Blessed Caroline Gerhardinger
Blessed Caroline Gerhardinger (born June 20, 1797 AD in Stadtamhof, near Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany; died May 9, 1879 AD in Munich, Bavaria, Germany) was a Bavarian Catholic laywoman and then foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame — one of the largest congregations of women religious devoted to education in the world — who devoted over fifty years to the Christian education of girls and young women throughout Bavaria, Germany, North America, and beyond. Known in religion as Mother Maria Theresa, she founded her congregation in 1833 and guided it through extraordinary growth and opposition until her death. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Munich on November 17, 1985. Her feast day is May 9.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Caroline Gerhardinger
| Blessed Caroline Gerhardinger | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 09 |
| Profession | Religious foundress; School Sister of Notre Dame (Mother Maria Theresa); educator of girls and young women; Bavarian Catholic apostle; international mission to the United States and Germany |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND); Bavarian Catholic tradition; 19th-century German female religious education apostolate; educational missions worldwide |
| Patronage | Regensburg; Bavaria; Germany; teachers; educators of girls; the School Sisters of Notre Dame; Catholic schools; Catholic immigrants to America |
| Attributes | School Sisters of Notre Dame habit; cross; a book or classroom (education); children (her apostolate); Bavarian landscape; the Frauenkirche Munich; May 9 feast |
| Birthplace | Stadtamhof (now part of Regensburg), Bavaria, Germany |
| Death Place | Munich, Bavaria, Germany |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died May 9, 1879, in Munich; she was 81 years old; she had founded the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1833 and guided the congregation for 46 years; the congregation had grown to hundreds of sisters serving in schools throughout Germany, the United States, and other countries; she was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Munich on November 17, 1985 |
| Primary Shrine | Munich, Bavaria, Germany — Motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame; May 9 feast; JPII beatification 1985 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; May 9 feast in the School Sisters of Notre Dame and in the Diocese of Regensburg |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Caroline Gerhardinger was born June 20, 1797, in Stadtamhof near Regensburg, Bavaria. Educated by the Canonesses of Notre Dame in Regensburg, she received her teacher's training and responded to a call to found a congregation specifically for the education of girls.
In 1833 she founded the School Sisters of Notre Dame at Neunburg vorm Wald, Bavaria, with the charism of educating girls from all social classes, especially the poor. In religion she took the name Mother Maria Theresa.
The congregation grew rapidly throughout Bavaria and Germany. In 1847 she personally accompanied the first sisters to the United States, establishing schools for Catholic immigrants. She worked to secure papal approval of her congregation's constitutions, which came from Pope Pius IX in 1865.
She died May 9, 1879, in Munich. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Munich on November 17, 1985. Her feast day is May 9.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Stadtamhof (now part of Regensburg), Bavaria, Germany
Death location: Munich, Bavaria, Germany
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- Motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Munich, Bavaria, Germany — May 9 feast; JPII beatification 1985.
Feast day
May 9
Veneration
Blessed Caroline Gerhardinger / Mother Maria Theresa (1797–1879) was the Bavarian foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (1833) — one of the world's largest teaching congregations — who personally led the first sisters to America (1847) and built an international educational apostolate. Beatified John Paul II, Munich, 1985. Feast May 9.
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