🚨 SPECIAL GUEST PICKER ALERT 🚨
Apparently this matchup was just too saintly for us to handle alone… so we called in reinforcements 😅
Today’s Lent Madness episode features a celebrity guest picker none other than the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Anthony Poggo! 🙌 A huge thanks to the good bishop for dropping in and lending some holy wisdom to the madness.
And what a showdown he stepped into…
🔥 The Archbishop who stood fearlessly against Idi Amin
vs.
🔥 The priest who walked straight into a leper colony
It’s Janani Luwum vs. Damien of Molokai, courage meets courage, sacrifice meets sacrifice. No easy votes here, folks.
Meanwhile, yesterday gave us another heart-stopper: Joan of Arc pulls off her SECOND buzzer-beater of Lent Madness, advancing 53.20% to 46.80% 😱⚔️
Who joins Joan in the next round?
That part’s up to you… 🗳️
Janani Luwum
When Janani Luwum converted to Christianity, he stated, “I am ready to die in the army of Jesus.” These words came to fruition years later when he was brutally murdered by the Idi Amin regime.
Known as the “first martyr of the second century of the Church of Uganda,” Luwum showed natural leadership from childhood. He was a gifted negotiator, often settling disputes amongst different groups, yet remained humble and preferred serving under others rather than seeking prominence. Even as a young convert, when imprisoned for speaking out against immorality, he continued preaching the gospel, praying for fellow prisoners, and reminding them they were loved by both God and man.
As he rose through the Anglican Church, Luwum became known for his warmth, fairness, and extraordinary ability to reconcile divided people. He worked tirelessly to strengthen relationships between Anglicans, Catholics, Muslims, and Uganda’s tribes. He helped establish clinics and housing for lepers, promoted Christian farming initiatives for struggling communities, and often said, “I do not want to be the Archbishop of a dead church, but of a live one.”
His greatest test came under Amin’s dictatorship—a regime remembered for silencing opponents, widespread killings and disappearances, deportations, accusations of cannibalism, and horrific sexual crimes. While many feared speaking, Luwum confronted injustice directly, with compassion. He signed letters opposing government violence, met with Amin, trying repeatedly to persuade him toward reason. Some accused Luwum of being too soft on Amin, but Luwum answered, “Even the president needs friends. We must love the president. We must pray for him. He is also a child of God.”
Luwum continued to meet with Uganda’s dangerous dictator, preach the gospel and counsel wisely. Weeks later, soldiers broke into Luwum’s home to search it for weapons to stage a civil war against Amin. Luwum grabbed his Bible, raised it and declared it was the only weapon he possessed.
At his final meeting with Amin on February 16, 1977, false accusations were read aloud accusing Luwum of staging a coup. He whispered to the person next to him, “They are going to kill me. I am not afraid.” Moments later he was taken away, tortured, shot twice in the chest and once in the mouth. The military staged it as a car accident, but few believed the lie.
Luwum truly exemplifies this year’s Lent Madness theme as a Bridge Builder and Community Maker. He is remembered for his contagious smile, scrupulous fairness, and determination to love people into the kingdom. His witness is a bold reminder of what it means to follow Christ in a violent world—to defend the vulnerable, care for every human being, boldly proclaim the gospel, and confront injustice in a broken world.
— Sara Kay Hill
Damien of Hawai'i
If you google “Father Damien,” you’ll find an interesting Reddit thread titled “A Statue of Father Damien.” The thread begins with a 2020 Instagram post by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The lengthy caption encourages the reader to consider the impact of colonialism on modern history. While Ocasio-Cortez’s comments don’t criticize him directly, the implication that Father Damien may not be an unblemished hero is certainly not new.
While living on Molokai, Father Damien lobbied for those in his care. Heralded as a living saint, Damien was famous in his own time, agitating his superiors with his stubbornness. Damien utilized every opportunity to advocate for the incredibly limited resources, illustrating the bleak reality for the lepers. His critics interpreted these impassioned pleas as over-dramatizations designed to manipulate. Damien’s people were so desperate for any assistance, he was known to redistribute donations he received regardless of the recipient’s denomination. His superiors would attempt to intercede, but Father Damien felt that need alone was the paramount importance. He continually ignored requests to lead more traditionally, jeopardizing his vow of obedience. He would continue his unwavering support of the colony until his death in 1889.
After his death, detractors hoped his fame would quiet, but to no avail. In being so openly critical of him, they unwittingly launched him into stardom. His death was heavily publicized and sparked greater donations to the leper fund. Canonization was an immediate topic of discussion. In response, his critics expressed total opposition. In 1889, Reverend Doctor Charles Hyde wrote that he was “surprised at the extravagant newspaper laudations” of Damien “as if he was a most saintly philanthropist.” His letter continues, “The simple truth is, he was a coarse, dirty man, headstrong and bigoted.”
Local clergy who knew him to be obstinate agreed with this characterization, but his supporters were overwhelming. In 1890, Robert Louis Stevenson printed a thirty-page rebuttal of Hyde’s condemnation. Stevenson had traveled to Molokai and interviewed Damien’s associates. Stevenson found they “build up the image of a man, with all his weaknesses, essentially heroic, and alive with rugged honesty, generosity, and mirth.” In his work, Stevenson argues that Damien was a holy figure subjected to human foibles. The response to his work was immediate and resounding. Stevenson’s impassioned defense set about an outpouring of charity from around the world in Damien’s memory. In his writing, Robert Louis Stevenson says, “Damien is dead and already somewhat ungratefully remembered in the field of his labours and sufferings.” Hopefully through considering Damien, a man flawed and heroic, we can better understand his passion for the betterment of his community.
— Tori Proctor
55 comments on “Janani Luwum vs. Damien of Hawai'i”
My vote goes to Janani Luwum, a martyr for our time
The trials and tribulations of the Anglican Church in Africa and its history have given me the stregth to believe we can get through these troubling times if we continue to have faith and connect with others to give them comfort.
I don't think the writers are supposed to be arguing us OUT of supporting their Saint. Still voting for the man who hugged lepers.
Yes, the blog would have benefitted from more quotes from Fr. Damien himself and from his supporters.
Agreed!
I did not understand in the least why bring up AOC - different era, different part of the world, and apparently she doesn't know anything about him.
I much appreciated poetpotterpriest's comment below which to my mind was much more positive and a reason to vote for Father Damien.
As biased as I usually am towards my fellow Catholics, Christians around the world are still being persecuted or going toe-to-toe against fascists today. Archbishop Poggo is a man for our times.
Correction, Archbishop Luwum
Oh how we need saints of the stature of Janani Luwum today. For his courage, bravery, kindness, fairness and compassion my vote goes to the Bridge Builder and Community Maker.
I am listening to a Pentagon briefing on the radio while I type this. Knowing the human capacity to twist the truth and sway popular opinion with carefully selected words, I humbly cast my vote for the man who lived and died with lepers of Hawaii. We were not there, we do not necessarily know all the truth.
I voted for Janani Luwumi this round. His statement that, " “Even the president needs friends. We must love the president. We must pray for him. He is also a child of God” made me think about my own failing because of how I feel right now about a certain president, and it's something I dearly need to work on.
I always vote and post my comments before reading others', but I see we were swayed by the same words.
God bless and keep the president far away from us (stealing from Fiddler on the Roof)
Sandra, I feel the same as you, but in my morning prayers I pray daily for the President of the United States, the Vice President, Congress, Courts, my Govorner, my Mayor and even my company's CEO. All leaders with difficult jobs, all flawed in their own ways and all needing prayers for God's guidance.
Damien's story reminds me of a line from a favorite hymn: "For the saints of God are just folks like me". Human, warts and all. I'm sure I'm voting for the underdog, but more than most of these stories, I can see myself in his shoes, standing for my passion and working around those in my way
Today I have to go with the one with the “extraordinary ability to reconcile divided people”.
I had a hard time with this one because both men are very worthy in their own context. I ended up voting for Damien because the writer's reference to AOC troubled me. I could not find the post they mentioned. Were they just hunting for something negative???
I went to Reddit, searched Father Damien and AOC, and found 5yo posts on r/Conservative and other subs that linked to breitbart, etc. that were super critical of her using Father Damien as education about Hawaii history. I’m not linking them here, but I’m willing to bet that someone said something after Father Damien won the last bracket, and Tori Procter wanted to acknowledge that.
I hope the writer for Martin Luther takes note of our comments from the last two rounds, then. Father Damian might have personally been hard to get along with, but he didn't provide the fuel for starting the Holocaust centuries later.
So you are still blaming Martin Luther for Hitler?????
I hope you realize there are centuries of anti-semites, it is not something Luther invented.
Katharine of Nebraska, have you ever actually read that screed, or even parts of it? No one capable of writing that should be eligible for the Golden Halo. There just is no excuse, and certainly not "Well, *everyone* was antisemitic back then!" Oh, my goodness.
“Even the president needs friends. We must love the president. We must pray for him. He is also a child of God.”
Strikes a current note. Sometimes intensely difficult, but true.
We all have “quirks.” No one is perfect. Damien used his “quirks” to help a forgotten community. An example for helping others in our world.
Sometimes the saints seem like heroes of another time/another age, far away from our lives. I remember the reign of terror of Idi Amin, and had not idea there was a brave Archbishop still trying to love this man and unite a country. What bravery and peace he had. A saint for our time.
The website will not let me vote. It just comes up with, “Thank you for your vote,” though I haven’t voted. Sigh!
Same thing happened to me. It thanked me for my vote, but gave me no opportunity to vote. As a former resident of Hawaii, and a supporter for the healing of leprosy. I would have voted for Fr Damian.
Same happened to me. It is now allowing voting, Kit. We can be two more votes for Fr Damian.
Hit refresh on your page and you will be able to vote
As someone who also has annoyed many clergy people, I have to vote for Damien!
What a hard one. Janani, standing up to Idi Amin got my vote.
However, knowing you can be saintly and still gruff and ruff for your cause, made me like Damien so much.
I appreciated both these writeups. I voted for Luwum in recognition of African Christianity and of the ability to pray for one’s enemies, something I find very difficult to do. May the churches be reconciled and work for the beloved community on earth.
Janani Luwum was willing to give up everything, including his one precious life, to stand against the terrible cruelty of Idi Amin. Yet, he could still see him as a child of God worthy of his prayers. Voting for him was an easy choice for me.
I'm voting for Bishop Luwum. I went to seminary with the late Rev. Benjamin Musode Lubega, whose brother Moses was killed for his faith in Uganda. Father B, as we called him, was a great friend and a magnificent person. And in his memory and the memory of his brother Moses, I voeted for Bp. Luwum.
vote not allowed? I voted for Janani Luwum
Sara Kay Hill, great write-up. You changed my mind about voting for Damien. Nevertheless, how ‘bout retiring the use of “man” when speaking of all humanity? It’s been about 40 years since I was persuaded of this in seminary. It’s past time for this one.
The author Robert Louis Stevenson spent 8 days visiting Damien on Moloka'i in the 1880s, and wrote about Damien's work, decency, and humility. In Hawai'i Damien is known and respected for partnering with the people he came to serve and live among in Kalaupapa, working with them to build healthcare, churches (not just of his own denomination!!!), infrastructure, and community -- respecting the diverse faiths, ethnicities, and dignity of all his neighbors. My great-grandfather, a New Orleans-born relatively uneducated renaissance man who also came to Hawai'i in the late 1800s, via Germany, and delighted in its diversity, became friends with Robert Louis Stevenson, who looked him up whenever he was in Honolulu.
I respect Janani Luwum for his unwavering courage. But I'm troubled that the present Anglican Church in Uganda has joined with the current oppressive regime there in vitriolic, murderous homophobia, and has largely aligned itself with a group that splintered off from the Anglican Communion largely over their desire to exclude some people from Christ's Church.
I voted for Damien. In the spirit of Christ's aloha for all,
he abided with the outcasts of his time, even unto death.
“Even the president needs friends. We must love the president. We must pray for him. He is also a child of God.” -Janani Luwum
NOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED…? I never even had a change to caste my vote but the ballot states in bold letters: Thank you for your vote. I wanted to vote for St. Damien of Hawai’i who is behind!
Sincerely,
Lynn Torney Mpls, MN
Voting for the Archbishop today. I attended class with his son-in-law, who shared some horrific stories.
There was only one choice for me. Love…. Even today in these turbulent times, I frequently say, “He is a child of God. Pray for him. Pray that God will crack open his heart so that he can know love that he has never known before. He will be transformed!”
Again, so hard to choose. I went for the "dirty, obstinate man. Saints are not all clean and perfect. But the Archbishop was a great man.
In both write ups, I am reminded of the recent words of Bishop Marian Budde, our current hero.
Perhaps the only reason we think about the colony of lepers at all now is due to Fr. Damien. This was a time when children diagnosed with Hansen's Disease (leprosy) were separated from their parents and sent to the colony. Perhaps those critical of Fr. Damien defended this practice. These people remained isolated from the rest of the world, from their loved ones, and built a community where some still remain. Fr. Damien chose to live among them, to nurture their souls, and then became one with the community. That he was human, with human failings, should not be news.
I think both of these saints are amazing, strong, leaders in their own right. As deeply as I am in Fr. Damien's camp, I found myself pausing with my vote today. May one day we live in a world where people like Luwum and Fr. Damien don't need to make the choices they did.
A priest also has a fiduciary responsibility for funds entrusted to them. The church also has this responsibility. Thus Janani gets my vote. Respect for donors is total.
Donors and the strings they attach to their donations can be quite a nuisance rather than a help when they do not know or do not understand (or choose to ignore for the sake of their own importance) the situation on the ground. It sounds to me like Father Damien did not suffer such fools gladly and prefered to use donations where most needed. What a flaw.