A NEW FATHER DAMIEN.

New Zealand Tablet, 17 June 1920, Page 29

A NEW FATHER DAMIEN.

. On February 25 Rev. Father Peter Vigano, S.J., sailed from Manila for the leper island, Culion, which is in charge of the Jesuit Fathers. This simple statement covers the record of a remarkable man, who, with apostolic humility and zeal, has taken off . the episcopal cross of a bishop to end his life ministering to lepers. . Father Vigano was born in the diocese of Milan, Italy. In early youth he entered the seminary for foreign missions of his native city. In 1880 he went as a missionary to India, where on January 23, 1897, he was consecrated Bishop of Hyderabad. After 10 years of pastoral work he returned to Italy, at the request of the Holy Father, Pius X., to take charge of the Society for Foreign Missions in Milan. On the death of the Pope, Monsignor Vigano began to long for a life of more active work for his Divine Master, and at last he was permitted to relinquish his episcopal charge.

He entered the Society -of Jesus on June 20, 1917, being then in his 60th year. After his noviceship, which he went through with the exactness of the youngest novice, he was sent at his own earnest entreaty, to the leper island of Culionj in the Philippines. There he will be able to find an outlet for his ardent zeal. There are about 4000 people infected with the plague in this little island of sorrows, longing for the spiritual assistance of the Catholic missionary. In Culion the heroic Father Vigano will have to undertake the study of two new Philippine languages; but he is healthy enough and not, to be daunted by earthly difficulty. The unhappy lepers will be able to receive at his hands the spiritual consolations of their religion. The whole world, however, will admire the heroic example of a follower- of Christ, who so nobly gives up all the honors and pleasures of this life to follow more faithfully his Lord and Master, and bring comfort to his afflicted brethren.