Pope names five saints
Oct 11, 2009 11:36 PM | By AP

Pope Benedict XVI canonised five people yesterday, including a
19th-century priest whose work with lepers on a Hawaiian island has been
hailed by US President Barack Obama as inspiring those helping Aids
sufferers today.


Among the pilgrims packing St Peter's Basilica was Hawaii resident
Audrey Toguchi, an 80-year-old retired teacher whose recovery from lung
cancer a decade ago was called miraculous by the Vatican.

She had prayed to Belgium-born Jozef De Veuster, known as Father Damien,
who himself died in 1889 after contracting leprosy while working with
patients living in isolation on Molokai island.

Another new saint is Zygmunt Szcezesny Felinski, a 19th-century Polish
bishop who defended the Catholic faith during the years of the Russian
annexation, which led to the shutdown of Polish churches.

Two Spaniards were honoured - Francisco Colly Guitart, who founded an
order of Dominicans in the 19th century, and Rafael Arniaz Baron, who
renounced an affluent lifestyle at the age of 22 to live in a strict
monastery and dedicate himself to prayer.

The fifth new saint is Frenchwoman Jeanne Jugan, described by Vatican
Radio as an "authentic Mother Teresa ahead of her time".

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The righties will object to the canonization of "Father Damien," because
he treated people of color, didn't ask for their health insurance cards,
and Obama hailed him as inspiring.