Karolina Gerhardinger was a 19th-century German religious sister and educator who established the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Born in Bavaria in 1797, she dedicated her life to providing free education to impoverished children. After training as a teacher in Regensburg, she founded her own religious order in 1833, which eventually expanded across Europe and to the United States. Known in religion as Mother Maria Theresia of Jesus, she lived a life of service that left a lasting impact on Catholic educational missions.
Life and work
After the closure of her initial monastic training site due to Napoleonic occupation, Gerhardinger worked as a certified teacher in Regensburg. Following a new agreement between the Bavarian government and the Holy See, she founded the Poor Teachers Sisters of Notre Dame in 1833. This community, which later received full papal approval, focused on educating the poor. She also helped expand the order's reach by traveling to the United States to support German immigrants.
Veneration
The process for her beatification began in the early 20th century. After being named a Servant of God by Pope Pius XII, she was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1983. Following the validation of a miracle, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 17 November 1985. She is commemorated in the Catholic Church on 9 May.