Our History

Empathy in Action is a community program of the Saint Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum, a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neuman Communities. The museum located at 601 North Townsend Street in Syracuse, NY  opened in 2014. It is a tribute to Marianne Cope who was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic church in 2012.

Marianne’s story continues to be relevant today in her care for the sick and suffering; providing compassion and hope. Her innovations in infection control and hospital care, patient’s rights and whole mind, body, spirit healing offer us a foundation for service in our community. The beauty and dignity that she incorporated into the lives of the patients in the hospitals where she administered and cared for the thousands suffering from leprosy (Hansen’s disease) in Hawaii reflect the faith and courage of her Franciscan values.

Our Mission

Our mission is to take the values of Marianne and her Sisters and apply them to the challenges we are facing in today's society. The Sisters have provided peace to individuals across time and across the nation. This care is provided equally no matter race, religion, economic means, personal choice, belief or nationality. The driving force behind these women of faith is dignity and respect for every person.

Our programs seek to unite people and connect all of us across boundaries created by fear; fear of change, fear developed by misunderstanding and fear of embarrassment.

We strive to teach practices that people can incorporate into their daily lives that can not only help to unite us but also ease stress, improve productivity and assist us maintaining hope through our most difficult phases of life's journey.