The Parishioner - Edition 23

dignity and joy was restored to the lives of the leprosy sufferers, even to those
most severely affected and they loved Mother Marianne amd her Sisters. In
admiration of her work a few notable people, having overcome their fear of the
disease, would often visit Mother Marianne and her patients on Molokai. These
included the renowned Scottish author, Robert Louis Stevenson.
Mother Marianne always asked her visitors not to view her patients with
glum curiosity, but greet them with a smile and to focus instead on their lovely
personalities beyond their disfigurements.
Although Mother Marianne and her Sisters were in direct contact each day
with the leprosy patients, they were never afflicted with the disease, as she had
promised. This was seen by many as a great act of faith, after thirty five years
of devoted care of the leprosy patients in Hawaii.
Mother Marianne died from natural causes on August 9th 1918 and was
buried on Molokai. She was eighty years old. She was beatified in 2005 by
Pope Benedict XVI and canonized by the same Pope on October 21st 2012. In
his homily the Holy Father gave this tribute to St. Marianne Cope; “At a time
when little could be done for the suffering from this terrible disease, Marianne
Cope showed the highest love, courage and enthusiasm. She is a shining and
energetic example of the best of Catholic nursing Sisters and of the spirit of her
beloved St. Francis.”
Today many Franciscan Hospitals, schools and child development centres
have been founded worldwide in her memory and she is still remembered in
Hawaii with deep affection. In 2004 the Order of Franciscan Sisters arranged
the return of St. Marianne Cope’s remains from Molokai to the convent of her
congregation in Syracuse, New York, where she now rests in an ornate shrine
adorned with beautiful carved symbols of love and esteem from the Hawaiian
people.
A RABBIT’S EYE VIEW OF
MOATENDEN AND THE TRINITARIANS
“For hundreds of years rabbits have lived in the
fields around Moatenden, and those there today
can probably trace their ancestry
back to the days before
humankind came to settle
in these parts. Let’s imagine
that they can talk and that
the story of the priory has
been passed down to each
generation of rabbits. In this
way, we can hear of how
strange men from France came
to live here in the early 13th century....”
On Saturday 12th July, Father
Michael Woodgate launched
his book, A Rabbit’s eye
view of Moatenden and
the Trinitarians at a
meeting in the church of
St Thomas of Canterbury
in Headcorn. Although
originally intended as a
children’s book (hence the
rabbits), it will interest all
ages as it traces the history of
the Order of the Most Holy
The Trinitarian Seal
Trinity for the Redemption of
Captives, the Trinitarians, from its founding in 1198 at
Cerfroid in Northern France by two men, John de Matha
and Felix de Valois. It was the time of the third Crusade
and the order was dedicated to helping Christian captives
by buying their release and caring for sick prisoners. In the
early 13th century they built a priory and small church at
Moatenden, near Headcorn, which was suppressed at the
Reformation and no longer exists today. The Trinitarians
still exist and work all over the world. There is a
community of Trinitarian Sisters in Bromley, Kent.
Father Michael had invited John Pontifex, who now works
as Head of Press and Information for Aid to the Church in
Need. It was great to see John again. He was the original
editor of the Parishioner when he was a St.Francis
parishioner in Maidstone and worked as a reporter on the
Kent Messenger. For the ACN he now travels to places
where there are conflicts which affect local
Christian communities and reports back to
the organisation what is needed for their
support. He is also the spokesman for the
organisation in the press and on television.
His talk was most interesting and very
disquieting. Much of what he spoke about
is not generally reported in the press and
mainstream news. He spoke of
Christians being killed by extremist
Islamic groups in Africa, the Middle
East and Iraq or ejected from their
homes, their priests murdered and
churches desecrated or destroyed, of
overcrowded refugee camps, disease,
suffering and despair. He asked for
our prayers that the work of ACN
might bring relief to our persecuted
fellow Christians. Find out more
about the ACN at www.acnuk.org
John Pontifex and Fr.Michael Woodgate
After John’s talk, tea and cakes were very welcome and we
had the opportunity of buying Fr. Michael’s book. If you
would like a copy (or copies), they are available from the
St. Francis Repository or ask at the Priest’s House. Price
£4.50. The proceeds of the book will be going to a project
in the Phillipines
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