President Honors Soon-to-Be Saint

[The Straight Story]

President Honors Soon-to-Be Saint

October 09, 2009 6:23 PM


ABC News' Jordyn Phelps reports:

In a show of hometown pride, the president today honored the life of a Roman Catholic Priest from Hawaii who will be declared a saint by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday.

Blessed Damien de Veuster is remembered for his ministerial work to those affected by leprosy, also known as Hanson’s disease.

“Father Damien challenged the stigmatizing effects of disease, giving voice to the voiceless and ultimately sacrificing his own life to bring dignity to so many,” the president said in a statement.

In ministering to those affected by leprosy, Father Damien contracted the disease himself and died as a result in 1889, at the age of 49.

Father Damien was a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Hawaii, where the president was born and spent many of his childhood years. While Obama did not attend this church, he recalled the positive influence his ministry had on Hawaii.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/10/president-honors-soontobe-saint-.html

[gateley]

1. I'm glad he's being declared a saint. I remember being so moved by a story

about Father Damien when I was in school. I think it was about the only one that really touched me and made an impression during twelve years of Catholic education.

[virgogal]

2. Visiting Molokai was quite a learning experience for me.

[xchrom]

3. father damien -- i could only hope to be as fully realized human as he was. nt