Richard Stewart

Leper Priest of Molokai: the Father Damien Story Richard Stewart

In May 1873, Father Damien De Veuster voluntarily became the first resident clergyman and part-time physician for the leper colony on Moloka'i's remote Kalaupapa peninsula. This volume traces the life of Father Damien from his boyhood in rural Belgium to his death at Kalaupapa after sixteen years of remarkable accomplishments. It analyzes much new information about Damien and his years in Hawai'i, giving a fuller understanding of the extent of Damien's work at the settlement and the tensions underlying his relations with Church bureaucrats. It is the story of one humble man with faith in God and in himself, who faced gargantuan challenges and triumphed.