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Missionsschwestern |
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Mother Xaveria Blas, SRA
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Mother Xaveria Blas, SRA (Luise Blas)
Co-Foundress Mother Xaveria Blas was born on 20 February 1871, in Duisburg, Rhineland, Germany. In 1894, she came in contact with the missionary Society founded by Fr. A. M. Bodewig in Cologne and joined the group. In 1895, along with Fr. Bodewig and other members, she came to Mariaveld, Belgium. Later on, she was sent to Rome to head the community and to take charge of the hospital run by the Sisters in preparation for the Indian' mission, In all the ordeals and sufferings of Fr. Bodewig, she stood firmly by him and supported him In the years of negotiations with the Holy See, the young Sister Xaveria acted as a valiant woman. She encouraged the Sisters to remain faithful to their vocation. In obtaining the permission for an audience with the Holy Father as well as in handing over the petitions to get permission for the reestablishment of the missionary society founded by Fr. Bodewig, she played an important role. The correspondence she had in those years with Fr. Bodewig and later on with Bro. Paul Sonntag bear witness to her active participation in establishing our present Congregation. In 1915, when Fr. Bodewig had gone to Rome with the hope of meeting the Holy Father, it was Sr. Xaveria along with Mother Theresia who had accompanied him. Alas! A day after his arrival on the eve of the cherished audience, Fr. Bodewig died. Even after his death she and her companions remained firm in their decision to dedicate their lives for India. During the First World War, Sr. Xaveria and her fellow Sisters offered to work as nurses in various military hospitals and camps set up, for the wounded in Germany. At the close of the war, she joined the Zanana Mission Association, which opened its first house in Germany at St. Blasien in the Black Forest. It was called "Bethany Home". The Sisters cared for the sick and convalescent priests. Sr. Xaveria was appointed as the Superior of this community. When the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of "Queen of Apostles" was canonically erected in Vienna, Sr. Xaveria joined the first group of Sisters to undergo her canonical noviciate in Vienna. After her first commitment at the age 54, on 6 January 1925, she became the Superior of the community working in the hospital of "Brothers of Mercy" in Vienna. Later on, she was appointed Superior of the Sisters working in "Goldenes Kreuz" hospital. When the Congregation in 1928 acquired the present Mother House, Sr. Xaveria was appointed Superior General, at first on a temporary basis. After her final vows in 1931, this appointment was confirmed. Mother Xaveria took care to preserve and to transmit the original idea of Fr. Bodewig. During her term of office as Superior General, she put in great effort to revise the Constitutions. Mother Xaveria deserves the name Co-Foundress and from, the beginning she was considered so. Mother Xaveria was a woman of prayer. She spent many hours in a day in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Thus she eamed her great love for Christ and her burning desire to bring people closer to him. It was she who entered into negotiations with Dr. Angelo Poli, the Bishop of Allahabad, to start the mission in his diocese, in the hope of finally settling down at Benares. At that time Benares belonged to the diocese of Allahabad. When she visited India in 1935, the Congregation already had two Institutions in India, one in Benares and another one at Theresapur. She remained six months in India and guided the Sisters by teaching them the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. She held the office of Superior General up to 1952. In the later years, when she became infirm, she was greatly assisted by her dynamic Vicar General, Mother Antonia, who succeeded her as the second Superior General. Mother Xaveria spent her last years in St. Joseph's House, Hallenberg, where she died on 10 January 1957. |
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