St. Damian of Molokai and St. Jeanne Jugan

It's Sunday again. As is my usual routine, I try to watch some religious programme on the computer. Today there was a film on St Damian of Molokai. The Pope is canonising Damian today at St Peter's Bsilica. An incredible story. St. Damian was maligned and misunderstood by his very own congregation, superiors and bishop even as he worked selflessly for the lepers in Molokai. He was isolated by obedience because his superiors accused him of pride, stubbornness and embarrassing the state and church by highlighting the plight of the lepers. And ironically, it was the protestants and Anglicans who came to the aid of Fr Damian. The Anglican and protestant churches admired him and saw him as a saint ... while his own church accused him and castigated him. He was supported and praised by non-Catholics such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Mahatma Gandhi at a time when the Church would not mention his name. Fr Damian's leprosy was less a source of pain than the unjust treatment he received. It took the Franciscan Sisters to break the deadlock and start a mission on the island to help Fr Damien, when no one else wanted or were allowed to join Fr Damian.

One memorable phrase from the documentary is: "Fr Damian showed that the lepers were worth dying for." I wonder how many of us can say that about those we fear and despise.

Fr Buscemi and I went for a walk and we spoke about Damian. He said there's a very good film on Damian's life that I should watch.

Also today is the canonisation of Jeanne Jugan, the foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. She too suffered very much, maligned by the clergy and congregation; forced to live in silence in the novitiate even though she was the foundress, forced not to reveal the true founding of her congregation and she died unknown and forgotten. It was only after her death that the truth came out and her sisters realise that Jeanne Jugan was their true founder. Her work with the aged poor is world-reknown now.

St Damian of Molokai and St. Jeanne Jugan, pray for us!