Sisters of the Divine Will
The Sisters of the Divine Will ( Latin : Congregatio Sororum a Divina Voluntate , Italian : Suore della Divina Volontà , order abbreviation : SDV ) are a congregation under papal law in the Roman Catholic Church . The religious community was founded in Bassano del Grappa ( Italy ) in 1865 by the blessed Gaetana Sterni (1827-1889).
history
The young Gaetana Sterni entered the Canossian Order at the age of twenty , but had to leave it to care for her sick mother. At the age of 26, "in order to fulfill the divine will", they took over care work in a home for beggars and the homeless in Bassano . She later became the director of this home and led a life according to the evangelical counsels of the world. When she and two other sisters had taken vows , the work of the "Daughters of the Divine Will" (it .: Figlie della Divina Volontà) began in 1865.
Under this name, the community of sisters was recognized on May 19, 1875 by the Blessed Giovanni Antonio Farina , Bishop of Vicenza , under episcopal law and the first rule of the order was established. The papal approbation was granted by Pope Pius XI. on July 10, 1934, at the same time the congregation called themselves Sisters of the Divine Will (it .: Suore della Divina Volontà ).
Apostolic mission
The sisters take care of the needy and the poorest. You look after them at home and give them charitable and financial support. The sisters live in small communities and are active in the pastoral work of the respective local church.
The Congregation in Germany
Until 1960, the nuns were mainly active in the areas of Veneto and Friuli . With the arrival of the first Italian families in Germany, the Congregation, together with the Fathers of the Congregatio Scalabriniana , began their work in Germany to support the migrants in their new surroundings and to provide pastoral care. The following branches exist in Germany: Cologne since 1961, Essen from 1962 to 1987, Wuppertal since 1971, Gelsenkirchen from 1973 to 1980, Stuttgart since 1977 and Wolfsburg since 1987.
organization
The Congregation is presided over by a General Superior , the seat of the General House is in Bassano del Grappa. The religious community is divided into religious provinces and regional branches. There are religious institutions since 1962 in Brazil , 1978 in Ecuador , 1989 in Cameroon , 1992 in Albania and since 1997 in Colombia . In 2005 the congregation had 311 members and served a total of 54 institutions.