October 21, 2009

A priest’s priest: St. Damien

By Tyler Eberle

“We lepers.” These are the words that began a journey. 

These are the words that brought me to St. Peter’s Square on the morning of Oct. 11 with some 40,000 other pilgrims to witness the canonization of the Church’s five newest saints: Jeanne Jugan, Zygmunt Szcezesny Felinski, Francisco Coll Guitart, Rafael Arnaiz Baron and Damien of Molokai.

Six years ago my devotion began for Father Damien. At that time I had no idea what an impact that devotion would have in my life.  I first heard his words, “We lepers,” while watching the movie “Molokai: The Story of Father Damien” (1999). 
This was the first time I had ever heard of then-Blessed Damien, but his story meant a lot to me.  The only thing I knew then was that here was a priest with a profound love for the priesthood in all that it meant.  I had just begun thinking about joining the seminary at that time, and in Father Damien I saw a priest who had a profound love for his people. 

“I am happy and content,” Father Damien once said of his work among the lepers. “And if I were given the choice of leaving here in order to be cured, I would answer without hesitation: ‘I’ll remain here with my lepers—as long as I live.’” 
He didn’t care what the rest of the world thought of them. Instead, he cared for them as human beings, even if that meant he, too, would be secluded on that island in Hawaii. He was the first saint that I felt I knew as more than just a name, and over the next two years I asked Father Damien for his intercession in my life as I made the decision to enter seminary. These words of St. Damien would continue to make an impression on me that would grow over the next six years.
Ever since my devotion to Father Damien began, I thought it would be an amazing experience to be there at his canonization. I eagerly looked for the day it would be announced.  Never, though, did I think that I would actually have the chance to be there in St. Peter’s Square for the event.  That was only a dream I thought to myself, and it seemed like something that was out of my grasp.  

But then, last February it was announced that the canonization was to be on Oct. 11 and I began to believe that maybe I could make it there.  With motivation from another seminarian I started looking into what it would take for me to be able to go.  Through all of that, I came to learn that I was right in thinking such a trip was out of my own grasp—but for God it was not.  Through the intercession of Father Damien and God’s infinite love I was able to get a plane ticket, and then a ticket to the canonization.

I gratefully (if a bit dizzily) found myself in Rome on the weekend of the canonization.  I arrived at St. Peter’s Square 30 minutes before they opened things up for people to start sitting, and I quickly learned the truth about lines in Italy: they don’t exist.  I finally got to my seat about an hour later, an hour and a half before the Mass began. 

Sitting there in St. Peter’s Square, things really started to sink in as I realized that God had brought me here to sit in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, able to look up and see the banners of all the soon to be new saints, and to realize that this journey that started six years ago when I had first heard about Father Damien was now not ending but continuing anew with his canonization.

The pope officially canonized the saints at the beginning of the Mass.  Each saint was mentioned and part of their life was read.  Even though I did not understand everything, since it was in Latin, there was a great joy that came over me as I realized what a blessed day this was in the life of the Church.  When St. Damien was mentioned and he was officially canonized, I was filled with an inexpressible joy. It was a moment I know I will never forget. 

Most people don’t get to see their patrons canonized because they have already been declared saints. I consider myself truly blessed and honored that God and St. Damien invited me to be present there for this great event of joy for the Church.
St. Damien of Molokai, pray for us!

Tyler Eberle is a seminarian attending St. John Vianney Theological Seminary.