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Blessed Karolina Gerhardinger

detail of a monument to the first voyage of Blessed Karolina Gerhardinger; date and artist unknown; monastery church of the Institute of Saint Jacob, Saint Jakobs Platz, Munich, Germany; photographed in April 2008 by Andreas Praefcke; swiped from Wikimedia Commons Also known as

Caroline Gerhardinger
Maria Teresa Gerhardinger
Maria Theresia of Jesus
Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger

Memorial

9 May

Profile

Born to a working class family. Educated by the Augustinian canonesses until 1809 when religious orders were closed by decree of the Bavarian government in Germany. Caroline decided to start a new religious order devoted to God and Christian education. In 1828 the Vatican got concessions from the Bavarian government, and many religious communities re-opened. Caroline and other sisters moved into a refurbished convent, and started the order that was to become the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Caroline took the name Theresa in religious life but was soon called Theresa of Jesus because of her devotion to the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. The sister’s Rule and Constitutions were approved by the Vatican on 23 January 1854 and the Order began to quickly spread. Teresa spent the rest of her life devoted to the work.