School Sisters of Notre Dame
SSND Celebrate Their 175th Jubilee Year
The Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame began in Bavaria, now part of Germany, in 1833 during times of political and social upheaval. The Napoleonic Wars left many women without husbands and any means of support. Many were hungry and uneducated. Caroline Gerhardinger, a young girl of 15, began teaching at her parish school in Stadtamhof. Under Father Michael Wittmann's spiritual guidance, Caroline recognized God's call to found a religious Community that would tend to the needs of the people through education. On October 24, 1833 Caroline Gerhardinger and two other religious women began a common religious life in Neunburg vorm Wald, Bavaria. She chose the religious name of Mary Theresa of Jesus and grounded her community in poverty in order to teach the poor and dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She sent sisters out in twos and threes to reach people in rural areas. The Constitution of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, approved by Pope Pius IX in 1865, allowed Mother Theresa and her successors, rather than local bishops, to govern members of the congregation. In 1847, only 14 years after the congregation was founded, Mother Theresa set out for America to help the German people who had immigrated to Pennsylvania hoping for a better life. After a stormy voyage, she and five of her sisters were told that because they had no invitation from a bishop, that they would have to take the next boat back to Bavaria. In Baltimore, Father John Newmann, provincial superior of the Redemptorists, helped them out and led to permission to teach in Baltimore. Mother Theresa and Sister Caroline Friess traveled more than 2,000 miles by stagecoach and steamboat as far as the Mississippi River, returning via the Great Lakes. Many girls applied to join the congregation. Mother Theresa returned to Bavaria within two years. She left Sister Caroline in charge of the American missions. At the time of Mother Theresa's death in 1879, there were more than 2,500 School Sisters of Notre Dame educating children mainly in elementary schools but also in orphanages, day nurseries and vocational schools. Today, nearly 4,500 School Sisters of Notre Dame minister in 34 countries and territories on five continents.
Many thanks to Sister Rose Elaine Kessler, SSND for sending us the article regarding the history of the congregation. We at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish were blessed to have had the School Sisters of Notre Dame to educate and guide us throughout the years.
175th Anniversary Celebration of the School Sisters of Notre Dame
Sunday, October 26, 2008
1:00 Mass at St. Mary's Assumption Church
2030 Constance Street, New Orleans
Reception to follow at St. Alphonsus