Prayers to Damien lead to gift of life

By Msgr. Daniel Dever | Special to the Herald

Several years ago a young woman from Hawaii benefited wonderfully from Father Damien’s (now St. Damien) intercessory prayer. The young woman, Shirley, was with her husband, an Army officer stationed in Colorado Springs, when she lost the function of both kidneys. The investigation of a donor kidney from her sister and brother turned out to be an unfavorable match.

Shirley and her husband decided to return to Hawaii and manage as best they could with kidney dialysis. It was suggested however, that Shirley, her sister and mother and father go to Kalaupapa and offer Mass on Father Damien’s altar — entrusting the kidney problem to his intercession.

Wonder of wonders, two days after the Mass in Kalawao, Shirley’s sister was attending Mass at her parish, St. Elizabeth in Aiea, when she heard the priest in his homily say how we can show our love for one another, using for example sharing of a retina or kidney. She turned to her husband and said, “This is Damien talking to us. Can I check again what kind of kidney match I might have with my sister?”

Her husband agreed. So back to St. Francis they went to conduct the investigation. The study showed that Katherine’s match, which prior to the Mass of intercession had been an unfavorable B, now had moved up to an A — the equivalent to a match in identical twins.

On Oct. 22, Shirley received her sister Katherine’s kidney. That was 34 years ago and both Shirley and Katherine are doing well this day.

Praise be to St. Damien.