Molokai: The Story of Father Damien

As Asian immigration grows, leprosy reaches Hawaii in the late 19th century, leading authorities to establish a dedicated colony on the Kalaupapa peninsula of Molokai. The Hawaiian government, with support from Catholic and other churches, relocates virtually all leprosy patients there to isolate and care for them.

The Catholic Bishop requests priests to administer last rites and tend to the dying. Fr. Damien volunteers and is dispatched to Molokai, warned not to touch any patient. He faces the daunting task with faith and resolve.

Damien is welcomed by Rudolph Meyer, a Lutheran caretaker of government provisions. A mountain barrier looms, with the warning that anyone who passes beyond is shot to prevent spread. Damien begins his work amid tension between faiths and fear.

The island's chapel is found ruined; Damien repairs it and makes it a center for his care. He relies on prayer and his vocation to support him in the grueling tasks ahead. This marks the start of his hands-on ministry with the lepers.

A local boy volunteers to serve at the chapel altar, becoming the first person Damien touches in his ministry. This initial contact becomes a symbolic turning point for his relationship with the patients. Damien's compassion grows as he tends to the sick.

A Protestant Englishman and former medical assistant arrives as a patient and struggles to adapt to Catholic customs. Damien's steady presence offers some consolation, but the man ultimately dies and is buried in the Catholic cemetery. The scene highlights cross-faith tensions on the island.

A Congregationalist doctor arrives and introduces a Chinese medicine named Hoang Nan, which Damien and the doctor use to help some patients. The medicine symbolizes experimental care amid scarcity. Damien continues to push for relief and better conditions.

Damien shares with the doctor the brutal realities: patients awaiting death in settlements, only to be replaced by new arrivals the next day. He paints a stark picture of neglect and the cycles of hopelessness. This fuels the authorities' and public's scrutiny of the colony.

Damien discusses theft and immoral acts born from desperation as some lepers turn to crime. He condemns such acts while empathizing with their despair. His observations underscore the desperation of life on the peninsula.

A woman named Malulani aids Damien and harbors romantic feelings toward him, which he gently admonishes. She remains a steadfast ally, helping him with daily tasks and the patients. The relationship adds emotional complexity to his mission.

Damien's letters describing conditions and needs are sent to his brother and become news in the papers, troubling the prime minister. The coverage fuels political tension and calls for accountability, challenging the colony's administration. Damien's voice begins to push for relief beyond bureaucratic limits.

After failing to find someone to attend Damien's confession, the Bishop goes aboard the ship to give absolution, while Damien remains on the boat. The moment underscores the growing tension between church authority and colonial officials. It marks a poignant breach in the care he provides from shore.