Maria Paula Emunds

Sister Maria Paula Emunds (born January 8, 1865 in Schleiden (Aldenhoven) ; † May 21, 1948 in Aarle-Rixtel ) was the co-founder and first superior general of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood .

Growing up in a large farming family in the village of Schleiden near Jülich , Josephine (that's her maiden name) Emunds decided in 1886, after working in a restaurant and in the household of an architect in Aachen , to go to Africa to do the Support the work of the Trappist Franz Pfanner .

Pfanner had founded the Mariannhill Trappist monastery in South Africa and was now looking for female employees for his missionary work. During the time when Josephine Emunds came to Africa, women were allowed to take private vows for the first time. This was the first step towards a religious community.

In addition, Pfanner set up a novitiate for the first time during this time. Due to conflicts with the novitiate leader, who originally belonged to another order, Pfanner decided to appoint the novice Paula Emunds as novice master.

When, in the course of time, conflicts arose between the contemplative Trappists and the missionary-active concept of Pfanners, Pfanner was deposed as Abbot of Mariannhill. The new management is now endeavoring to bring the Mariannhiller Missionary Sisters closer to the Trappists, which Paula Emunds opposes.

She continued these endeavors, in which she was supported by Pfanner, when she became the first general superior of the Missionary Sisters in 1907. She also finds support from Pope Pius X.

When the Mariannhiller Missionaries emerged as a new religious order in 1910 , which is now independent from the Trappists, Mother Paula also promoted the autonomy of the Missionaries from the Mariannhill Missionaries. She achieved this independence of the order of sisters in 1929.

In 1931 she abdicated as Superior General and withdrew to the monasteries of the Missionary Sisters in the Netherlands and Germany, while she had worked as Superior General of Africa and from the mother house of the order in Aarle-Rixtel, the Netherlands. She died in the motherhouse of complications from pneumonia and a stroke on May 21, 1948.

literature

• "Mother M. Paula Emunds", summary of the work of Sister Annette Buschgerd, Missionary Sister of the Precious Blood, Neuenbeken 2006

Web links

• Entry to Maria Paula Emunds on Orden online