Saint Marianne Cope

I was born as Barbara Koob in Germany in 1838. When I was only two years old, my family moved to New York, in search for a better life. After I finished the eighth grade, I started working to help support my family. But my dream was to enter religious life. I joined the Sisters of St Francis in Syracuse when I was 24. I began to teach in a school and eventually was made principal. Later, I helped establish two hospitals in New York. The hospitals treated patients of every race, nationality and religion, although this was criticised by many. One day, I received a letter from the government in Hawaii, asking for sisters willing to help treat people with leprosy. I decided to go myself, together with 6  sisters. I spent 30 years helping the lepers, continuing the great work of Father Damien of Molokai. I died in Molokai in 1918.