By Kerri Linsenbigler
Features Editor
On Sunday, Oct. 21, the Catholic world will watch as two religious women are canonized in Rome. One of these women, however, has a direct connection to St. Bonaventure.
Blessed Marianne Cope will become the first American Franciscan saint after this weekend. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse (now known as the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities) in 1862. Coincidentally, this is the same Franciscan group Sister Margaret Carney, O.S.F. and university president, belongs to.
“Saints come from New York,” said Father Francis Di Spigno, director of University Ministries. “Often times you’ll think of saints as they’re holy people; they’re apart from us. Well this is right here. This is a Franciscan sister of Syracuse.”
In her early religious life, Cope dedicated her time to serving the sick in Syracuse hospitals. After years of helping the sick in New York, Cope was called to Hawaii in the 1880s to care for people affected with leprosy.
Sister Suzanne Kush, C.S.S.F. and director of the Franciscan Center for Social Concern, agreed.
Cope is a realistic example of living the Franciscan life, she said. Compassion, hospitality and respect for human dignity are all examples of Franciscan values Cope exemplified throughout her life.
“It’s another example of someone who lived out (Franciscan) characteristics,” Sister Suzanne said.
Father Francis also said this canonization highlights the accomplishments of American Franciscans. It demonstrates the role Franciscan values have played in the life of religion in America.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to just exemplify how Franciscan-ism has been woven into the American (Catholic) Church and our American history,” Father Francis said.
Bonaventure has already participated in a documentary honoring Cope’s life.
Bonaventure’s contribution began when the two filmmakers were invited to campus, according to Sister Margaret. The school provided a small amount of sponsorship money and advised the filmmakers about a modern view on Cope’s life.
Sister Margaret said the film premieres initially in Syracuse around Thanksgiving. Following the local showing, St. Bonaventure plans to host a Southern Tier premiere of the documentary in December.
“I was able to help them think about some contemporary interpretations of her life that I think would be meaningful to a television audience,” Sister Margaret said. “Our name will be associated with that documentary when it’s aired.”
As for the canonization, Sister Margaret said students can view the ceremony locally on EWTN, channel 35. The celebration should be colorful and diverse, according to Sister Margaret. Besides Cope, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a Native American from Central New York, will also be made a saint.
Back in Syracuse, however, Sister Margaret said the sisters paid tribute to Cope in their own way.
“I got a note from one of our sisters in Syracuse, saying they just had 100 pilgrims from Hawaii in Syracuse,” Sister Margaret said. “Cope’s body is in a beautiful wooden container (at the Syracuse chapel). Beside it are these huge tributes from the people of Hawaii all made out of tropical feathers of birds. They said that’s the sort of symbol that stood beside the throne of the king and the queen. They sent these to show their respect for her.”
“We celebrated her life without realizing it here at Bonaventure when the selection of the All Bonaventure Reads was the book ‘In the Sanctuary of Outcasts,’” Sister Margaret said. “We got to meet a living person who overcame a fear of leprosy and learned all that these people suffered.”
While in Hawaii, Cope ministered to the sick alongside St. Damien and other religious sisters. According to Sister Margaret, American saints are not honored for their miracles, but for the hard work and devotion they have in serving God.
“Many times when people hear saint, they think of somebody who saw visions or heard voices or did miraculous things,” Sister Margaret said. “And she didn’t do any of that. She lived the life of a very hardworking teacher, a hardworking hospital administrator, a woman who took both of the talents, teaching and administration, and went off and used them to serve people with a desperate need. So, her life was about working hard at being a good Christian.”
