Synopses & Reviews
Saint Damien of Molokai is the riveting
account of how a humble Congregation of
the Sacred Hearts priest found a vocation in
caring for lepers that led him to his
upcoming canonization in October 2009.
Hawaii normally brings idyllic scenes of
blue skies and white beaches to mind. But
Hell invaded Paradise when the incurable
disease leprosy was discovered there. An
1865 law segregated lepers by forcibly exiling
individuals--even children--to the island of
Molokai. It was onto these forlorn shores that
Father Damien de Veuster stepped in the
spring of 1873.
In an age in which an increasing number
of people suffer their own personal exile on
account of illness, handicap, or emotional
distress, the shining example of Father
Damien shows the true power of one person
and how, when anchored in God's love, one
person can impact the world--even among the
horrors of decay and slow death. In so doing,
he brought hope to the hopeless, ironically
losing his own life for serving theirs.
Synopsis
How many times do we let the pressures of life and work take over our days at the expense of prayer? How many times do we feel alone and frightened? How many times do we think our problems are unique?
Follow in the footsteps of the apostles when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray as he did. Learn from St. Augustine, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Ignatius, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Therese of Lisieux as they exemplify incredible devotions to prayer each in their own way.
Discover God's Prayer book
Connect understanding and belief
Balance contemplation and action
Initiate practical, spiritual exercises
Whether used as a springboard for personal spiritual growth, or as a small-group study resource, this book will enlighten and motivate your spirit with Father McBride's brilliant, yet simple story-telling skills. Sidebars, thematic art, discussion questions, and passages for contemplation add depth to each of its chapters.
Synopsis
Azure skies, lush vegetation, and sugar-white beaches: Hawaii brings such idyllic scenes to mind. But Hell invaded Paradise when the incurable disease leprosy was discovered there. An 1865 law segregated lepers by forcibly exiling individualseven childrento the island of Molokai. It was onto these forlorn shores that Father Damien de Veuster stepped in the spring of 1873.
Saint Damien of Molokai is the riveting account of how a humble Congregation of the Sacred Hearts priest found his vocation in caring for these outcasts. The poorly educated son of a hardworking, religious Belgium farm family, Damien was thought to be ill suited for the priesthood. However, the desire to serve God burned so fiercely in him that he took his vows at the age of twenty.
Damien became the permanent chaplain to Molokai. There, victims of horrible disfigurement with the promise of a lingering death, the lepers led a harsh existence. Father Damien became their caregiver, companion, and champion.