My family and I made a pilgrimage to Kalaupapa and Kalawao on Molokai today. Words could never do justice to the beauty of the Friendly Isle.
We felt privileged to visit the sacred grounds and walk the paths that Father Damien walked.
In this place, I felt God's presence so strongly.
It was oh so bittersweet watching the beautiful and majestic sea cliffs, the breathtaking scenery, the rough yet awesome ocean, and remembering the nightmare that the victims of Hansen's Disease met upon their arrival.
Today it was hard to imagine that they were met with the words "In this place, there is no law." Thanks to Father Damien, he not only brought order out of chaos, but he helped heal the people spiritually as well as physically.
Father Damien is a hero and well-beloved all around the world, but especially in this isolated part of the world.
He truly was an amazing man of God. He is responsible for building churches on the Big Island and of course, St. Philomena the little church on Kalawao.
Father Damien's grave is next to his beloved church. But today, it holds only his right hand. The rest of his remains was returned to Belgium in 1936. In 1995, the right hand was brought back to Hawaii.
Someone very special yet a somewhat of an unsung hero is Brother Joseph Dutton. He was a Civil War soldier from Stowe, Vermont. He heard about Father Damien and went to Kalawao to help Father Damien and as a way to redeem himself. He spend 40 years at the settlement and eventually died on Oahu. He never contracted Hansen's Disease though. His body was brought back to Kalawao because he wanted to be buried next to his hero, Father Damien.
I first learned of Father Damien when I was a child. I had watched the movie on Father Damien starring Ken Howard and from that day on, he became one of my heroes. Never did in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be fortunate enough to visit this place and with own family, the land Father Damien served with love.Today has indeed brought me much joy.
