Maria Theresia Bonzel went against her parents’ wishes and became a nun in 1850. It was not an easy time to be Catholic in Germany, where Maria lived—the recent revolutions of 1848 had dealt a devastating blow to her religious community, and anti-catholicism continued to simmer throughout the country.
But Maria cared deeply for those who were suffering. Her faith taught her that everyone was a child of God, and she felt called to serve those in need. In 1863 she founded the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration. The Sisters initially cared for orphans and neglected children but later expanded their work to include care for the poor, health care, and education. Read More
