01/23/2021 – Sr. Marianne Cope

Marianne Cope, today’s saint, was born in Germany. She was brought to the USA as a baby. There was much hardship for the family. But it was amidst these hardships that she treasured the time each day when her family gathered for the rosary. When her father was invalided she had to leave school at 14 and work in a factory. It was only later she could follow her religious vocation to service and suffering, but she embraced this life happily, girding herself with the rosary she wore at all times.On the other side of the continent, Fr Damien was begging God and his bishop to send sisters to Molaki, the leaper island.Taking counsel in the rosary, Sr Marianne said yes and led a small band of nuns to Hawaii to take up permanent service of lepers. For the rest of her life she served and suffered with Mary at the foot of the Cross. It is in this context that we treasure her words, “Our dear Heavenly Mother Mary…how little do our trials and sorrows appear when compared to her bitter sufferings.”