October 21st, 2012

October 21st, 2012 was Originally Posted on October 15, 2012 by lavarock

October 21st, 2012 will be just another day for many people world wide, yet it is another milestone for Hawaii. On that date, Mother Marianne Cope joins Father Damien as a saint whose deeds were performed in Hawaii.

Now known as Hansens Disease and is managable with drugs, in the late 1800’s leprosy was so feared that patients were sent to spend the rest of their lives in isolation, that it would not spread. Just the thought that someone might have the disease was enough to cause great exile in some cases.

The disease was found elsewhere and in Hawaiian patients were sent to an isolates part of the small island of Molokai called Kalaupapa and were cared for by Father Damien who needed help. The King pleased with religous organizations to send help.
More than 50 religious institutes had already declined his request for Sisters to do this. She responded to the letter enthusiastically:

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I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen Ones, whose privilege it will be, to sacrifice themselves for the salvation of the souls of the poor Islanders… I am not afraid of any disease, hence it would be my greatest delight even to minister to the abandoned ‘lepers.’

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As I wrote when Father Damien was cannonized, you do not have to be Catholic or believe in God to recognize that both Father Damien and Mother Marianne deserve the recognition they have received.

As an aside, their feast day is the same date, April 15th. So while you are rushing about doing taxes, perhaps think for a moment that your life is way better than others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Cope