Saint Damien of Molokai has a nice ring to it. But now that our little island is part of the title of a saint, what kind of impact will that have on the people and the island?
Long before Sunday’s canonization in Rome by the pope, it was decided by the patients of Kalaupapa that the maximum amount of visitors allowed will remain at 100 per day. But even with the limit still in place, Kalaupapa expects to see a dramatic increase beyond the approximately 10,000 visitors a year it receives.
The National Park Service has already planned some topside improvements for Molokai visitors unable to make it down to Kalaupapa. A trail that runs parallel to the current pali trail will offer views and information. The Molokai museum in Kalae will also receive an expanded Kalaupapa section courtesy of the Park Service.
Now that Damien is the patron saint for those with HIV and AIDS, expect some interested patients and supporters to visit Molokai. Just as advocates of Hansen’s Disease patients hope that the elevation of Damien to a saint will help remove the stigma of the disease, so too do advocates of HIV-AIDS patients.
On this special occasion, President Barrack Obama had this to say: “In our own time as millions around the world suffer from disease, especially the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, we should draw on the example of Father Damien’s resolve in answering the urgent call to heal and care for the sick.”
While 11 Kalaupapa patients were in Rome this past weekend for the historic event, life went on in Kalaupapa. Those who remained at home walked through Kalaupapa with a banner bearing Damien’s likeness and exclaimed “Happy St. Damien’s Day” through the rain and mist on Sunday. Damien’s grave at St. Philomene Church in Kalawao — that holds the remains of his right hand — was laid with flowers. The morning of the canonization began in Kalaupapa with a special mass in St. Damien’s honor at St. Francis Church.
Filed under: Kalaupapa and Father Damien
