The Catholic saint who dedicated his life to a leprosy colony in Hawaii – and became an inspiration for HIV/AIDS care
- Written by Mark Lambert, Teaching Fellow, University of Chicago Divinity School
The headstone of Father Damien, a Catholic saint who was canonized in 2009.Richard A. Cooke III/Corbis Historical via Getty ImagesOn Jan. 3, 1865, the Kingdom of Hawaii, then a sovereign state, enacted “An Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy.” Any person suspected of having the ancient disease – which is mentioned as far back as...