Father Damien volunteered to help an island leper colony

[FriendlyJosh]

"TIL Father Damien, a Catholic Priest, volunteered to help an island leper colony, saying "I make myself a leper to be with the lepers." There he turned shacks into painted houses, cultivated farms, and started schools. Doing so he contracted leprosy himself. He was canonized a saint in 2009."

Father Damien - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

original thread
TIL Father Damien, a Catholic Priest, volunteered to help an island leper colony, saying "I make myself a leper to be with the lepers." There he turned shacks into painted houses, cultivated farms, and started schools. Doing so he contracted leprosy

What an amazing man!

 

[Memento Mori]

There's a good movie about him. I think it's just called Damien of Molokai.

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

The first life of a saint I ever remember studying.

I was about 8 years old.

Of course he wasn't a saint then...

 

[WarriorAngel]

"TIL Father Damien, a Catholic Priest, volunteered to help an island leper colony, saying "I make myself a leper to be with the lepers." There he turned shacks into painted houses, cultivated farms, and started schools. Doing so he contracted leprosy himself. He was canonized a saint in 2009."

Father Damien - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

original thread
TIL Father Damien, a Catholic Priest, volunteered to help an island leper colony, saying "I make myself a leper to be with the lepers." There he turned shacks into painted houses, cultivated farms, and started schools. Doing so he contracted leprosy

What an amazing man!

Yep - heard about his life and story.