- St. Damien of Molokai, who had great devotion to the Eucharist
Damien De Veuster, a young Belgian priest, asked to serve at the leper colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai.
He hoped to instill in the patients a sense of self-worth and dignity. His first task was to restore dignity to death. When he preached, he called the people not "my brothers and sisters" but "we lepers" - a salutation that would eventually become true.
Damien died of leprosy on this day in 1889. He was beatified in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. Father Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009.
- Little White Book, Diocese of Saginaw