Memories of Mary of the Apostles

STUDIA DE HISTORIA SALVATORIANA MEMORIES of Mary of the Apostles Therese von Wüllenweber Sectio 3.1 STUDIA DE HISTORIA SALVATORIANA Sectio 3.1 MEMORIES of Mary of the Apostles Therese von Wüllenweber Study Group Mary of the Apostles Original German Edition 2006 English Edition 2010 Villa Salvator Mundi Rome Published with permission of the General Administration of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorian Sisters) Original Edition Erinnerungen an Maria von den Aposteln Therese von Wüllenweber Translation into English by S. Maryclare Hart, SDS Prepared for Printing by S. Aloysia Kliemke, SDS ii Mother Mary of the Apostles Therese von Wüllenweber Co-foundress and First Superior General of the Salvatorian Sisters, 1888 * February 19, 1833 + December 25, 1907 iii Resting Place of Blessed Mary of the Apostles Motherhouse of the Salvatorian Sisters “Mother Mary Chapel” iv CONTENTS Preface ix Technical Information xi Sources xii Opening letter from Mother Liboria Hansknecht xiii Words of Father Francis Jordan about and to Mother Mary xvi Words of Mother Ambrosia Vetter xviii Memories of the Sisters 1 Adelgundis Acker 3 Agatha Mangold 5 Alberta Franke 6 Alexia Kauppert 8 Alfonsa Franke 11 Augusta Benz 14 Bibiana Hall 18 Blanche Kinzer 20 Bonaventura Zenker 22 Brigitta Roos 72 Carolina Dingler 73 Cecilia Angelosanto 75 Christina Altmann 79 Chrysostoma Svoboda 82 Clara Krauer 87 Claveria Stadler 98 Clementine Benz 101 Cleofa Rupp 103 Columba Kohlmann 105 Dominica Vieregg 110 Eleonora Wetzel 112 Emilia Hoffmann 113 Fabiana Kerzel 114 Fabiola Kerzel 121 Florentina Dengler 125 v Fridolina Mayer 129 Gabriela Bohnheim 130 Galla Linz 134 Genovefa Stienen 136 Gonzaga Foglietti 139 Hieronyma Schmerbeck 143 Hilaria Poetsch 147 Hildegard Dombrowski 161 Huberta Reichmann 165 Hyacintha Leuner 170 Ignatia Greiner 172 Jakoba Stumfall 178 Juliana Scheller 179 Leokadia Kolb 181 Leonia Gabriel 183 Liboria Hansknecht 185 Lidwina Diegmann 214 Lucia Siegmund 215 Ludgeria Mertens 220 Ludmilla Sendner 223 Magdalena Franke 225 Martha Storchenegger 227 Mathilda Maas 243 Melania Bauernschmitt 244 Nicoletta Baus 246 Othmara Scheffer 249 Pia Bochenek 250 Priska Vaassen 252 Pudentiana Maiss 254 Rosa Schwarzmann 259 Rosalia Gutschera 262 Simforosa Garofali 266 Sofia Wurm 269 Stanislaus Raczkowska 270 Stefania Barthelmes 274 Theresia Becker 276 Valentina Wirth 291 Valeria Behr 306 Veronika Schleicher 318 vi Viktoria Steuer 320 Walburga Sieghart 322 Xaveria Amrhein 323 Sister’s name unknown (1) 334 Sister’s name unknown (2) 336 Sister’s name unknown (3) 338 Other Memories 341 Fr. Bonaventura Lüthen, SDS 342 Fr. Alfons Federspiel, SDS, letter 347 Fr. Alfons Federspiel, SDS, report 348 (from a conversation with Sisters Emilia and Genovefa) Fr. Clemens Hofbauer Sonntag, SDS 351 Fr. Thomas Breitkopf, SDS 354 Giuseppina Flumeri 356 Mother Maria Catherina Möhring, OSF 358 Gretchen Dammers 359 Daughter of former Sacristan in Neuwerk 360 Clara Holl 361 School directress Raab 362 Sister Hilaria, Nonnenwerth Franciscan 363 Caspar Thiwessen 364 Matthias Weuthen 367 Baroness Adolfine von Böselager 372 Baroness Elisabeth von Wüllenweber 375 Bishop Antonius Nemes, Hungary 376 Glossary 377 vii PREFACE “Each of us has surely often wished to have a complete life of our deceased Rev. Mother in order to be able to form herself more and more according to her spirit and to study her virtuous life.” With these words, Mother Liboria Hansknecht, the then Superior General and second successor to this office after Mother Mary, began her letter to all the Sisters in 1940. She required all the older Sisters who had known Mother Mary personally to write down their memories of her. Over the years, the number of sisters who had had personal contact with Mother Mary and could pass on first- hand knowledge to their fellow-sisters had decreased. We have such reports available to us from 69 Sisters. Their memories are retained in this volume, shortened just a little where there was clear repetition. Sometimes, even these repetitions have been left when a different formulation or context shed further light on the character of Mother Mary. Repetitions mentioned by several individual Sisters have always been retained since they indicate that several, or many, experienced Mary of the Apostles in this way and had not forgotten it even more than 30 years after her death. The second section holds further memories that were requested from other persons. The responses to the questionnaire distributed at the start of the Beatification Process have not been included here. The reports of the Sisters demonstrate much love and veneration for this woman who was humanly and spiritually strong and ready for sacrifice. Her simplicity and warm-heartedness surprised the candidates, some of whom were very young, when they came to Rome from afar into another world. Many mention her “motherly embrace” and how she straightaway called these girls or young women ‘Sister’ and how they felt welcome and at home. She was too old and not healthy enough to go to the missions herself, but the formation of the future missionaries was entrusted to her – always in the spirit of Father Jordan. She said: “I want strong, self- sacrificing Sisters who can suffer something. Those who are over- sensitive and those who think only of themselves are not suitable for the apostolic work to which we are called.” (p. 110) In her eyes, only holy persons open to the spirit of God and not afraid of the Cross and suffering could really work apostolically. One Sister viii quoted her words: “Strive to become holy so that you are fit to go to the missions.” (p. 225) Only from this standpoint and keeping in mind the totally different time in which she and her sisters lived, can we understand her methods of training. In families, schools and convents, the methods used were very different from those of today. Even though she could be very strict in correcting and this – as she was convinced – de- rived from her responsibility, we find it emphasised throughout that she could forgive very quickly and never held anything against anyone. “She was always kind toward everyone. Even the newest novice could go to her at any time and she would receive a friendly welcome.” (p. 90) In the memories of the sisters found in this volume, we are also confronted with practices of penance that make, to some extent, an unfavourable impression on us today. They were, however, taken very seriously at that time and practised as acts of virtue. We see how Christian spirituality – like everything human – finds itself in a process of growth and strives to lead toward an ever deeper knowledge of God, without overlooking the danger of exaggeration and of unhealthy practices of penance. In her educative methodology, Mother Mary was a woman of her times – and yet, she was not! When reading, it is worth taking the trouble to note where she brushes aside the convent rule and just through this reveals her human and spiritual greatness. To her, observance of the religious rule meant living her vocation and holding fast to the spirit of the Founder but she clearly gave priority to humaneness and love. The sisters experienced as exemplary the way in which she herself strove to grow in the spiritual life and in union with God, seriously and in humility. Many of the sisters, when writing their reports, expressed the wish that the Beatification of Mother Mary would be soon. On October 13, 1968, we were able to experience this event. Blessed Mary of the Apostles can and will be an example and intercessor for us today in living our apostolic vocation – for the glory of God. Rome, July 22, 2006 “Study Group Mary of the Apostles” S. Helene Wecker ix Technical remarks In those early days, the sisters’ names were frequently spelled in different ways. The name headings given in this volume are in accord with the spellings used in the General Directory of the Salvatorian Sisters. Signatures have been left as they stand in the original reports. The originals of all photographs can be found in the Archive ASDS, apart from those of Father Jordan and Father Lüthen which are in the Postulation Archive of the Society (APS). Some photos of the Sisters are Jubilee photos (gold or silver wreaths on their heads). The biographical dates of the Sisters are given in detail only up to the death of Mother Mary, that is, for the period in which the Sisters were in contact with her. If the date on the report or letter of an individual sister is enclosed in square brackets, it is not the date of the Sister’s report but it is taken from the ‘Witness Confirmation”. There is no date given on some reports. Many sisters have left us several reports. In each case, one of them was chosen for inclusion in its entirety. Whatever was included in the other reports that is special to them and is not a direct repetition has been added to the chosen report in an appropriate place or as a supplement. The insertions are noted. We should also mention that the Sisters’ way of writing has been retained in essence but small adjustments have been made so that the content is readable and understandable. Over time, several sisters had become unaccustomed to using the German language and found difficulty with the formulation. A sister might sometimes use different styles within her various reports. Sometimes, another sister helped with the writing. In order not to disturb the flow of reading, only the most necessary footnotes have been given. Abbreviations have, for the most part, been written out in full. Whatever is enclosed in square brackets has been added to the text, all other texts in brackets are in the original report of the sisters.

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