Born Jospeh De Veuster. In 1873, Father Damien volunteered to travel to the Leprosy (now called "Hansen's Disease") colony at Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai as its pastor, caring for it's patients until eventually contracting the disease himself and passing away in 1889. After a long process starting in 1938, the Blessed Father Damien became a saint on Oct. 11, 2009.