Sainthood cause advanced for nun who served Hawaii's leprosy patients

Published: 2004-04-19

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II has advanced the sainthood cause of Mother Marianne Cope of Molokai, a Franciscan sister who served leprosy patients in Hawaii for 35 years. A decree attesting to the "heroic virtues" of Mother Cope was promulgated at the Vatican April 19. That means the nun is considered venerable and can be beatified once a miracle is attributed to her intercession. Vatican sources said such a miracle was at an advanced stage of study. A second miracle after her beatification will be needed for her to be canonized. Mother Cope, who lived from 1838 to 1918, was the first U.S. missionary to work among patients with leprosy -- or Hansen's disease -- in the Hawaiian Islands. When Blessed Damien de Veuster, the more famous Belgian missionary to Hawaiian Hansen's patients, died of the disease in 1889, Mother Cope took over his ministry as well.

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