St Jozef Damien De Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, January 3, 1840. In 1864 Jozef sailed to Hawaii and began working with lepers who had been exiled to the island of Molokai. Jozef would go on to spend 16 years working with lepers and eventually contracted the disease himself, dying in 1889. He was canonized a saint October 11, 2009, and is the patron saint of people with leprosy. His feast day is celebrated on May 10.
Young Adult Ministry Idea: Talk with young adults about the people who they identify as rejected by society. Ask them to think about what they might do individually or maybe as a young adult group to reach out to these people. Say a prayer for the people we reject because of illness or difference and for the will to assist them.
