A Missionary of the Sacred Heart, Joseph De Veuster was born in Tremolo , Belgium on January 3, 1840. He was educated at the college of Braine-le-Comte, Hainaut , and in 1860, joined the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus of Mary, taking the name Damien. At his request, he was sent to Hawaii as a missionary in 1864. He was ordained that year in Honolulu . He spent the next nine years in pastoral work in districts of Puna and Kohala , Hawaii and in 1873, again at his request, was sent to minister to the lepers at the leper colony on Molokai . He spent the rest of his life working among them, struggling to improve the miserable conditions he found on this island.
A Missionary of the Sacred Heart, Joseph De Veuster was born in Tremolo , Belgium on January 3, 1840. He was educated at the college of Braine-le-Comte, Hainaut , and in 1860, joined the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus of Mary, taking the name Damien. At his request, he was sent to Hawaii as a missionary in 1864. He was ordained that year in Honolulu . He spent the next nine years in pastoral work in districts of Puna and Kohala , Hawaii and in 1873, again at his request, was sent to minister to the lepers at the leper colony on Molokai . He spent the rest of his life working among them, struggling to improve the miserable conditions he found on this island. 