A Tribute to Mothers

Stan Franco
Deacon, St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Kihei, Maui

Jesus’ parting words to us as he left this earth were “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” Today, I will share the story of the incredible work of a Franciscan nun from Upstate New York who heard Jesus’ call and responded by traveling over 5000 miles to Hawaii. Her name is Mother Marianne Cope. And, on this Mother’s Day, I would like to share how mothers in nurturing their children bring them into the discipleship of Christ. To start, let us agree that we as Catholics have a practice of calling people to discipleship not by our words, but by our actions. This is very clear in the life’s story of Mother Marianne Cope.

Even though she died many years ago, she continues to bring others to Christ. This past January, the Sisters of Saint Francis, decided to have her remains removed from her gravesite at Kaulapapa and transported back to their mother house in Syracuse, New York. On January 31st, more than 500 men and women attended a mass at the Cathedral of Our lady of Peace in Honolulu to send off her remains to New York. Dalisay Galura of Aiea said this about being in the presence of the remains of Mother Marianne – “all her hardship – it feels so holy, just to touch her.” Fr. Tom Gross, the diocesan administrator, in his homily said “the legacy of Mother Marianne has indeed affected us all. Her example, her ministry, her goodness and her love not only brought light to the people to whom she ministered on Kalaupapa, but continues to bring light to our islands today.”

Over 60 people from Hawaii including our own Marie Osaki will be traveling on Tuesday to Rome for the Beatification (the second step to Sainthood) ceremony for Mother Marianne on May 14th. In a front page story of the Maui News on May 6th, Marie was quoted as saying “this has been such a blessing” when told by her friends that they would pay her way to Rome for Mother Marianne’s beatification. Marie herself has been an example of bring others to Christ by her unselfish service to the least fortunate by feeding hundreds at the Hale Kau Kau kitchen at St. Theresa’s.

But I am getting a little ahead of myself by not telling how Mother Marianne came to Honolulu and then to Kaulapapa.

Born Barbara Koob in 1838 in Germany, at the tender age of one her family made the long journey to Utica, New York. At age 24, she entered religious life as a novice of the Sisters of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. By age 45, she had achieved much as a religious nun opening two new hospitals in New York State, been the Mother Superior of her order, and a hospital administrator. Then her life would turn inside out when a letter from a priest in Hawaii arrived at her door. The letter asked for nuns to come to Hawaii to serve the leprosy patients in the Kaka’ako Branch hospital on Oahu. Mother Marianne’s response was “I am hungry for the work…I am not afraid of any disease, hence it would be my greatest delight even to minister to the abandoned leprosy patients.”

She and six other nuns from her order set sail for Hawaii. They arrived at Honolulu Harbor in 1883 and immediately began their nursing work among the leprosy patients. In 1884, Mother Marianne was called to establish Malulani Hospital, the first public hospital on Maui. This was very important to me because I was born there in 1943.

Then in 1888, Fr. Damien, already afflicted by leprosy, came calling on Mother Marianne to open a home for girls and women at Kaulapapa and again she said yes. With two nuns, she began her work among the girls and women establishing a home for them and then when Damien died in 1889 she took over the care of the Boys home. For the next 30 years she labored among the leprosy patients at Kaulapapa, never going back home to New York State. She died at the age of 80 in 1918.

A large monument honoring her selfish work among the leprosy patients who were cut off from their families was placed at her gravesite. She inspired all with her quiet strength and ability to deal with all kinds of personalities. Robert Lewis Stevenson visiting Kaulapapa wrote this about the work of Mother Marianne and her two fellow sisters – “He marks the sisters on the painful shores, and even a fool is silent and adores.”

Much more can be written about Mother Marianne and her many yeses to Jesus – yes to becoming a religious sister, yes to serving as Mother Superior of her order, yes to turning inside out by coming over 5000 miles to Hawaii to care for leprosy patients, and finally yes to caring for the hundreds of those afflicted with leprosy at Kaulapapa. By her example, many leprosy patients came to know Jesus and found hope in their illness. And many today are being called to a life of service because of how she lived her life.

When we listen to the story of Mother Marianne, we may say that she was exceptional and I cannot live up to her standards because I am just an ordinary person. Well I want to make a case for all the ordinary mothers here today because I think you are exceptional responders to Jesus’ call to go out and make disciples. You are the ones that nurture our children and show the way by your example on how we must serve others. My mother, Adeline, is one of those mothers. When I was only 13 years, she defended my request from my dad’s opposition to let me go to Oahu for seminary training. After six years, when I decided to leave the seminary she was there to support me. Finally, when Jesus called again for me to serve his brothers and sisters as a deacon she was there to support that decision.

I believe mothers have a special place in God’ kingdom because they teach their children what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. On this Mother’s Day, I invite all our mothers in our assembly to please stand and be recognized. Okay all those seated repeat after me – WE LOVE YOU! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Let me repeat that in our Catholic tradition we believe that we win disciples to Jesus by our love and service to them. Mother Marianne’s life’s journey was exceptional because she kept saying yes to Jesus’ call to serve the least fortunate among us at great risk and sacrifice to herself. Our own mothers have had to make many sacrifices often going without so that we could have. I believe that when we show the light of Christ in our actions we bring disciples to Jesus. Or as St. Francis once said “Preach the gospel and only use words if it is necessary.”    

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