Blessed Mary Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger, Founder, Educator, and Innovator
Today, May 9th, we commemorate Blessed Mary Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger (1797 - 1879), founder of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Blessed Mary Theresa was born Caroline Gerhardinger during difficult times to a working class family in Bavaria. Encouraged by her parish priest to become a teacher, she believed strongly that a child's need for love, safety and food were as important as formal education. "Let us never forget the love of Jesus for children, whom he took upon his lap and blessed," she said. At the age of fifteen, she was already a certified teacher at a school for girls near Regensburg. She was a very gifted educator whose enthusiastic and encouraging acceptance of the children soon made her a beloved teacher. Caroline eventially recognized God's call to found a religious community which would remedy the social needs of the time through education. On November 16, 1835, Caroline professed her religious vows and took the name, Mary Theresa of Jes...