At the closing mass of his apostolic journey to Belgium, Pope Francis quoted Saint Damien at the King Baudouin Stadium on 29 September:
“The history of the Belgian Church is rich in examples of holiness. Let us consider Saint Gudula, the patron saint of this country (650-712ca), Saint Guy of Anderlecht, the pilgrim and friend of the poor (+1012), Saint Damien de Veuster, better known as Damien of Molokai, the apostle to the lepers (1840-1889), and the many Belgian missionaries who have proclaimed the Gospel in various parts of the world over the centuries, sometimes to the point of sacrificing their lives”.
09/30/2024