Marianne Cope (1838-1918) was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States where she lived in Utica and Syracuse in western New York State until answering a call to minister to victims of leprosy in Hawaii. During her life, she spent time as a factory worker before holding several leadership positions in her religious order, the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis. In Hawaii, she embraced those whom no one else would with a spirit of love and cheerfulness. Her feast day is January 23.
“For us it is happiness to be able to comfort, in a measure, the poor exiles, and we rejoice that we are unworthy agents of our heavenly Father through whom He deigns to show His great love and mercy to the sufferers.” — St. Marianne Cope
Questions for Reflection:
- When have you answered a call to embrace the outcast?
- When have you done difficult or even unpleasant work with a spirit of cheerfulness?
- How can you try to give a sense of love and cheerfulness to someone who truly needs it in your life?
