Saint Damien Statue in U.S. Capitol is White Supremacist Culture? Please pray for all government leaders! U.S Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as Democratic Socialist “AOC,” posted a video saying she considers the U.S. Capitol’s statue of Saint Damien of Molokai a form of white supremacy. Father Damien dedicated 16 years serving lepers quarantined on the Kalaupapa Peninsula of Molokai in the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Caring for Lepers
He cared for the lepers, helped lead the building of churches, houses, roads, schools, and hospitals, and eventually died of leprosy during his service. Pope Benedict XVI canonized him in 2009.
John Gage tweeted the video with the caption, "@AOC calls the statue in the U.S. capitol building of Father Damien, a canonized saint in the Catholic Church, a part of white supremacist culture. Father Damien died of leprosy after spending his life serving others who had the disease." Hawaii gifted the Capitol with this statue in 1969.
AOC’s video caption reads: "Even when we select figures to tell the stories of colonized places, it is the colonizers and settlers whose stories are told – and virtually no one else. Check out Hawaii’s statue. It is not Queen Lili’uokalani of Hawaii, the only Queen Regnant of Hawaii, who is immortalized and whose story is told. It is Father Damien. This isn’t to litigate each and every individual statue, but to point out the patterns that have emerged among the totality of them in [whom] we are taught to deify in our nation’s Capitol: virtually all men, all white, mostly both. This is what patriarchy and white supremacist culture looks like! It’s not radical or crazy to understand the influence white supremacist culture has historically had on our overall culture and how it impacts the present day."
Refuting the Accusation
New York Post op-ed editor and Catholic convert, Sohrab Ahmari, also refuted AOC’s claim: "Yes, @AOC, Saint Damien was such an anti-native, white supremacist that... Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, praised his ministry to the lepers, the miserable sight of whom left her speechless."
Let us ask Saint Damien to pray for all United States leaders.
Saint Damien, please pray for us!
+JMJ+
Article Copyright © ChurchPOP. All Rights Reserved. Original article here.
Author Copyright © ChurchPOP Editor. All Rights Reserved.
Image: Saint Damien of Molokai / Public Domain
Mass Cards: Request Perpetual Mass Enrollments or Mass Intentions or Gregorian Masses for Loved Ones.
Our Catholic Faith: Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican Website)
Watch all of our 2-minute, family life videos on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).