Henrika Fassbender

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Henrika Katharina Faßbender (* in Aachen ; † December 6, 1875 in the Thames estuary ) and her companions were Christian martyrs.

live and die

Henrika Faßbender was a member of the congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Salzkotten . She was sent on a mission to the United States , St. Louis , Missouri . Together with other nuns - Brigitta Dammhorst from Mastholte near Wiedenbrück in Westphalia, Norberta Reinkober from Steindorf in Upper Silesia, Aurea Badziura from Nengarten in Upper Silesia and Barbara Hüllenenschmid from Deleke in Westphalia - she started the crossing on the steamer Germany . This got into distress and sank. The nuns were offered a place in one of the lifeboats. Henrika Faßbender and her fellow sisters waived this in favor of mothers with children. Instead, they stayed on board the ship and prayed for their fellow travelers.

The body of one of the sisters could never be recovered. The others were buried in Stratford, England by Cardinal Henry Edward Manning . The burial took place on December 13, 1875 with great sympathy from the population.

Afterlife

The incident inspired the British poet and Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins to write his poem The Wreck of the "Germany" .

canonization

The charity and selflessness with which Henrika Faßbender and her companions faced certain death led to their canonization . Her feast day is December 6th.

literature

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Stefan Meetschen : Lives in distress at sea. On the day of remembrance of St. Henrika Fassbender and companions on December 6, 2012 . In: Die Tagespost, December 6, 2012, p. 7.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Fassbender, Henrika
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Faßbender, Henrika Katharina (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Franciscan, saint
DATE OF BIRTH 19th century
PLACE OF BIRTH Aachen
DATE OF DEATH December 6, 1875
Place of death Thames estuary