October 19, 2012. (Romereports.com) Marianne Cope was born in Germany in 1838, but her family moved to the U.S. the following year. At 15 she wanted to become a nun, but she waited until she was 24 so she could work in a factory to support her family. She joined the order of the Sisters of St. Francis in Philadelphia in the United States.
She founded two of the first 50 hospitals created in the country. She took care of anyone needing help and, as a result, was often criticized for helping the outcasts of society.
SISTER GRACE ANNE DILLENSCHNEIDER
Vice-Postulator, Cause Marianne Cope
“She never made distintions in people and so people all over the world look a pound her as mother because she look the pain everyone she made as word as her love, her compasion, her respect and her help...”
The King of Hawaii sought help from more than 50 religious orders to care for lepers. Only the Sisters of St. Francis accepted the call. So, in 1883 Marianne Cope with six other religious left to offer their help, never to return to Philadelphia.
SISTER GRACE ANNE DILLENSCHNEIDER
Vice-Postulator, Cause Marianne Cope
“Because of her great faith that she lived all by following a call of God No mather where she was called, no mather the sacrified was unespecially going to Hawai and caring for 30 years the people were underindependece of Hansen disease was a safe essavage she made. But she felt always called by God to do”.
There she took care of Saint Damien of Molokai, also canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. Robert Louis Stevenson was in Hawaii and met Marianne Cope and the other nuns. He was the author of “Treasure Island” and gave them a piano so they could always have music. He also wrote a poem about them.
SISTER GRACE ANNE DILLENSCHNEIDER
Vice-Postulator, Cause Marianne Cope
“It tells about the pain that he has seen in Kalapapo, Loss of everything that people have experience, the loss especially of hope,57,15 but then he sais looking at the shore and seeing the sisters on that a lonely shore he ends whith only a fool world deny his God”.
Marianne Cope had a special sensitivity for beauty. She taught girls how to do artwork and crafts so they could give a feminine touch to their rooms. They also had a small sewing workshop.
Marianne Cope's work is still alive today. Today there are over 60 Sisters of St. Francis who work in schools, parishes, and health centers in Hawaii. None have ever contracted leprosy as Marianne Cope promised her first companions who shared in her ministry.
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