time. One pagan custom involved the sacrifice of a pig or chicken to please the god aumakua. Fr. Damien suffered from loneliness and "black thoughts”, which was melancholy. He pleaded with his superiors to send him another priest. He even went so far as to send a letter requesting that his brother, no longer ill, be sent to him. Bishop Maigret asked his priests if any would be interested in serving at Molokai, the leprosy settlement.

The faithful had been living and dying in desperate conditions without the sacraments. Fr. Damien was ready to be the first to go and on May 10, 1873, they had their first priest.The Board of Health had been conducting a strict isolation and segregation policy to keep leprosy under control. It had become an epidemic in Hawaii and all measures were sought to contain it, thus the creation of the leprosy settlement at Molokai. The disease was believed to be the fault of the white man, haole, who brought the disease to the islands.

Fr. Damien was physically strong and worked hard. He was emotionally strong and overcame his fears of the disease. Most importantly, he was a strong father, who provided for the needs of his spiritual children.

He began to build hospitals, orphanages, houses and all kinds of buildings and by 1888 had helped to build many of the 374 buildings on the island. Despite the apparent contagiousness of the disease, Hawaiians needed to be touched and affirmed physically.

Fr. Damien saw the first hand horror of the disease by the horrible smell of rotting flesh as swarms of worms bared the intestines and ribs of the victims. At first he had a terrible repugnance to the fetid odor, the disfigured faces and the sores in which pus oozed out. A leper was considered an untouchable. Fr. Damien touched all and worked with all. He used to invite people into his house and would use it as a place for some who had no home. He made flutes for the fingerless, held races with children that had only stumps for feet and had holes cut in the floor of St. Philomena to allow the sick to spit on the ground. He tried as many innovations as possible to help the people in any way that he could.

He not only acted as physician but healed their souls as well. There were two hundred Catholics among the six hundred at the settlement upon Fr. Damien’s arrival. Within ten days he had twenty catechumens, the following week he performed thirty baptisms, and by the end of his first six months he had four hundred catechumens.

In addition to this, he began perpetual Eucharistic adoration at the settlement. This gave the lepers a place to pour out their hearts to the Lord in the midst of their sufferings. Because of his spiritual successes, the Protestants among the other islands became outraged at "the papist”. Fr. Damien, in the meantime, suffered from terrible loneliness and was unable to go to confession regularly. All his life, he begged the bishop and his superiors to send him someone.

Because many were fearful of the disease, Fr. Damien had to confess from the shore by shouting to a priest on a ship and then receiving absolution. Finally, Fr. Andre Burgerman, a Dutchman, was sent to help him, but he ended up being more of a thorn in the side than help. Constant disagreements and complaints occurred between the two until finally Fr. Andre was believed to have caught the disease and was removed from the settlement for care.

Fr. Albert Montiton, a Frenchman was assigned to help Fr. Damien. He believed that leprosy was transmitted by sexually immoral people and was the result of syphilis, and he also accused Fr. Damien of sexual immorality. Fr. Albert put Fr. Damien through a bad period by invading his territory, ordering him around and telling him how to be a priest. However, Fr. Albert was a sick man with elephantiasis and was later transferred out of Molokai for health reasons.

Again Fr. Damien was alone and his superiors were of no support to him. A long battle erupted between Fr. Damien and Bishop Koeckemann and his superior Fr. Fouesnel, who believed Damien to be a troublemaker, unable to get along with other priests. Fr. Damien suffered not only from his superiors. In 1882, he began to experience pain in his left leg and his feet, yet he still had not contracted the disease after ten years. Before he arrived at the settlement, he wrote to his brother and stated, "As for me, since I am coming to the leprosy settlement, I have confided to Our Lord, His Holy Mother and St. Joseph the matter of health.”

Walter Murray Gibson, a protestant minister and doctor became the primary political leader in Hawaii under King David Kalakaua. He allocated five percent of the nation’s resources to control the disease. This amounted to six dollars for each leper, and each person was allocated one cent per month for drugs. He made leprosy political and brought Catholicism into politics. Dr. Gibson was a thorn for Fr. Damien. Fr. Damien had to ask for supplies from him and Dr. Gibson often gave them begrudgingly.

There were three theories about how leprosy was transmitted: genetics, sexual misconduct and touch. Many remedies were tried including a blend of dog manure and molasses, yet nothing seemed to work. In 1883, Dr. Eduard Christian Arning, a second-generation student of Gerhard Hansen, who discovered the Bacillus leprae, came to Molokai to do research. He discredited the syphilis theory and was of great help to Fr. Damien at the settlement. By 1883, Fr. Damien had lost the feeling in his leg and redness appeared on his foot -- he had contracted leprosy. In 1885, a small leprous tubercle appeared on the left lobe of his ear and his eyebrows fell off.

He had asked Our Lady of Montaigu for the privilege of serving for twelve years in 1863 and now, twenty-two years later he had the disease. He wrote letters to his brother and mother informing them of the disease. Upon opening the letter, his mother died of a heart attack. She died with a photograph of Fr. Damien and a picture of the Blessed Virgin in her hand. Still without a priest to assist him, Fr. Damien begged for assistance. The bishop and his superior, thinking him a trouble maker, received news that he had written a personal letter, which was published in a newspaper. The letter complained that the bishop, the government and his community would not support the settlement. This problem caused him great turmoil and made his superiors reluctant to send him help.

Fr. Founsel, his superior, would not let Fr. Damien come to Honolulu to go to confession or seek treatment. Hundreds of people, hearing about the plight of Fr. Damien, offered to come to help him. One such person was Ira Barnes Dutton, who had fought in the American Civil War, separated from his wife, had been a heavy drinker, and who still wanted to come. Because he entered the Catholic Church and desired to do penance until his death, he came and was a big help to Fr. Damien. Still, Fr. Founsel, the Bishop, and Dr. Gibson gave him terrible trouble.

Fr. Conrady, hearing of his misfortune came to the island. Soon the Franciscan sisters arrived as well. Fr. Conrady began to write letters that ended up in newspapers. The letters revealed the harshness of Fr. Founsel and the gloom of the settlement. Because of the letters, many priests wanted to come to Molokai.

The bishop relented. He allowed four priests at the settlement. An arm in a sling, a foot in bandages and his leg dragging, Fr. Damien knew death was near. He was bedridden on Mar. 23, and on Mar. 30, 1889 he made a general confession and renewed his vows. April 1, he received Holy Viaticum and on April 2, he received Extreme Unction. During the following days, Fr. Conrady would walk from the Church to the house to give him Communion while the altar servers would ring the bells in a procession with lit candles. Fr. Damien told those around him that there were two figures at his bed, one at the head and the other at the foot. It is unknown who these figures were, but perhaps they could have been Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin.

At the age of forty-nine, on April 15, he died at 8:00am, four days short of Good Friday. He was buried with two thousand other lepers near St. Philomena’s Church. News of Fr. Damien’s death arrived at Honolulu on the same day and within a month the world knew of it. A monument was built at the settlement in Molokai in 1893. Fr. Damien’s brother, Fr. Pamphile, announced that he would publish his letters. In 1895, the Congregation asked his brother to come to Molokai and work. He arrived there but it was too difficult for him and so he returned to Belgium.

Because the charity towards lepers was primarily Catholic, Protestants such as Dr. Hyde attacked Fr. Damien after his death. He accused Fr. Damien of contracting the disease by sexual relations. Robert Louis Stephens wrote the book, Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde, based on the situation. He condemned Dr. Hyde’s allegations against Fr. Damien. The annexation of Hawaii to the US in 1898 caused the Hawaiians to become American citizens. This resulted in a huge allocation by the US government to build a scientific station in Molokai. It was abandoned two years later because the lepers refused to use it. In 1936, Fr. Damien’s body was taken to Belgium and in 1938 the process of his beatification was opened. During the1940’s, a new drug called DDS became successful in curbing the disease.It was no longer a social disease because segregation was no longer required.In 1959 the territory of Hawaii became a state and each state was allowed to place two statues of their dead in the capital building of Washington DC. A statue of Fr. Damien was erected. Father Damien was declared Blessed on June 4th, 1995.

Blessed Francis X. Seelos (1819-67)

Born at Füssen, Bavaria, 11 January, 1819; died at New Orleans, La., 4 Oct., 1867. When a child, asked by his mother what he intended to be, he pointed to the picture of his patron, St. Francis Xavier, and said: "I'm going to be another St. Francis." He pursued his studies in Augsburg and Munich, and entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, offering himself for the American Mission; he arrived in America on 17 April, 1843.

That following year, 16 May, 1844, he made his religious profession at the Redemptorist novitiate, Baltimore, and seven months later he was ordained by Archbishop Eccleston of Baltimore. He was assigned to St. James, Baltimore. In May 1845, he was sent to Pittsburg, where he had as superior Ven. John Neumann. In 1851 Father Seelos was appointed superior of the Pittsburg community, where he laboured untiringly for nine years. His confessional was constantly besieged by crowds of people of every description and class. It was said by many that he could read their very souls. From Pittsburg, he was transferred to St. Alphonsus's, Baltimore, where he fell dangerously ill. On his recovery he was appointed prefect (spiritual director) of the professed students, and he succeeded in winning the love an esteem of all who were privleged to be under his spiritual guidance. In 1860 his name was proposed for the vacant Holy See of Pittsburg, but humbly refused the honour. The year 1962 found him again at mission work. In 1866 he was summoned to Detroit, and in September of the same year to New Orleans, Louisiana. The cause of his beatification is in progress.

Blessed Junipero Serra (1713-84)

Franciscan Friar, missionary and founder of missions in California. He was the son of Antonio Nadal Serra and Margarita Rosa Ferrer and was born at Petra, Majorca, Spain on Nov. 24^th, 1713. He was baptized on the same day in St. Peter’s Church and given the name Miguel Jose.  He was confirmed at the age of two by the bishop of Palma. He received his primary education at a school conducted by Franciscans at the friary of of San Bernardino.  When he was fifteen he was placed in charge of the canons of the cathedral in Palma and began to assist in Philosophy classes held in the Franciscan San Francisco Monastery.  Thus in his early life was deeply influenced by the Franciscans who were his teachers.

Young Friar-On Sept. 14^th, 1730 at the age of 16 he became a novice at Convento de Jesus located near Palma and made his profession the following year on Sept. 15.  At his profession he chose the name Junipero, in memory of one of St. Francis Assisi’s first companions.

The young friar studied philosophy from 1731-1734 followed by four years of theology at Convento de San Francisco.  The date of his ordination is not known but it was probably occurred in Dec. of 1738.  The year following his ordination he served as friary librarian but began to teach philosophy in the fall of 1740 for three years at San Francisco.  He earned his doctorate in theology in 1742 from Lullian University in Palma and was called to the Scotistic chair of theology at the university in Jan. of 1744.  He had the reputation of being an excellent teacher and highly sought after preacher, renowned for his pulpit style and religious zeal.  But his local fame did not quench his thirst to be a missionary.  This was granted to him in 1749.

  
Missionary in America-On April 13, accompanied by his formal pupil Francisco Palou, who would later write the first biography of Serra, the companions sailed from Palma to America by way of Malaga and Cadiz.  After a perilous voyage, Vera Crux, Mexico was reached on Dec. 7, 1749.  Refusing the horses offered to him, they walked 250 miles to teach Mexico City and arrived at San Fernando College on Jan. 1, 1750.

Six months later Serra and Palou answered a call for volunteers to adminster to the Sierra Gorda missions.  Together they walked 175 miles to Jalpan, the principal mission station that served the Pame natives. For the ensuing eight years he labored to enhance and enlarge missions under his care, mastering the Otomi language.  The Sierra missions prospered and he became a champion of native rights against obstinate white abuse.

He Sept., 1758, he was summoned to San Fernando College in anticipation of being transferred to the San Saba missions in Texas which had suffered from violent attacks from the indigenous people.  The posting never came about so he stayed at the college until 1767, where he was choir director, college counselor, and confessor and Holy Office of the Inquisition, which dated back to 1752 when he was first assigned the post.

As a home missionary Serra immediately was immensely active in preaching missions in numerous areas of central Mexico, ranging from Oaxaca in the south to Valles in the north.  He was appointed to the presidency of the ex-Jesuit missions in Baja California that were placed in the hands of the Franciscans after the Jesuit expulsion from the Spanish dominions.  He took up his new post at Loreto on April 1, 1768.

The California Missions-Acting on the orders of Jose de Galvez, visitor general to New Spain (Mexico), the exploration and settlement of Alta Californina was to be implemented.  Serra volunteered to undertake the evangelization of the new territory even though not in the best of health.  Galavez accepted and the Franciscans were granted Alta California as their mission field.

He set out on Mar. 27, 1769, from Loreto to join the expedition led by Captain Gaspar de Portola and arrived in San Diego on July 1.  En route Serra established his first mission at San Fernando de Velicata on May 14, 1769.  The journey was difficult for him because he suffered from varicose ulcers in his legs, which caused him acute pain, but was not deterred by his infirmities in his quest for native converts.

In the ensuing 15yrs of his life, Serra labored without surcease in his Alta California apostolate. He founded nine missions: San Diego, July 16, 1769; San Carlos at Monterey, June 3, 1770; San Antonio, July 14, 1771; San Gabriel, Sept. 8, 1771, San Louis Obispo, Sept. 1, 1772, San Francisco, Oct. 12, 1777’ San Juan Capistrano, Nov. 1, 1776; Santa Clara, Jan. 12, 1777 and San Buenaventura, Mar 31, 1782.  At the same time, the founding of the first civilian settlements at San Jose, Nov. 29, 1777 and Los Angeles, Sept. 4, 1781 were effected.

During his apostolate, Serra traveled extensively in Alta, California administering to the native peoples and his fellow Franciscans.  His travels included major trips to Mexico city to plead for the rights of the neophytes under his care as president of California’s mission. This trip resulted in the famed Regulamento of 1773 that provided for the governance of the new province issued by Viceroy Bucareli.  Plagued by his varicose ulcers and asthma attacks he labored tirelessly in his efforts to bring Christianity to California’s native people.

By the time of his death at Mission San Carlos, Aug. 28, 1784, the nine California missions he had founded reported a total of 6,736 baptisms and 4, 646 Christian Native Americans living in the missions. He remained a model for religious despite his distractions and activity – a man of prayer and mortification. He had a consuming love for the Indians and ever defended them.  He was considered a man of saintly qualities during his life.  His cause for beatification was introduced in the diocese of Montery-Fresno in 1934 and was completed in 1949.  The Sacred Congregation of Rites declared Serra Venerable on Feb. 15, 1985. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on Sept. 25, 1988.

  
Document written by Juniperra Serra-Junipero Serra Makes His Final Report on the Mission of San Carlos De Monterey, July 1, 1784.

Hail Jesus, Mary and Joseph! “On the Most Solemn Feast of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost Sunday, June 3, 1770, this mission of San Carlos de Monterey was founded to the joy of the sea and land expeditions. In a short time rejoicing was shared by the entire kingdom and eagerly celebrated in both Spains.The following day, after choosing the most likely spot on that plain, the construction of the presidio was enthusiastically begun by the men of both sea and land forces.  By the fourteenth of the same month, the most solemn feast of Corpus Chirsti, a chapel had been built, as well as it could be, at the spot of the presidio which it still occupies, and a high Mass was sung with the Blessed Sacrament exposed in its monstrance.  After the Mass there was a procession, in which His Sacramental Majesty passed over the ground that till then had been so heathen and miserable.  It was a day of great consolation for all of us who were Christians.”  

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680)

She is the first Native American to be beatified.  She was the daughter of Kahenta (Flower of the Prairie), a native Algonquin taken on a raid to New York.  Her father was a Mohawk chief, Kenhornkwa (Beloved).  The family lived in Osserneon, what is now Auerieville, New York.  Kateri had a brother named Otsikehta.  When she was four years old, her parents and brother died from a small pox epidemic.  Although she survived the epidemic, she was left with her face permanently disfigured and her vision impaired.  Kateri was adopted by her uncle and two aunts.  She lived a secluded life, doing house chores and remaining indoors most of the time because her inability to tolerate bright sunlight.

 
The first missionaries arrived at the request of the Mohawks, who wanted the “Black Robes”, the Jesuits.  Upon arrival they were assigned to stay in the same dwelling in which she was living with her family.  After three days they left to visit other Mohawk settlements with no apparent affect on Kateri.  Upon the arrival of other Jesuit missionaries, the Mohawks converted to Catholicism and moved from the village to a mission with other Christians.  When she made known her desire for baptism, her uncle opposed.  Finally he consented but with the stipulation that she would remain in the village after baptism.

A two-year instruction period was the rule, but an exception was made for her because of her reputation of integrity.  She was baptized on Easter, April 5, 1676 and given the name Catherine (Kateri in Iroquois).  Everyone rejoiced with her.  However, the rejoicing disappeared because Kateri attempted to keep Sunday Holy by not working.  People judged her as lazy.  Others ridiculed her strong devotion to Mary and the rosary.  Her celibate lifestyle caused intense hostility.  Her aunts attempted to trick her into marrying a young warrior.  Her uncle urged others to molest her.  One aunt attempted to destroy her reputation by insisting there was an incestuous relationship between her and her uncle.  A young man attempted to kill her with a tomahawk.  Teasing, insults, mockery and harsh treatment were common in her daily life.  Despite this she remained cheerful to everyone.

Kateri decided to leave the village upon hearing about the life of a catechist, who came to the village and lived on a mission.  While her uncle was away, a few men helped her to escape.  When he returned, he left with a loaded gun in pursuit of his niece.  He gave up the chase and returned home.

Kateri arrived at the mission in the autumn of 1677.  She resided with a friend of her mother, Anastasia and with direction from a Jesuit missionary, her spiritual life continued to develop. That Christmas, over 18 months after her baptism, she made her first Communion.  Everyone who knew her, thought her deserving of becoming a member of an organization, Confraternity of the Holy Family, reserved for outstanding Catholics.  On Easter Sunday, she entered the confraternity and received Communion, the second time in her life.

Prayer became important to Kateri.  Early writings disclose that at 4:00am each morning, no matter the weather, she was in church and remained several hours in prayer.  Although Kateri lived an ordinary life, she wanted to dedicate herself to God.  She was permitted to make a vow of perpetual virginity on Mar. 25^th, 1679.  A deep friendship was developed with a widow, Marie Therese.  They became spiritual companions, encouraged one another in prayer and penance, and conversed about God and spiritual matters.

Kateri became seriously ill during Holy Week of 168.  It was customary for persons who desired to receive viaticum to be brought to church: however, because of her holiness, viaticum was brought to her.  She died Wednesday, April 17^th, 1680 at the age of 24.  Those who saw her after her death described a beautiful change in her features in that her facial disfigurement disappeared entirely.

She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and has the distinction of being the first Native American beatified by the Catholic Church.

Her name Tekakwitha has been interpreted, “that which or who puts things in order” or “one who advances and who casts something before her”.  As Kateri, she became known as a lily among thorns, the Lily of Mohawks, and “The Most Beautiful Flower that ever bloomed for the Indians.”