Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus
Encyclopedia
The Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus is a Roman Catholic female religious congregation, founded at Aachen
in 1844 for the support and education of poor, orphan, and destitute children, especially girls. It was approved by Pope Pius IX
in 1862 and 1869, and by Pope Leo XIII
in 1881 and 1888.
In 1845 Cardinal Geissel of Cologne
approved the rules and obtained recognition from the Holy See, whilst the Prussian Government also authorized the foundation. An old convent in Jakobstrasse became the first mother-house of the new order. The growth was rapid, and in quick succession houses were opened at Bonn
, Derendorf, Düsseldorf
, Neuss
, Cologne
, Coblenz, Landstuhl
, Luxembourg
, Stolberg
, and Vienna
.
The need to provide funds for the original work of rescue, as well as the entreaties of bishops, led to other activities being undertaken, e.g. high schools for girls, training of domestics, homes for girls in business, modelling of wax figures for statues, and notably church embroidery. For the latter, designs were furnished by Pugin
at the instance of Mrs. Edgar, an English resident of Aachen, and the needle-painting of the sisters became famed throughout Germany and the neighbouring countries.
The house at Burtscheid (Aachen) became, the German secretariate of the society of the Holy Childhood. The influence of the empress delayed the expulsion of the congregation during the Kulturkampf
until 1875, when steps were taken to close the houses in Prussia; but not until 1878
was the mother-house at Aachen transferred to Simpelveld
, a few miles over the Dutch frontier. Franz Bock
supported the Sisters in their new workshop in the Netherlands and it flourished. There Bishop Laurent, who had resigned his see, took up his residence, and remained as counsellor until his death in 1884. The exiles found refuge in Holland, Bavaria, Belgium, Luxemburg, and Austria. In England a house was established in 1876 at Southam
, where an orphanage was immediately opened by the ten exiles who arrived there.
The relaxation of the Falk Laws
enabled the congregation in 1887 to regain many of its convents.
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
in 1844 for the support and education of poor, orphan, and destitute children, especially girls. It was approved by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
in 1862 and 1869, and by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1881 and 1888.
History
Clara Fey, Leocadia Startz, Wilhelmina Istas, and Aloysia Vossen were at school together at Aachen; they were the co-foundresses of the congregation. The home of Clara Fey was a rendezvous for priests and laity for the discussion of religious and social questions. In February, 1837, Clara and some companions rented a house, gathered together some children, fed, clothed, and taught them. Soon the old Dominican convent was secured and, with other houses, opened as schools. After seven years the four foundresses entered upon community life 2 February 1844, under the rule and direction of Clara Fey (born 11 April 1815; died 8 May 1894).In 1845 Cardinal Geissel of Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
approved the rules and obtained recognition from the Holy See, whilst the Prussian Government also authorized the foundation. An old convent in Jakobstrasse became the first mother-house of the new order. The growth was rapid, and in quick succession houses were opened at Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Derendorf, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Neuss
Neuss
Neuss is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf. Neuss is the largest city within the Rhein-Kreis Neuss district and owes its prosperity to its location at the crossing of historic and modern trade routes. It is primarily known...
, Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Coblenz, Landstuhl
Landstuhl
Landstuhl , literally translating as "country-throne", is a municipality of over 9,000 people in southwestern Germany. It is part of the district of Kaiserslautern, in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and is home to the Sickinger Schloss, a small castle. It is situated on the north-western edge...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Stolberg
Stolberg
- Towns in Germany :* Stolberg, Saxony-Anhalt in the district of Sangerhausen in Saxony-Anhalt, seat of the counts of Stolberg* Stolberg in the district of Aachen in North Rhine-Westphalia, part of the Duchy of Jülich until 1794, awarded to Prussia in 1815* Stollberg, in the Erzgebirgskreis in the...
, and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
The need to provide funds for the original work of rescue, as well as the entreaties of bishops, led to other activities being undertaken, e.g. high schools for girls, training of domestics, homes for girls in business, modelling of wax figures for statues, and notably church embroidery. For the latter, designs were furnished by Pugin
Pugin
Pugin most commonly refers to Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin , English architect and designer.Other members of his family include:...
at the instance of Mrs. Edgar, an English resident of Aachen, and the needle-painting of the sisters became famed throughout Germany and the neighbouring countries.
The house at Burtscheid (Aachen) became, the German secretariate of the society of the Holy Childhood. The influence of the empress delayed the expulsion of the congregation during the Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
until 1875, when steps were taken to close the houses in Prussia; but not until 1878
was the mother-house at Aachen transferred to Simpelveld
Simpelveld
Simpelveld is a municipality and a town in the southeastern Netherlands.Simpelveld has a heritage railway station and is the homebase of the South Limburg Railway Compagny ZLSM . On one weekend in October there is a Day out with Thomas from the children's television series Thomas and...
, a few miles over the Dutch frontier. Franz Bock
Franz Johann Joseph Bock
Franz Johann Joseph Bock was a German theologian, archaeologist, and art historian.- Early life :Bock was born in the town of Burtscheid on March 5, 1823. He was the son of Franz Joseph Bock Burtscheider , who was a lifeguard. His mother, Agnes Dotru, died when Bock was a young child...
supported the Sisters in their new workshop in the Netherlands and it flourished. There Bishop Laurent, who had resigned his see, took up his residence, and remained as counsellor until his death in 1884. The exiles found refuge in Holland, Bavaria, Belgium, Luxemburg, and Austria. In England a house was established in 1876 at Southam
Southam
Southam is a small market town in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,509 in the town.The nearest sizeable town to Southam is Leamington Spa, located roughly 7 miles to the west...
, where an orphanage was immediately opened by the ten exiles who arrived there.
The relaxation of the Falk Laws
Falk Laws
The May Laws of 1873 were legislative bills enacted during the Kulturkampf that gave responsibility for the training and appointment of clergy to the state, which resulted in the closing of nearly half of the seminaries in Prussia by 1878...
enabled the congregation in 1887 to regain many of its convents.
Sources
The entry cites:- Pfülf, Mutter Clara Fey Vom Armen Kinde Jesus (Freiburg, 1907);
- Mutter Clara (Simpelveld, 1910);
- Heimbucher, Die Orden und Kongregationen (Paderborn, 1897