The knighted priest

When we think of the Saints we often enough think of knights. We think, for example, of Saint Francis of Assisi who sought to become a knight prior to his conversion. We think also of Saint Ignatius of Loyola who was a soldier until his leg was hit by cannon ball. We might even think of Saint Joan of Arc who led the forces of the Dauphin in battle. There are, of course, numerous other Saints we associate with knighthood.

When we think of knightly Saints we think of those who were knights first and Saints later. Each experienced a conversion of one kind or another after which their chivalric ideals took on a deep, spiritual dimension.

But in the case of Blessed Damien of Moloka’i we find the reverse; he received the honor of knighthood because of the sanctity of his life.

In September of 1881 the Princess Regent Lili’uokalani arrived on the island of Moloka’i for an official visitation of the leper colony of Kalawao on the Kalaupapa peninsula.

So impressed was she at the work of Father Damien, work that no Protestant minister would undertake – in part, because of concern for their families – that Her Highness sought to honor the leper priest.

After returning to the ‘Iolani Palace in Honolulu – and after consulting with the cabinet of the king - Princess Lili’uokalani sent the following letter to Father Damien:

Reverend Sir:
It is my desire to express to you my great appreciation of your heroic and self-denying labors, among the most unfortunate of the subjects of this Realm, and in some public manner to testify to the fidelity and patient, loving care with which you labor for the physical and spiritual good of those who are necessarily shut off from the tender ministrations of relatives and friends. I am aware that your labors and sacrifices are dictated solely by a desire to benefit your unfortunate fellow men, and that you look for your reward and inspiration to the divine Father and Ruler of us all, - nevertheless, in furtherance of my desire, I ask you, Reverend Father, to accept the Order of Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Kalakaua in testimony of my sincere appreciation of your efforts in alleviating the distresses and mitigating in many ways the sorrows of the unfortunate lepers of Kalawao, as I had occasion to observe during my recent visit to that place.

The princess, being so moved by what she experienced and being so impressed with the work of Father Damien, signed her letter, “I am your friend.”

By raising him to this Order, Princess Lili’uokalani bestowed upon Father Damien the highest honor the Crown could give.

The princess sent Bishop Hermann Koeckemann with the medal of honor to Father Damien. His Excellency pinned the medal on Father Damien’s cassock over his heart. Makua Kamiano, as the Hawaiian’s called Father Damien, tried to remove the medal after the ceremony but the Bishop would not let him. Father Damien never wore the medal after the day on which he received it.

Later in his life, commenting on this honor bestowed upon him, Father Damien said, “The Lord decorated me with his own particular cross – leprosy.”