The nun who chose to live with Hawaii’s most rejected souls

Mother Marianne Cope’s Mission to Kalaupapa’s Exiled Patients

When fifty religious groups said no, Mother Marianne Cope said yes.

Born in Germany but raised in New York, she left a life as a top hospital boss to sail to Hawaii in 1883. King Kalākaua had begged for help with his kingdom’s leprosy crisis.

For the next 35 years, she built homes, planted gardens, and brought joy to over 1,000 exiled patients at Kalaupapa.

Today, Kalaupapa National Historical Park stands as a monument to her work, with her convent and patient homes still intact on this remote peninsula.

From Factory Worker to Nun: The Humble Beginnings of Mother Marianne

Barbara Koob was born January 23, 1838, in Hesse, Germany. She was the fifth of ten children.

Her parents, farmer Peter Koob and Barbara Witzenbacher, moved the family to Utica, New York just a year later.

When her father couldn’t work anymore, 14-year-old Barbara stepped up. She worked in a textile factory for nine years to help feed her brothers and sisters.

Though she wanted to become a nun, she put her family first.

She Traded Factory Work for a Habit and a Mission

At 24, Barbara finally followed her calling. She joined the Sisters of Third Order Regular of Saint Francis in Syracuse on November 19, 1862.

The next year, she got her habit and took the name Sister Marianne. Her smarts and leadership quickly stood out.

The congregation asked her to teach German-speaking immigrant children. She moved from teacher to principal fast.

Her fellow sisters noticed how well she organized things and ran programs. These skills soon took her beyond the classroom.

She Bought a Saloon and Turned It Into a Hospital

Sister Marianne joined her order’s leadership team and helped start St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica in 1866.

Three years later, she tackled a bigger job – creating St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. She bought a former saloon and dance hall to house it.

The hospital promised care to everyone no matter their race, religion, or money situation.
She pushed for patient rights and clean facilities long before.

Her Hospitals Welcomed Everyone (Even When Doctors Complained)

From 1870 to 1877, Sister Marianne ran St. Joseph’s Hospital during its early years.

She worked with Syracuse University College of Medicine to train medical students there. She made doctors get permission before students could examine patients.

When alcoholics came for help, she welcomed them despite doctors’ complaints. She put patients first, not social judgments.

King Kalākaua Needed Help, and 50 Religious Orders Said No

The Hawaiian Islands faced a health crisis in the 1880s. Leprosy (now called Hansen’s disease) spread through the islands, and King Kalākaua needed help.

His messenger, Father Leonor Fouesnel, asked more than 50 religious groups across America for sisters to care for leprosy patients.

All said no. When the request reached the Syracuse Sisters of St.Francis, Mother Marianne wrote: “I am hungry for the work and wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen ones. ”

Thirty-five sisters quickly volunteered.

The King Sent Five Carriages to Welcome Seven Brave Sisters

Mother Marianne picked six sisters to join her. They left Syracuse on October 22, 1883, and got seasick during their ocean trip.

When they arrived in Honolulu on November 8 on the SS Mariposa, the king sent five carriages to take them from the harbor to Our Lady of Peace Cathedral.

Bells rang as crowds watched the nuns arrive. Their warm welcome changed to shock when they saw Kakaako Branch Hospital, where suspected leprosy patients lived.

She Fired the Abusive Boss on Her First Day

The conditions at Kakaako shocked Mother Marianne. About 200 patients lay on dirty mats in a roach-filled three-room building.

Many had advanced leprosy with missing noses, fingers, and toes. The boss, Henry Van Giesen, treated patients cruelly.

Mother Marianne demanded his removal and took control of the facility. The sisters cleaned the filthy compound.

They stopped the sexual abuse and worked hard to bring dignity back.

The King Gave Her a Medal While She Built More Hospitals

Mother Marianne’s work grew beyond Kakaako. In 1884, she started Malulani Hospital on Maui, the island’s first general hospital.

The next year, she created Kapiolani Home for healthy daughters of Hansen’s disease patients, keeping them safe from both the disease and social stigma.

King Kalākaua gave her the Royal Order of Kapiolani in 1885.

During this busy time, she also met Father Damien, the Belgian priest caring for patients on Molokai, who was still healthy when they first met in January 1884.

She Moved to a Peninsula of No Return

In 1888, the Hawaiian government asked for sisters to start a women’s home at Kalaupapa, the remote peninsula on Molokaʻi where leprosy patients lived in exile.

Mother Marianne knew saying yes meant she might never return to Syracuse or see her family again. Still, she said, “We will cheerfully accept the work.”

That November, she moved to Kalaupapa with two sisters to open the Charles R. Bishop Home for women and girls.

When Father Damien got sick with leprosy, she cared for him until he died, promising to continue his work.

Pretty Dresses and Gardens Brought Dignity to the Exiled

After Father Damien died in April 1889, Mother Marianne took over both the women’s Bishop Home and the boys’ facilities. She changed the bleak settlement by planting fruit trees, flowers, and gardens.

She started music programs, art classes, and fun activities. The girls and women wore pretty dresses and colorful scarves instead of hospital gowns.

Through it all, Mother Marianne kept her sisters safe with strict hand washing and cleaning rules. Not one sister ever got leprosy despite working closely with patients.

She Never Got Sick and Became a Saint

For 30 years, Mother Marianne served the exiled community of Kalaupapa, caring for over 1,000 patients during her time there.

Even when age confined her to a wheelchair, she continued her ministry. She kept her promise that none of her sisters would become ill with leprosy.

On August 9, 1918, at age 80, Mother Marianne died peacefully, surrounded by her sisters after receiving Last Rites.

Her remarkable life came full circle on October 21, 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI canonized her as a saint.

She became the 11th American saint and the second associated with Kalaupapa, joining Father Damien in the highest honor of the Catholic Church.

Visiting Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Hawaii

You need a Hawaii State permit before visiting Kalaupapa National Historical Park at 7 Puahi Street, where Mother Marianne Cope and the Sisters of St.Francis cared for over 1,000 Hansen’s disease patients from 1883 to 1918.

Children under 16 aren’t allowed. All guided tours are currently suspended, and you can only get there by small plane with pre-arranged reservations.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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