Blessed Maria Merkert
Blessed Maria Merkert (German: Maria Merkert; born September 21, 1817 AD in Neisse (Nysa), Silesia (then Prussia, now Poland); died November 14, 1872 AD in Neisse (Nysa)) was a Silesian religious, co-founder and first superior general of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth (the Grey Sisters of Saint Elizabeth), dedicated to the care of the sick and poor in their homes. Called "the Silesian Samaritan," she is venerated as a Blessed of the Church. Her feast day is November 14.
Together with a small group of companions, Maria Merkert devoted her life to nursing the sick, the abandoned, and the dying wherever they were found, without distinction, and built her work into a congregation that spread widely. She was beatified in 2007.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Maria Merkert
| Blessed Maria Merkert | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 14 |
| Profession | Religious sister; co-founder and superior general of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth (Grey Sisters of Saint Elizabeth) |
| Patronage | Nurses; the sick and dying cared for at home; the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth; Silesia |
| Attributes | Religious habit; care of the sick; the example of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary |
| Birthplace | Neisse (Nysa), Silesia (Prussia; now Poland) |
| Death Place | Neisse (Nysa), Silesia (now Poland) |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; co-founder and first superior general of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth; died at Neisse |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Saint James, Nysa, Poland |
Biography
Maria Merkert was born on September 21, 1817, at Neisse (now Nysa) in Silesia, then part of Prussia and today in Poland. Left fatherless early and then orphaned of her mother, she and her sister Mathilde grew up in modest circumstances but with a strong faith and a desire to serve the suffering.
Moved by the many sick and poor who lacked care, Maria, with her sister and two companions, resolved to devote themselves to nursing the sick in their own homes—going to them regardless of their condition, religion, or ability to pay, in imitation of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, patroness of charity. In 1842 the little group began this work. It faced hardships and interruptions, but Maria persevered, and in time it was established as the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth (the Grey Sisters of Saint Elizabeth).
Maria Merkert became the first superior general and guided the congregation through its growth. The sisters spread across Silesia and beyond, nursing the sick, aiding the poor, and assisting the dying, and coming to the relief of the wounded and sick in times of epidemic and war. For her tireless charity Maria was honored even in her lifetime and remembered as "the Silesian Samaritan."
Maria Merkert died at Neisse on November 14, 1872. She was beatified on September 30, 2007, at Nysa, in a ceremony authorized by Pope Benedict XVI and celebrated by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Her feast is kept on November 14.
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Feast day
November 14
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