A Short History of Sacred Hearts Catholic Missionaries on Moloka'i

This paper explores, in a concise way, some of the people, places, and events that have shaped the Catholic and non-Catholic inhabitants of the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i, known as the "Friendly Isle," from around 1842 through the present day. It is important to the people and history of Hawai'i to know the early missionary story that unfolded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and some of the persons, places, and events that were a part of that story. Very little is published on the history of missionaries on Moloka'i outside of the voluminous collection of books written on Father Damien and the leprosy settlement. A book has been printed by the author on the substantial history of the Sacred Hearts on Moloka'i, from which much of this paper is taken. The aim and key message of this paper is to further the knowledge and appreciation of the sacrifices made by so many in the past to further the Good News on Moloka'i. This paper is the product of several years of research by the author utilizing the resources of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts United States Province Archives located at St. Patrick's Monastery in Kaimukī, Honolulu; the Damien Archives in Leuven, Belgium; and the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts General Archives in Rome, Italy. The key findings in this paper contribute to the historical patrimony of the island of Moloka'i and the message of Christ's love for all.