Blessed Damien of Molokai (1840-1899)
Timeline of Venerable Solanus Casey	World Timeline
Father Damien, a young Belgian priest, arrived on the island of Molokai in 1873. He was to spend the rest of his lifetime in Molokai working among lepers. Molokai’s first documented case of leprosy occurred in 1848. The rapid spread of the disease made Molokai a totally isolated community. Despite the epidemic of leprosy in Molokai, Father Damien requested to serve there. In effect, Father Damien knew he would be placing his life at risk in order to give the lepers of Molokai a life of dignity, purpose, and love. The conditions on Molokai were terrifying. Lepers were left there to die. They lived in caves and shacks and barely clung to life. When Father Damien arrived on the island, he knew his first task was to give people a sense of self-worth and to give a Christian purpose to the reality of death. With heroic and tireless effort, he worked with the people to build a church, clean houses, and build a cemetery. The results were astounding. The island was transformed and the people lived with a sense of Christian joy and community. Father Damien’s later years were profoundly marked by the contagious threat of leprosy. He became ill and recognized the symptoms of leprosy in himself. In spite of this, he refused to slowdown his work schedule. Father Damien was not about to curtail his pastoral responsibilities nor his construction projects. He died of leprosy on April 15, 1889 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995.	1840 Slaves on the Spanish ship Amistad mutiny. 1848 Gold discoveries in California lead to the gold rush. 1873 San Francisco’s first cable car goes into operation. 1889 The Eiffel Tower is completed in Paris. Electric lights are installed in the White House. 1995 The bombing of the Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City kills 180 people.