Today we celebrate the feast of St Marianne Cope, whose life was called “a wonderful work of divine grace” by Cardinal Jose Martins at her beatification in Rome in 2005. And a life filled with God’s grace it was.
Born on January 23, 1838 in
Germany, the girl was named after her mother. The Cope family emigrated to the
United States and settled in Utica, New York. Young Barbara began working in a
factory, until she went to join the Sisters of the Third Order of St France is
Syracuse, New York. After profession she was assigned teaching posts throughout
the region. She was later elected provincial of the Order twice.
In 1883 the Hawaiian
government was searching for someone to work with those suspected of having
leprosy. 50 orders throughout the country responded to the call, and 35 sisters
from Syracuse volunteered immediately. When they arrived they opened a hospital
and a school for girls.
She and her sisters later went
to work with Fr. Damien de Veuster in his leper colony for men and boys. Never
once in all their years working there did any of the sisters ever contract the
disease. The sisters of her order still work on Molokai.
Mother Marianne died on August
9, 1918, was beatified in 2005 and canonized in 2012. She will be remembered
most for her willingness to sacrifice everything for those she was caring for,
with unflinching courage, “smiling sweetly through it all.”
The readings today tell us of
the fuel of her fire to love souls, and sick bodies for love of God – it was
her life as a religious, whose entire focus was on Christ, always. She was a
bride of Christ, serving her Bridegroom in his weakest members – and now she
reigns with Christ to intercede for us and our needs.
St. Marianne Cope, pray for
us.
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