Maria Karłowska
Maria Karłowska (born September 4, 1865 in today's Karłowo , then Posen Province , Prussia ; † March 24, 1935 in Pniewite , Poland) was a Roman Catholic religious and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Divine Providence. In the Catholic Church she is venerated as a blessed.
Life
Maria Karłowska was born on September 4, 1865, the eleventh child of Mateusz Karłowska and Eugenia Dembińska, and was baptized that same month. In 1875 she went to her first communion. In 1882, both of her parents died just two months apart. On her own, at the age of less than 18, she took a vow of chastity with the permission of her confessor.
Maria went to Berlin to train as a seamstress. After completing her training, she worked in the tailoring shop of one of her sisters. She started visiting and caring for the elderly and sick in her neighborhood. In November 1892 she met a prostitute on the street. Since that encounter, she decided to help the poor girls and young women to get out of the spiral of crime and moral decline. The government of the time largely left prostitutes to their own devices and only occasionally carried out health checks to curb the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The girls and young women were ostracized by society. Therefore, in the beginning, Maria could only meet with them in backyards and house entrances to help them.
Soon Maria joined several young women who wanted to support her in her work. They were soon able to open a home for women who were willing to repent, and Maria and her fellow campaigners formed a religious community. On September 8, 1896, she founded the Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Divine Providence. The sisters took in girls and young women who wanted to get out of prostitution in their home. They looked after them, gave them education and training, and prepared them for a life of their own in marriage and family.
On June 20, 1902, Maria and other sisters made solemn vows and on April 13, 1909, the community received episcopal recognition. From the foundation until her death she served the community as Superior General with the religious name Mary of the crucified Jesus.
In recognition of her work, Mother Maria Karłowska received the Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 1928. Mother Maria Karłowska died on March 24, 1935 and was buried in the mother house of the community.
The congregation received papal recognition in May 24, 1967 under Pope Paul VI.
beatification
The process of beatification began in 1965 and was completed in 1982 at the diocesan level. The positio was given to the Congregation for the Canonizations in 1991.
In 1995 Pope John Paul II signed the decree on the heroic degree of virtue and gave her the title of Venerable Servant of God. The miracle necessary for beatification was recognized by the same Pope by decree on April 8, 1997.
On June 6, 1997, mother Maria Karłowska was beatified by John Paul II during his trip to Poland in Zakopane.
Remembrance day
Her feast day in the liturgy of the Church is the day of her death, March 24th .
Web links
- Biography of Maria Karłowska on the website of the Congregation (pol.)
- Biography of Maria Karłowska on santiebeati.it (ital.)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Karłowska, Maria |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Karlowska, Maria |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Polish Roman Catholic nun and founder of the order, Blessed |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 4, 1865 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | present-day Karłowo , then the province of Posen , Prussia |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 24, 1935 |
| Place of death | Pniewite , Poland |