When the Saints Go Marchin' In...

Pope Benedict will soon be declaring seven new saints of the Holy Church, two of which lived in the United States: Bl. Maria Anna Cope and Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha.

The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and authorised the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:
MIRACLES
 - Blessed Giovanni Battista Piamarta, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth and of the Congregation of the Humble Sister Servants of the Lord (1841-1913).
 - Blessed Jacques Berthieu, French martyr and priest of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) (1838-1896).
 - Blessed Maria del Carmen (born Maria Salles y Barangueras), Spanish foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching (1848-1911).
 - Blessed Maria Anna Cope, nee Barbara, German religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Syracuse U.S.A. (1838-1918).
 - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, American laywoman (1656-1680).
 - Blessed Pedro Calungsod, Filipino lay catechist and martyr (1654-1672).
 - Blessed Anna Schaffer, German laywoman (1882-1925).

Read it all here.

Bl. Maria Anna (or Marianne) Cope was a religious sister who travelled from Syracuse, N.Y. to Molokai, HI to care for the lepers who were once under the care of St. Damian of Molokai.  Apparently Hawaii is a holy place to be. :)  Read the Vatican biographical listing of Bl. Marianne Cope here.

Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha is a Native American who converted to Catholicism and became a consecrated laywoman in upper New York - huh, both of these women are from from upper NY, apparently New York is also a holy place to be.  Who'da thunk? :) Read more about Bl. Kateri here.