In the homily delivered this Sunday, May 10, during the Sixth Sunday of Easter, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Asunción, Adalberto Cardinal Martínez Flores, highlighted the figure of Saint Damien of Molokai as a symbol of Christian love, service, and total dedication to the sick and marginalized.
The prelate recalled that on this day in 1873, the Belgian missionary arrived on the island of Molokai, in Hawaii, to begin his mission among people suffering from leprosy who lived isolated and abandoned by society. According to him, that territory was “a place of isolation, rejection, and exile” for those afflicted by the disease.
During his reflection, the archbishop emphasized that Father Damien, a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, voluntarily chose to live among the lepers after learning about the dramatic humanitarian situation they faced.
“He wanted to live with them, suffer with them, and share their wounds,” the cardinal said, linking the saint’s witness to this Sunday’s Gospel message: “I will not leave you abandoned.”
The homily also highlighted one of Saint Damien of Molokai’s best-known statements before departing for the island: “I know that I am going into perpetual exile, and that sooner or later I will contract leprosy. But no sacrifice is too great when it is made for Christ.”
The archbishop noted that the saint devoted his life to restoring dignity to the sick by organizing work for the community, building homes and chapels, obtaining international assistance, and personally accompanying the most abandoned.
He also recalled that the missionary himself eventually contracted leprosy during his service in Molokai. According to the account, when he realized the disease had begun to destroy his body, he said before the crucifix: “Lord, for love of You and for the salvation of these children of Yours, I accepted this terrible reality.”
The homily also recalled another of his memorable statements: “It does not matter if the body becomes deformed and ugly, if the soul becomes beautiful and pleasing to God.”
In his message, the cardinal presented Saint Damien of Molokai as the opposite of “selfishness and crime,” defining his life as a path of “dedication, service, compassion, and love that builds life.”
The archbishop also warned that many “Molokais” still exist in contemporary society, referring to forgotten poor people, abandoned elderly persons, lonely sick people, young people trapped in addictions, and individuals discarded by society.
Finally, he asked that the saint’s example inspire more people to serve others generously and concluded by invoking his intercession “for our homeland and for the entire world, so that there may never be a lack of men and women willing to give their lives for goodness, truth, and love for Christ.”
05/11/2026