Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMother Marianne Cope comes back to Syracuse as part of her journey to sainthood
By Meredith Bowen
Posted: 2/11/05, 12:41 AM EST Section: News
The sisters' efforts for Mother Marianne's cause climaxed on Jan. 24 when they saw Mother Marianne's body for the first time.
"When they first uncovered her coffin and the beginning of her remains, we looked down and knew we were looking at Mother Marianne," Sister Grace Anne said. "It was great awe and great wonder. It was a very spiritual moment. I really feel like we were communicating with Mother Marianne."
Here in Syracuse, it is Mother Marianne's humanness that appeals to the faithful. She was a real woman from Utica; she worked in a factory to support her family.
"It's easier to understand a saint, sometimes, more than as God as a whole," said Julia Rocchi, president of the Pastoral Council at SU's Alibrandi Catholic Center. "It's something people can relate to more."
Saints act as intercessors, or intermediaries that pass on the prayers of the faithful to God. They remain a part of the life of the Church, even in death, through the interconnectedness of the community, said the Rev. Tim Mulligan, chaplain of the Alibrandi Center and a Franciscan friar.
Pope John Paul II has been receptive to Mother Marianne's cause, Bishop Moynihan said. Mother Marianne's cause is advancing quickly through the various stages and requirements of the Church.
Until her beatification, those who want to pray to Mother Marianne can attend a mass at Assumption Church on North Salina Street on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Mother Marianne's remains will be at the sisters' convent off Court Street, where visitors can view her casket on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. throughout February.
In the museum dedicated to Mother Marianne, there is a picture of a young nun standing next to a plane; the name "Mother Marianne" painted across its side. The image is appropriate, invoking both Mother Marianne's own journey and the journey to bring her home.
The emotions of that trip still linger, as they always will, with Sister Mary Laurence.
"There was a feeling of peace," she said. "There's no capturing those feelings in words. It's something you hope for in your heart."
"When they first uncovered her coffin and the beginning of her remains, we looked down and knew we were looking at Mother Marianne," Sister Grace Anne said. "It was great awe and great wonder. It was a very spiritual moment. I really feel like we were communicating with Mother Marianne."
Here in Syracuse, it is Mother Marianne's humanness that appeals to the faithful. She was a real woman from Utica; she worked in a factory to support her family.
"It's easier to understand a saint, sometimes, more than as God as a whole," said Julia Rocchi, president of the Pastoral Council at SU's Alibrandi Catholic Center. "It's something people can relate to more."
Saints act as intercessors, or intermediaries that pass on the prayers of the faithful to God. They remain a part of the life of the Church, even in death, through the interconnectedness of the community, said the Rev. Tim Mulligan, chaplain of the Alibrandi Center and a Franciscan friar.
Pope John Paul II has been receptive to Mother Marianne's cause, Bishop Moynihan said. Mother Marianne's cause is advancing quickly through the various stages and requirements of the Church.
Until her beatification, those who want to pray to Mother Marianne can attend a mass at Assumption Church on North Salina Street on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Mother Marianne's remains will be at the sisters' convent off Court Street, where visitors can view her casket on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. throughout February.
In the museum dedicated to Mother Marianne, there is a picture of a young nun standing next to a plane; the name "Mother Marianne" painted across its side. The image is appropriate, invoking both Mother Marianne's own journey and the journey to bring her home.
The emotions of that trip still linger, as they always will, with Sister Mary Laurence.
"There was a feeling of peace," she said. "There's no capturing those feelings in words. It's something you hope for in your heart."
