The feast day of St. Marianne Cope will be marked Jan. 23 with various celebrations across the Diocese of Syracuse.
St. Marianne was a Franciscan sister who lived in and ministered throughout Central New York before moving to Hawaii in 1883 to care for patients with Hansen’s disease (leprosy). She died on the island of Molokai in 1918. She was canonized in 2012.
The St. Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum, 601 North Townsend St., Syracuse, will host a “flash prayer” session Jan. 23 at 7 a.m., the time of St. Marianne’s birth. Interested participants should visit www.sosf.org for information on the prayer; it also appears at right.
A special exhibit at the museum will also begin Jan. 23 and run through March. Entitled “Inspired by Saint Marianne,” the exhibit celebrates women leaders in Central New York whose lives have been enriched by the example of St. Marianne. Those featured include Kathy Ruscitto, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center; Dr. Linda LeMura, president of Le Moyne College; Doreen Simmons, partner and leader of environmental practice at Hancock Estabrook, LLP; Margaret Ryan Martin, vice-president of development for the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation; and Danielle Cummings, chancellor and director of communications for the Diocese of Syracuse.
The Franciscan Church of the Assumption, 812 North Salina St., Syracuse, will celebrate a special Mass Jan. 23 at 8:30 a.m. All weekend Masses following the feast day will conclude with special prayers to St. Marianne and veneration of her relic.
St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church, 702 Columbia St., Utica, will celebrate a special Mass at 6 p.m. Jan. 23, to include veneration of relics. Cake and ice cream will follow in the parish center.
St. Joseph-St. Patrick is also organizing a pilgrimage to the St. Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum Jan. 24. The group will depart from the church at 9 a.m. and return by 3 p.m. For details and to register, contact Ellen Benton at (315) 735-4429, ext. 5 or ebenton@syrdio.org.
Prayer to St. Marianne Cope
Lord Jesus, you who gave us your commandment of love of God and neighbor, and identified yourself in a special way with the most needy of your people, hear our prayer.
Faithful to your teaching, St. Marianne Cope loved and served her neighbor, especially the most desolate outcast, giving herself generously and heroically for those afflicted by leprosy. She alleviated their physical and spiritual sufferings, thus helping them to accept their afflictions with patience.
Her care and concern for others manifested the great love you have for us.
Through her merits and intercession, grant us the favor which we confidently ask of you so that the people of God, following the inspiration of her life and apostolate, may practice charity towards all according to your word and example. Amen.
Through the intercession of St. Marianne Cope, I ask for the grace of (mention your request).
(Courtesy the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities and the St. Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum.)
