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Pilgrimage and Exile: Mother Marianne of Molokai
Book by Hanley, Mary Laurence, Bushnell, O. A.
- GenresReligion
427 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1980
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51 people want to read
About the author
Mary Laurence Hanley
4 booksSister Mary Laurence Hanley, OSF.
A sister of the Order of Saint Francis, she was an authority on the life of Saint Marianne Cope (1838-1918) and wrote the most detailed biography of her fellow Franciscan sister from Central New York.
A sister of the Order of Saint Francis, she was an authority on the life of Saint Marianne Cope (1838-1918) and wrote the most detailed biography of her fellow Franciscan sister from Central New York.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 6, 2023
This is the amazing story of a woman who helped to shape health care in Hawaii and lead a group of missionaries to serve in hospitals and leper colonies half way around the world from home.
I was first introduced to Mother Marianne in the film Moloka,i which was primarily the story of Father Damien, and his service among the lepers on the island of exile called Molokai. This story overlaps with that one for many years but from very different perspectives.
This biography is a delight if somewhat difficult read. It draws heavily upon source documents from the period of Mother Marianne’s life, 1838-1918. It has been said that our life will be measured by the -“ the dash”, what we do with the years between our birth and our death. Marianne made the most of those years; in fact she lived and gave, and served enough for a few lifetimes of lesser people.
Born in Witzenbacher in 1938, her family emigrated to Utica, New York when she was just 2 years old. In 1862 Barbara Koob professed orders to become a nun. She established and expanded hospitals and medical services first in Utica and then Syracuse New York. The first hospital in Syracuse opened in 1869 and mother Marianne was in charge from 1970 to 1877. In 1877 she rose to the position of Provincial Mother of the Sisters of St. Francis of Syracuse.
It was in that position that she received the request to come and serve in Hawaii, in the role of establishing the hospitals and overseeing medical care on the islands in the Kingdom of Hawaii (At that time often referred to as the Sandwich Islands).
The islanders in Hawaii immediately recognized a strength of character - the internal life of Mother Marianne. She was a favored friend of Queen Kapiolani and King Kalakaua both of whom, though Presbyterian, gave to the work of Mother Marianne and met with her personally on many occasions.
Mother Marianne had to use all of her skills to make the mission on Hawaii work; she had to contend with Parliament, Business owners (tax payers who did not like spending money on lepers), and with the personalities in the church, and her own order.
Marianne not only revolutionized how the patients in the leper hospital, and eventually on Molokai, were treated and cared for. She set up and oversaw hospitals on many of the islands.
Marianne said on more than one occasion that: “God has called us for this work. If we are prudent in our duty He will protect us.” And she was right - not one of the scores of nuns who served there for many long years.
This book will challenge you! You will see service to other people as the greatest calling and the greatest gift. You will witness the life of an amazing woman who cared for all who came into her circle and did all she could to help them be better men and women.
I was first introduced to Mother Marianne in the film Moloka,i which was primarily the story of Father Damien, and his service among the lepers on the island of exile called Molokai. This story overlaps with that one for many years but from very different perspectives.
This biography is a delight if somewhat difficult read. It draws heavily upon source documents from the period of Mother Marianne’s life, 1838-1918. It has been said that our life will be measured by the -“ the dash”, what we do with the years between our birth and our death. Marianne made the most of those years; in fact she lived and gave, and served enough for a few lifetimes of lesser people.
Born in Witzenbacher in 1938, her family emigrated to Utica, New York when she was just 2 years old. In 1862 Barbara Koob professed orders to become a nun. She established and expanded hospitals and medical services first in Utica and then Syracuse New York. The first hospital in Syracuse opened in 1869 and mother Marianne was in charge from 1970 to 1877. In 1877 she rose to the position of Provincial Mother of the Sisters of St. Francis of Syracuse.
It was in that position that she received the request to come and serve in Hawaii, in the role of establishing the hospitals and overseeing medical care on the islands in the Kingdom of Hawaii (At that time often referred to as the Sandwich Islands).
The islanders in Hawaii immediately recognized a strength of character - the internal life of Mother Marianne. She was a favored friend of Queen Kapiolani and King Kalakaua both of whom, though Presbyterian, gave to the work of Mother Marianne and met with her personally on many occasions.
Mother Marianne had to use all of her skills to make the mission on Hawaii work; she had to contend with Parliament, Business owners (tax payers who did not like spending money on lepers), and with the personalities in the church, and her own order.
Marianne not only revolutionized how the patients in the leper hospital, and eventually on Molokai, were treated and cared for. She set up and oversaw hospitals on many of the islands.
Marianne said on more than one occasion that: “God has called us for this work. If we are prudent in our duty He will protect us.” And she was right - not one of the scores of nuns who served there for many long years.
This book will challenge you! You will see service to other people as the greatest calling and the greatest gift. You will witness the life of an amazing woman who cared for all who came into her circle and did all she could to help them be better men and women.
December 24, 2021
I have read another book by this author that was fiction about Molokai and it was very enjoyable. This book was interesting at times but just contained too much dry details around the history of the era and location.
December 15, 2023
This is a wonderful study of the life of Mother Marianne Cope, who dedicated her life to serving the lepers in Hawaii, the last 30 years of which were on Moloka'i. In some ways it was cumbersome to read, and went very slow, but it was still very good.
August 6, 2014
Saint Marianne Cope's body was returned to the Cathedral in Honolulu this week; therefore, I completed reading this book which I had started years ago. The primary author was a committed admirer of Marianne and am certain this book was written partially to do the necessary documentation that would eventually lead to her becoming a Saint.
I did my best to overlook the unfortunate use of the L word to refer to the patients, knowing that Sr Hanley would have eliminated them from all but direct historical quotes if ever rewritten. May she rest in Peace.
I did my best to overlook the unfortunate use of the L word to refer to the patients, knowing that Sr Hanley would have eliminated them from all but direct historical quotes if ever rewritten. May she rest in Peace.
March 1, 2016
I really enjoyed this biography of St. Marianne Cope. It was the story of her dedication to the lepers in Molokai. I was interested in her because she was recently canonized and was in the order of nuns I had as teachers when I was in elementary school. These nuns were the most wonderful women I have ever known. St. Marianne truly lived the philosophy of St. Francis.
May 3, 2011
A lot of detailed research leading to the beatification of Mother Marianne Cope. Worth the read!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews