The Friendship of Florence Nightingale and Mary Clare Moore

This book explores the deep friendship and correspondence between two influential women, showcasing their shared commitment to faith and service. The Friendship of Florence Nightingale and Mary Clare Moore highlights their spiritual journeys.

Florence Nightingale is widely recognized as a transformative figure in modern nursing and public health, as well as a groundbreaking statistician. However, her profound engagement with the religious and philosophical currents of her time is often overlooked. The core of her existence was not merely to reform social institutions but to dedicate her life to serving God. This spiritual dimension of Nightingale’s life has not been adequately explored in most literature about her until recent decades, particularly with the 1994 release of Suggestions for Thought, which presents her religious perspectives.

At the center of The Friendship of Florence Nightingale and Mary Clare Moore are a collection of letters exchanged between Nightingale and Mary Clare Moore, her dear friend and the founding superior of the Sisters of Mercy in Bermondsey, London. These forty-seven letters from Nightingale, along with ten responses from Moore and additional correspondence regarding Clare, offer a glimpse into the intimate lives and spiritual journeys of two remarkable women in Victorian England. Their correspondence reveals their shared commitment to serving the neglected and underprivileged, as well as their deep affection for one another.

Through these letters, readers gain insight into the personal and spiritual struggles faced by Nightingale and Moore, who were both influential figures in their respective fields. One was dedicated to military and governmental reforms, while the other focused on developing church-related services for the poor. Their enduring friendship and shared faith illuminate the profound impact they had on society and the legacy they left behind.