Feast Day today - Saint Marianne Cope

Her canonization was quite recent - 2012. She worked with Saint Father Damien in Hawaii.

St. Marianne Cope (1838–1918), also known as St. Marianne of Molokai, was a German-born American immigrant. She worked in a New York factory before entering the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse. She spent her early years serving as a leader in health care and education. When the Hawaiian government was searching for a religious order to run a station for victims of leprosy, the Syracuse sisters volunteered immediately. Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii in 1883. She devoted 35 years to caring for those afflicted with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) in Molokai, Hawaii. She also opened a hospital and a school for girls on the island of Maui, and took charge of the home St. Damien of Molokai established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, dignity, and fun into the colony. Despite her direct contact with leprosy patients over many years, she was not afflicted by the disease, which some consider miraculous. She was canonized in 2012 and her feast day is January 23.

Comments

[maria]

Thank you for posting. By far one of my favorite saints for personal family reasons.

[the Esquire of Evaporation - Sweat]

It's amazing she never caught leprosy in 35 long years of working with lepers. I'm quite certain she was probably very scrupulous about observing 6' social distancing, face mask wearing, and frequent hand washing. I also wouldn't be surprised if it was found that angels came down from Heaven to vaccinate her against leprosy too.

[Laurie Hurley]

Br. Joseph Dutton, who was born on the land on which now sits Blessed Sacrament Church in Stowe, VT, also worked with Fr. Damien. He was there serving the lepers for decades. The church in Stowe is decorated on the outside with scenes from Fr. Damien's life done by artist Andre Girard. (much art in the interior of the church is also done by Andre Girard).
https://bscvt.com/painting-on-light
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Dutton#:~:text=Dutton%20was%20a%20member%20of%20the%20Secular%20Franciscan,Roosevelt%20was%20one%20of%20those%20who%20read%20of