Saint Maria Katharina Kasper Biography
Saint Maria Katharina Kasper Biography, Feast Day, Date of Birth, Country of Birth, Profession, Place of Work, Date of Death, Place of Death, Beatification Date, Canonization Date |
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| Date of Birth | 26 May 1820 |
|---|---|
| Country of Birth | Germany of Europe |
| Matrimony/Holy Orders | Saints who were Married |
| Profession | Giving to the poor |
| Place of Work | Germany |
| Date of Death | 2 February 1898 |
| Place of Death | Dernbach, Westerwaldkreis, Germany |
| Feast Day | February 2 |
| Beatification | Beatified by Pope Paul VI on 16 April 1978 |
| Canonization | Canonized by Pope Francis on 14 October 2018 |
| Patron Saint of | Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ |
Saint Maria Katharina Kasper Biography
Maria Katharina Kasper was third in a family of four born to Katharina Fassel and Kasper.
She had four other sisters from her Father’s first marriage. Maria being a happy and friendly child was a staunch reader with a lot of interest in the Bible. She was severally hit by health issues a situation which left her away from school. She assisted her parents in the fields and even at times earn more money by breaking stones for road construction.
Maria had an early calling to religion where she could read pilgrimages of other kids to local Marian shrines. Her father died when she was only 21 and her elder brother a year older. This left the family with extreme poverty forcing Maria to stay home selling her weaving for the family sake.
Finally, when her mother died, she felt that it was the time to follow her vocation. She started a small house with assistance from several friends with the approval of the Bishop of Limburg, Germany. The foundation became official in 1845 and later on, they established as the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ on August 15, 1851.
Maria served as superior for 5 consecutive terms where they even opened a school in 1854 which later spread to the Netherlands in 1859. On 9 March 1860, they received a decree from Pope Pius IX. The order continues up to date with 690 sisters in 104 houses in Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, India and the United States.
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