Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ
Encyclopedia
The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ is a religious order of Catholic women. The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ American Province has its motherhouse in Donaldson, Indiana
.
Church. They minister with the poor, the sick and children in the United States, Mexico, Germany, England, the Netherlands,
India, Brazil, Kenya and Nigeria. With prayer and community living as their foundation, they minister in rural, urban and inner
city settings in the Midwest. Focused on partnering in the work of the Spirit, they invite others to join them in various facets of
education, pastoral and social work, neighborhood-based health ministries, spiritual guidance and care for the environment. They
are recognized more by the love and simplicity with which they serve than by any particular ministry.
on 16 April 1978.
of the Fort Wayne Diocese who had issued an invitation for them. (In due course Father Koenig remained as 'advisor' with the sisters in their newly established Motherhouse in Fort Wayne. With this position, he established a close working relationship between the sisters and the bishop. He served in this function three consecutive bishops of the Fort Wayne diocese (John Henry Luers
, Joseph Gregory Dwenger
and Joseph Rademacher
) until his death on January 22, 1898.)
Luers himself was of German descent, being born in Muenster/Germany. He had left Germany with his parents when he was a child. He became the first Bishop of Fort Wayne (1848–1871). His diocese extended at the time to the Illinois border including Donaldson, Indiana
.
The Poor Handmaids established a college to train candidates and novices in Donaldson, Indiana in 1937.
Donaldson, Indiana
Donaldson is an unincorporated town in West Township, Marshall County, Indiana....
.
Ministries
The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ is an international congregation of apostolic women religious within the Roman CatholicChurch. They minister with the poor, the sick and children in the United States, Mexico, Germany, England, the Netherlands,
India, Brazil, Kenya and Nigeria. With prayer and community living as their foundation, they minister in rural, urban and inner
city settings in the Midwest. Focused on partnering in the work of the Spirit, they invite others to join them in various facets of
education, pastoral and social work, neighborhood-based health ministries, spiritual guidance and care for the environment. They
are recognized more by the love and simplicity with which they serve than by any particular ministry.
The Foundress: Catherine Kasper
The foundress of the Poor Handmaids is Blessed Catherine Kasper of Dernbach, Germany, who was beatified by Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on 16 April 1978.
The start of the community
The official foundation date of the congregation is 15 August 1851. On this date Katharina Kasper and four other women (Sr. Theresia (Katharina Schoenberger); Sr. Agnes (Elisabeth Haas); Sr. Elisabeth (Anna Maria Mueller); Sr. Klara (Elisabeth Meuser)) took the vows of celibacy, obedience and poverty in front of the Bishop of Limburg, Peter Joseph Blum. Owed to the fact, that Dernbach did not have a church yet, it took place in the nearby village of Wirges. (The exact location, if church or vicarage, is a matter of debate between historians.)The beginnings in the USA
On 8 August 1868 the first eight sisters left Dernbach (Prussia) to sail for the USA from Le Havre de Grace (France). Their names were: Sister (Sr.) Rosa (Blum / She served as their Superior. Due to her presence, the whole endeavour had quite a prominent standing, as she was also the niece of the Bishop of Limburg.), Sr. Eudoxia (Bender), Sr. Hyazintha (Neuroth), Sr. Matrona (Moehring), Sr. Facunda (Wand / other spelling Fakunda), Sr. Bella (Sienoecke), Sr. Henrica (Sienoecke) and Sr. Corona (Jahn). They were chosen out of 200 sisters which had volunteered to serve in the USA. They boarded ship on the 13th and reached New York on 24 August 1868. From there, they took the train to Fort Wayne. From here, they left on the back of a horse drawn cart on to Hessen Kassel. Here they established their first mission on the 'Feast of St. Rose', the 30th August 1868. Their tasks were nursing and schooling and they were introduced to the local community by Father Edward Koenig. He acted on behalf of Bishop John Henry LuersJohn Henry Luers
John Henry Luers was nominated first bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and consecrated in Cincinnati, Ohio, 10 January 1858....
of the Fort Wayne Diocese who had issued an invitation for them. (In due course Father Koenig remained as 'advisor' with the sisters in their newly established Motherhouse in Fort Wayne. With this position, he established a close working relationship between the sisters and the bishop. He served in this function three consecutive bishops of the Fort Wayne diocese (John Henry Luers
John Henry Luers
John Henry Luers was nominated first bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and consecrated in Cincinnati, Ohio, 10 January 1858....
, Joseph Gregory Dwenger
Joseph Gregory Dwenger
Joseph Gregory Dwenger was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Fort Wayne .Dwenger was born near Minster, Ohio, in 1837. Orphaned at an early age, he was educated by the Fathers of the Precious Blood, entered their community, and was ordained priest 4 September 1859...
and Joseph Rademacher
Joseph Rademacher
Joseph "Joe" Rademacher , is a United States Army Staff Sergeant. He and his brother United States Army MAJ Isaac Rademacher, were featured in the award winning documentary Brothers at War that was directed and produced by their elder brother, Jake, along with producer Norman Powell and executive...
) until his death on January 22, 1898.)
Luers himself was of German descent, being born in Muenster/Germany. He had left Germany with his parents when he was a child. He became the first Bishop of Fort Wayne (1848–1871). His diocese extended at the time to the Illinois border including Donaldson, Indiana
Donaldson, Indiana
Donaldson is an unincorporated town in West Township, Marshall County, Indiana....
.
The Poor Handmaids established a college to train candidates and novices in Donaldson, Indiana in 1937.