Damen was born in Leur, North Brabant (The Netherlands) on March 20, 1815, and joined the Jesuit missions in North America under Pierre-Jean De Smet.

[1] He trained at St. Stanislaus Novitiate in Florissant, Missouri, and was ordained in 1844.

[2] His first job was teaching at St. Louis University, but in 1847 he was appointed pastor of the college church of St. Francis Xavier in St.

[1] In 1857 he was sent to establish the first Jesuit presence in Chicago, where he founded St. Ignatius College Prep, as well as the institution that would become Loyola University.

[2] He died at Creighton College in Omaha, Nebraska, on January 1, 1890.