Society of Saint Ursula by Anne de Xainctonge

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The Society of Saint Ursula of Anne de Xainctonge ( Compagnie de Sainte-Ursule d'Anne de Xainctonge , Society of Saint Ursula of Anne de Xainctonge ) is a Roman Catholic women's congregation that is primarily devoted to teaching girls to school. It is named after St. Ursula of Cologne and Anne de Xainctonge , who founded the company in 1606 in Dole in Franche-Comté .

Anne de Xainctonge on a painting from the 17th or 18th century in the monastery of St. Ursula in Brig
Saint Ursula on a painting attributed to Franz Bernhard Altenburger in the Church of St. Ursula in Freiburg im Breisgau

founding

It was founded in connection with the Catholic Reform . Many women no longer wanted to lead a pious life, but rather a consecrated life, similar to the members of the older orders. It should be less a vita contemplativa than a vita activa , a life of Christian charity with nursing, caring for the poor and above all teaching for girls and women, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. That was hardly possible in a life in monastic seclusion, and that is why for Anne de Xainctonge, in addition to the education of women, the lack of a closet was a sine qua non . What the Jesuits did for men, they sought for women.

Because seclusion was unheard of in religious women's communities for the time, almost a scandal, she turned to the Ursulines of Avignon . Angela Merici founded their congregation in Brescia in 1535 . The Angela Merici-Ursulines lived partly in seclusion, partly in their families, and Pope Gregory XIII had their religious rule. Authorized in 1582. Anne initially adopted this rule, which came to Avignon via Milan, although she strictly adhered to her conditiones sine quibus non . She pushed her idea through against the will of her parents and against resistance from the church and secular authorities. 1606 their community was the responsible archbishop of Besancon and the Municipality of Dole approved .

Shortly before her death, Anne de Xainctonge wrote her own rule, the Institution de la Compagnie de s, with the help of the Jesuit father Étienne Guyon . Ursule & des Onze Milles Vierges , approved by the Archbishop of Besançon in 1623 and by Pope Innocent X in 1648 . The rule of the Ursulines of Avignon no longer played a role, the main source being rather the statutes of the Jesuits; large parts were even taken over literally. The sisters were “Ursulines mais non mériciennes”. “Elles n'avaient plus d'ursulines que le nom” - “They only had the name in common with the Ursulines” - and the patronage of St. Ursula of Cologne .

Relationship with the "Ursulines"

The independence of Anne de Xainctonge's society from the Angela Merici-Ursulines has at times been questioned by research. In his philosophical dissertation at the University of Geneva in 1938, Hermann Albisser wrote about the Ursulines of Lucerne: “From a historical point of view, the Dôle statute is a continuation of that of Milan. One therefore does not see why ... the written and oral tradition in the Congregation Dôle can be seen in the religious work of Anne de Xainctonge 'une création particulière' - an independent creation. "

Marie-Amélie Le Bourgeois, member of the Anne de Xainctonge Ursulines, summarized the discussion in detail in her theological dissertation published in 2003 at the Institut Catholique de Paris . It proves the independence apart from the history with church authorities. The Swiss apostolic nuncio wrote in 1634: “Cette Compagnie n'a rien conservé de la Compagnie de S te Ursule, sauf le nom.” - “This society <by Anne de Xainctonge> has from the Society of St. Ursula <by Angela Merici> nothing is preserved but the name. ”When Angela Merici was beatified in 1768 , the society refused to participate and declared that Anne de Xainctonge alone was its founder. Pope Clement XII. then wrote: "Ces deux Instituts d'Ursulines et leurs règles sont complètement différents." - "These two Ursuline institutes and their rules are completely different."

The constitutions (see below) of the society formulate: “Pour des raisons historiques favorables à la fondation, cet Institut porte le nom de Compagnie de Sainte-Ursule.” “She called her institute Society of St. Ursula , because this name made the foundation easier in the situation of her time. "

The 2010 edition of the Annuario Pontificio , the Pontifical Yearbook, names 29 Ursuline Institutes. The Compagnia di Sant'Orsola (Compagnie de Sainte-Ursule de Dole) is listed as a separate institute.

Development of society; existing convents today . Some of the founding years differ in the various sources.

Another story

While Anne de Xaintconges was still alive, four subsidiaries were opened in Franche-Comté, namely in 1615 in Vesoul , 1616 in Besançon , 1617 in Arbois and 1618 in Saint-Hippolyte (Doubs) , and in 1619 a branch in Porrentruy , at that time part of the Principality of Basel . After Anne's death in 1634 a house in Pontarlier followed as the daughter of Besançon and a house in Freiburg im Üechtland as the daughter of Porrentruy . From Freiburg im Üechtland a branch was established in Lucerne in 1659 and a branch in Brig in 1661. From Lucerne the sisters came to Freiburg im Breisgau in 1696 and from there to Villingen in 1782 and to Breisach in 1820 .

The French Revolution destroyed the French branches. However, Dole was reopened a little later and a new house was set up in Tours in 1814 . The Swiss branches suffered at the time of the denominationally motivated Sonderbund War in 1847 and later through the culture war in Switzerland . In 1884 a branch was established in Sion from Brig . The branch in Freiburg im Breisgau was dissolved in the course of the Baden Kulturkampf in 1877. The last matron continued to run the school as a private boarding school and in 1923 the sisters were given back all the rights of a congregation.

The superiors of the seven existing houses with a Jesuit priest

present

In 1965 the convents (Houses, French Maisons , English Branches ) of Dole, Freiburg im Üechtland, Brig, Freiburg im Breisgau, Villingen, Tours and Sion merged to form a federation. These convents belong to the Compagnia di Sant'Orsola ( Compagnie de Sainte-Ursule de Dole ) of the Pontifical Yearbook. In the 20th century, numerous branches were added in Belgium, the USA, Africa, India and Romania. In 2009 there were 469 sisters in the Federation.

Constitutions

The currently (as of 2011) valid constitutions from 1985 mainly refer to the Institution de la Compagnie de s. Ursule & des Onze Milles Vierges back. They are printed in a book of 136 pages with aesthetic demands in language and typography . Reference is made to the institution , the Codex Iuris Canonici and documents of the Second Vatican Council .

There are provisions that apply to all seven Houses of the Federation and those that are specific to each House and are primarily administrative. "House" (Maison, Branch) is "an independent institute of consecrated life recognized as such by the Church". The houses of Dole and Tours are under papal law , all other houses in diocesan law .

An introductory section “The Spirit and Purpose of the Society of St. Ursula ”are followed by sections“ Apostolic religious life ”,“ Leadership of society ”,“ Introduction to religious life ”and“ Leaving and discharging ”.

Candidates for admission must be at least twenty years old. A postulate lasting six months to two years is followed by a two-year novitiate . It ends with the first profession . In it the novice consecrates himself “to God in the company of St. Ursula through the vows of virginity, poverty and obedience ”. The vows are initially valid for one year. They are renewed in the five-year juniorate , initially for a second year and then for three years. “In perpetual profession, the sister finally and publicly undertakes to live in the company of St. Ursula by Anne de Xainctonge . Through the vows of virginity, poverty, and obedience, the sister dedicates herself to the Lord forever. ”She is now a full member of society.

Each house is headed by a Superior General and her council. Superior General and Council are elected by the General Chapter of the House. “The Superior General is elected for six years. She is said to have made perpetual profession when she was elected at least eight years ago. ”Every large household within the individual houses has a housewife. She "must have made perpetual profession at least three years ago <and> is elected for three years by the general superior and her council after questioning the household community".

The first two stanzas of the introductory section show the spirit and style of the Constitutions :

   1 Dedicating your life to God
      in the service of the formation of real Christians
      so that the kingdom of Jesus Christ can expand
      to the glory of God the Father:
      this is Anne de Xainctonge's
      only great goal in life.

      In order to achieve this,
      Mother Anna wishes companions who
      want to become
      conformist to Jesus Christ, lead a God-united life
      and immerse themselves in the truths of faith.

      So that society
      remains loyal to its mission in the future
      , Mother Anna sets the basis:

      - the Christian upbringing of girls and women
      - no cloister
      - Ignatian spirituality.

   2 The same Spirit of God
      brings us together today to
      take part in the mission of the Church.

      Like our founder
      , we want to listen carefully to the special task
      of young people and women in today's world.

      We put ourselves in their service:
      above all through education and instruction, in
      order to promote all in the faith
      and to help them to live the gospel.
      We prefer the poor.
      In accordance with the needs of the time,
      we
      also provide this service in caring for the sick and those in need.

      Since our devotion to the apostolate is
      devotion to Jesus Christ,
      the Messenger of the Father,
      our actions must proceed from him
      and find their completion in him;
      yes, our whole life
      should tell of the light of the mystery of Christ.

Web links

Commons : Society of Saint Ursula by Anne de Xainctonge  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

References and comments

  1. ↑ Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3rd edition, Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1993-2001.
  2. ^ Anne Conrad: Between monastery and world. Ursulines and Jesuits in the Catholic reform movement of the 16./17. Century. Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1991, ISBN 3-8053-1249-0 .
  3. ^ A b Marie-Amélie Le Bourgeois: Les Ursulines d'Anne de Xainctonge (1606). Publications de l'Université de Saint-Etienne 2003, ISBN 2-86272-265-0 .
  4. ^ Marie-Amélie Le Bourgeois: Les Ursulines d'Anne de Xainctonge (1606). Publications de l'Université de Saint-Ètienne 2003, pp. 212-213 ISBN 2-86272-265-0
  5. ^ Hermann Albisser: The Ursulines in Lucerne. Buchdruckerei Paul von Matt & Cie., Stans, p. 253
  6. ^ Marie-Amélie Le Bourgeois: Les Ursulines d'Anne de Xainctonge (1606). Publications de l'Université de Saint-Ètienne 2003, p. 214 ISBN 2-86272-265-0
  7. ^ Marie-Amélie Le Bourgeois: Les Ursulines d'Anne de Xainctonge (1606). Publications de l'Université de Saint-Ètienne 2003, p. 214 ISBN 2-86272-265-0
  8. ↑ a b c Society of St. Ursula by Anne de Xainctonge - Constitutions. Private print of the St. Ursula Brig monastery
  9. ↑ Annuario Pontificio 2010, page 1672.
  10. ↑ Most of the founding years are those cited by Marie-Amélie Le Bourgeois (see above); in other sources they can differ by a few years.
  11. ↑ Patrick Braun (Ed.): The Congregations in Switzerland, 16. – 18. Century. In: Helvetica sacra. Department VIII, Volume 1, Helbing & Lichtenhahn, Basel and Frankfurt am Main 1994, ISBN 3-7190-1367-7 .
  12. ↑ Website of the St. Ursula Brig monastery
  13. ↑ Website of the St. Ursula Monastery in Villingen
  14. ^ Website of the Compagnie de Sainte Ursule Tours
  15. ↑ Website of the Sœers de Sainte-Ursule Sitten ( Memento of February 3, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
  16. ^ Wolfgang Hug: 300 years of the Ursulines in Freiburg im Breisgau. In: Freiburg Diocesan Archive. Volume 116, 1996, pp. 123-134.
  17. ↑ The branch in Villingen was closed on July 31, 2015.