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Walking For Wellness -- In Honor Of Saint Marianne

December 13, 2021

From the Office for Social Ministry

“Let us make the very best use of the precious moments and do all in our power for His dear sake and for His greater honor and glory.” ­ ­­–Saint Marianne Cope

We enter this third week of Advent with joyful hearts in the spirit of Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” in Latin means “to rejoice.” So, it is clearly a time when we are all called to share that joy with others, especially those who may not be feeling the lightness of the holidays. Supporting organizations that give back to the community year-round is one way to spread Christmas cheer. For starters, we invite you to reserve a spot in our Office for Social Ministry’s team at the 9th Annual Saint Marianne Cope Walk & Wellness Fair scheduled on January 22, 2022. This year the event will be virtual so anyone can participate from wherever they are! Proceeds will go toward the St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii (SFHS).

Sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis, SFHS is the state’s only Catholic healthcare institution dedicated to creating healthy communities in the spirit of Christ’s healing ministry and following the footsteps of St. Marianne Cope of Molokaʻi. Mother Marianne, as she was affectionately known, came to the islands in 1883 to care for patients of Hansen’s disease both in Kakaako and later in Kalaupapa. She witnessed the great need for better healthcare in Hawaii and answered the call to service by establishing the St. Francis mission in Hawaii, which continues her legacy today of compassionate care across the islands.

Today SFHS provides programs throughout the year aimed at bettering the lives of keiki to kupuna: offering early education for pe-school kids, adult day care for seniors and palliative hospice care for those facing terminal illness. St. Francis also offers monthly Caregiver Wellness classes, personal care and transportation services. Its retreat facilities at Our Lady of Kea’au on the Waianae Coast continually serves hot meals to the homeless persons in the community. Please help these programs continue!

To sign up, register your own team, or to learn more about the 9th Annual Saint Marianne Cope Walk & Wellness Fair please visit the SFHS website. To join the Office for Social Ministry team, contact OSM or Iwie Tamashiro at itamashiro@rcchawaii.org. Let us rejoice this holiday season by following the footsteps of St. Marianne and making the best use of precious moments by helping those most in need!