Bl. Peter Donders
The feast day of Bl. Peter Donder is celebrated on January 14. He was a Redemptorist priest in Holland.
Bl. Peter Donder was born in Tilburg, Holland in 1809. His family was poor. From an early age he desired to become a priest. He was ordained on June 5, 1841. Father Peter Donder was drawn to serve the missions of the Dutch colony of Surinam. He ministered to many slaves. In 1856, he was sent to the leper station of Batavia where he served the people with leprosy for the rest of his life. He persuaded the authorities to provide more nursing services. When the Redemptorists arrived in 1866, taking charge of the mission, Father Donders joined their congregation. He learned the native languages to enable him to serve the Indian people there.
Father Donders was known for his holiness. He died after being confined to bed for two weeks on Jan. 14, 1887.
Bl. Peter Donders was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 23, 1982.
“Meditate on an infinite God who made
earth and man, the absolute Master
of lands, rivers, and seas.
The One who in an instant, simply by
willing it, with but a thought, created all
that exists from nothing.”
Quote of Bl. Rafael Arnac Baron
January is the Month of the Holy Name