CHAPTER FOUR
Founding of Marian Institutes in Troppau, Brunn and Budapest.
On October 9, 1870 Director Father Steiner brought Mother Franziska a letter from Mr. Benda in Troppau in which he asked if and to what degree the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Charity is involved in the foundation of a Marian Institute in Troppau, if they had given a commission to do so to a certain Scholastica Vladar. She had come to him with the request for help in founding such an institute. The person mentioned had been taken on by Mother Franziska as a collector but after a few months had to be dismissed as incapable of this work. Thereafter she traveled to Troppau, began to collect alms for the establishment of a Marian Institute and rented a ground floor, three-room apartment in Poppen Street. Then she took in three servant girls, two of whom were to be her assistants and the third, novice directress. It was apparent from all this that Vladar wanted to imitate Mother Franziska although she lacked the necessary ability to do so. She soon recognized this herself and therefore had already written a number of times to Mother Franziska who was unable, however, to decipher the letters. As Mother Franziska heard of this situation it became clear to her that she would have to bring a halt to the events if the reputation of the young Congregation was not to be endangered and so she set out that same evening with Sister Aloisia Argauer for Troppau. After Mother Franziska consulted, with the Superior of the Order of German Sisters[1] and the honorable Mr. Benda she called Scholastica Vladar to herself. She was very happy that Mother Franziska had come because the three co-workers in her project had already retreated in the meantime and she had no idea what to do with the dream foundation already begun. She repeatedly asked for forgiveness and said she did not, anyhow, want to begin it for herself, but only for the sisters. “Everything begun by God, I nothing at all, everything by God!” she added in her broken German with Bohemian pronunciation. And truly it was permitted by God, since this insignificant beginning was the basis of the Marian Institute now working with such rich blessing in Troppau, where so many poor servant girls have already found free board, instruction and job placement, so many orphans and other pupils have received education and culture. Mother Franziska believed she saw here the finger of God and, in her zeal for His glory, her decision was soon made. She went to the State Government and to the mayor, explained everything, and these gentlemen asked her to take things firmly in hand and also did not fail to assure her of the necessary support. That same day Mother Franziska took possession of the apartment Scholastica had rented, left Sister Aloisia in Troppau and returned to Vienna. Having arrived, she sent Sister Bernardine Wank to the new post and the two Sisters, in the direst poverty, began their work. This was at first still small, of course, because the apartment had space for only a few servant girls and, for a time, Scholastica was also allowed to remain. Soon two more Sisters came from Vienna and now, because of the many girls who applied for admission, the little apartment was no longer sufficient, a larger one was rented at the so-called “kiosk” until it was possible for Mother Franziska to acquire a house of its own for the “Marian Institute”.
By November 1870 the young Congregation was again to receive another branch. Sister Luzia Benda, Mother Franziska‘s first co-worker told of the many requests she received during a soliciting trip in Brunn, that a Marian Institute should be established there also. Mother Franziska’s zeal was immediately enkindled for the new foundation and with her characteristic decisiveness she soon traveled to Brunn, to see if there was the possibility to fulfill the stated wishes. She was inspired by the principle of following every call of God immediately and wherever He wished, in order to work for His honor. Mother Franzjska consulted with the Reverend Bishop Nottig, the Mayor von Elvert, and the Chief of Police; Everywhere she was met with friendliness and encouragement for the foundation of a Marian Institute and assurances of protection. Now Mother Franziska was without all doubt that these things were the will of God. The Prelate Kaliwoda in the Benedictine Abbey at Raigern near Brunn, who had already helped the Sisters very much during the collections, now also took a great part in the foundation. He ordered his bookkeeper, Mr. Gerstner, to look for a suitable house and offered Mother Franziska an apartment for the Sisters in a house belonging to the Abbey in Petersberg near Brunn until she could purchase one. Mr. Gerstner soon found a fitting house with a nice, large garden in Neugasse 24. This belonged to the wife of a textile craftsman, Mrs. Marie Waniek. Mother Franziska walking around Brunn for this reason for four days, looked at many houses, but she found none more suitable for the purposes of the Congregation than the house mentioned above; also nowhere were the payment conditions arranged more practically, so she did not hesitate longer with the decision to buy. On December 16, Mother Franziska traveled for the second time to Brunn, this time accompanied by Sister Stanislai Fuss, the Superior designated for the new foundation, and Mr. Lang to finally close the sale of the house. The price was set at 20,000 florins though Mother Franziska could pay only 1,500 florins as down payment of which the greater part, 1,200 florins, was loaned by Mr. Lang, and in the final hours, Sister Luzia went collecting to some families to obtain the sum of 300 florins which was still missing. On March 1, 1871, the Sisters were able to move into a room, a bathroom and a kitchen in the purchased house; and, trusting in God’s help, they began the renovation of the house. Until this was completed, the ten sisters really crowded into the small apartment, had much discomfort to endure. Usually during the day they went collecting for contributions for the foundation. At this time Mother Franziska was sick in bed in Vienna, but the concern for the new foundations did not let her rest and she traveled again to Brunn just as soon as she had recovered just a little. This was on March 7. Of course, because of her weakened condition this trip brought her great discomfort but she paid it little attention and thought only about the necessity of her presence in Brunn because of the construction. On May 1 it was already possible to hold the solemn dedication which was attended by His Excellency the Governor, Earl Thun, many high officials and ladies of the aristocracy. Because of the Solemn High Mass in the St. Thomas Parish Church followed by a procession of priests, sisters and guests to the Marian Institute, a large crowd of people had gathered and fifteen guards had to maintain order. Mother Franziska wanted to give each of them a gulden but she had no money and had to borrow the sum from Director Steiner and the Lang brothers who had both come for the dedication in Brunn. In this way also this foundation began in the greatest poverty. On the day of the dedication there were already thirteen servant girls in the institute and the Sisters soon had a richly blessed field of activity. Later here, as in Troppau, a section for orphans and other pupils was also erected.
Almost at the same time of the foundation in Brunn, Mother Franziska had begun erecting another Marian Institute, this in the capital of Hungary. She judged correctly that such institutes were needed especially in capital cities. On January 25, 1871 she traveled with Sister Augustina d’Armaille to Budapest to find out if the establishment of a Marian Institute were possible there, and, in case of the affirmative, to begin immediately with the steps to acquire a house. Mother Franziska and her companion were complete strangers in Budapest and knew no one, thus making this foundation doubly difficult. They lived fourteen days in the Hotel Tieger and looked in the meanwhile for a suitable house. During this time they had to live very frugally because their small sum of money allowed them to have only one meal a day, and that was usually mutton as the cheapest food available. After a long search they finally found the house belonging to Mr. Joppich on Soroksarergasse 36 which seemed suitable for the foundation. Even though without funds, Mother Franziska, trusting in God’s help, closed the deal for purchase of the house on January 28 for 58,500 florins. Naturally, as she herself often said, this morning was a frightening one for her in this position. Since no apartment in the newly purchased house would be available soon, Mother Franziska went in search of one and found it at Waaggasse 5 on the third floor. She immediately sent for four Sisters from Vienna who collected funds for the Marian Institute to be erected in Budapest because the other branches as well as the Mother House in Vienna needed her presence. She had to go here and then there, and since her time was too short, she used the nights for travel in order to have the day for work.
On May I the Sisters in Budapest could move into a small apartment in their own house and the renovations began immediately. These, with furnishings, cost 12,400 florins and Mother Franziska had to send all the sisters that could in any way be spared in the houses soliciting to meet all the obligations entered upon for the new foundations. In these difficult times she herself collected contributions among the nobility in Budapest and shared in the privations of the sisters there. These, because they still had no kitchen, had to use an ironing stove for cooking, but, because of the collecting and the work in the house they had only very little time anyway for kitchen concerns. On July 2, 1871 the Marian Institute in Budapest was dedicated and opened. The City Supervisor Thaiss and Mayor Gempi and many other high officials and also Director Steiner and Mr. Lang from Vienna were present. During this celebration there were again various financial embarrassments for Mother Franziska in which, however, God helped her in noteworthy ways. After Mass the guests were to receive a breakfast, but the poor sisters were not able to buy the needed baked goods until some benefactors had placed some offerings in the box under the crucifix in the hallway. Through God’s providence they gave so much that not only the baked goods, but also the guards needed to maintain order, were paid for. But now there remained the payment for the carriage that had brought the Abbot Rath who had presided at the dedication, and Mother Franziska had nothing left. Just at the right moment Canon Pribek, later Auxiliary Bishop of Vesprem, approached her and gave her a gift of two ducats. So there was help for this embarrassment. However, in the evening, when Mother Franziska wanted to go back to Vienna, she again had nothing and Mr. Lang had to help her again by lending her the fare. She and her companions had to endure a fright on this trip because near Neuhause their train almost collided with another one. This misfortune was prevented in time by God’s special protection.
Now the beginning of a third branch of the Congregation which was to become one of its largest institutes was made. Today, besides the busy section for servant girls, there is in the Budapest house also a boarding school, a section for orphans, an eight-grade elementary school, the last also for day students, a vocational school and a kindergarten. Some one who reads about the quick erection of this and also the other branch foundations of Mother Franziska might begin to think that she entered hastily upon such widespread and difficult-to-fulfill obligations. This was absolutely not so. Her quick, almost, so to speak, masculine, decisiveness was not hasty, but rather she always consulted God in intimate prayer before she began a new work and seriously weighed the reasons for and against. When she then, however, recognized something as the will of God, there was no hesitation and no more turning back and no matter what difficulties rose in opposition, she pressed on to the goal ahead. “All for God, for the poor and for our Congregation!” was the key which she later designated as the motto of the Congregation. As a matter of fact, even people who wished the Congregation well sometimes reproached Mother Franziska that she founded her institutes too quickly and thoughtlessly one after the other and thereby put too great a burden upon the Congregation. When she mentioned this she usually said, “I am doing it, after all, for the glory of God and for the poor; I cannot believe that this is wrong and that our loving God will punish me for that which is done for His glory!” She also liked to say, “Our loving God will surely help us to fulfill our obligations; He knows, after all, what we need and already holds the means in his hand. If He withdraws it, it is only we, with our limited trust who are to blame!” Love for God and neighbor, paired with a rock-like trust in God, was the motive of all her actions and the loving God showed with notable blessing how pleasing to Him her striving and working were.
By November 1870 the young Congregation was again to receive another branch. Sister Luzia Benda, Mother Franziska‘s first co-worker told of the many requests she received during a soliciting trip in Brunn, that a Marian Institute should be established there also. Mother Franziska’s zeal was immediately enkindled for the new foundation and with her characteristic decisiveness she soon traveled to Brunn, to see if there was the possibility to fulfill the stated wishes. She was inspired by the principle of following every call of God immediately and wherever He wished, in order to work for His honor. Mother Franzjska consulted with the Reverend Bishop Nottig, the Mayor von Elvert, and the Chief of Police; Everywhere she was met with friendliness and encouragement for the foundation of a Marian Institute and assurances of protection. Now Mother Franziska was without all doubt that these things were the will of God. The Prelate Kaliwoda in the Benedictine Abbey at Raigern near Brunn, who had already helped the Sisters very much during the collections, now also took a great part in the foundation. He ordered his bookkeeper, Mr. Gerstner, to look for a suitable house and offered Mother Franziska an apartment for the Sisters in a house belonging to the Abbey in Petersberg near Brunn until she could purchase one. Mr. Gerstner soon found a fitting house with a nice, large garden in Neugasse 24. This belonged to the wife of a textile craftsman, Mrs. Marie Waniek. Mother Franziska walking around Brunn for this reason for four days, looked at many houses, but she found none more suitable for the purposes of the Congregation than the house mentioned above; also nowhere were the payment conditions arranged more practically, so she did not hesitate longer with the decision to buy. On December 16, Mother Franziska traveled for the second time to Brunn, this time accompanied by Sister Stanislai Fuss, the Superior designated for the new foundation, and Mr. Lang to finally close the sale of the house. The price was set at 20,000 florins though Mother Franziska could pay only 1,500 florins as down payment of which the greater part, 1,200 florins, was loaned by Mr. Lang, and in the final hours, Sister Luzia went collecting to some families to obtain the sum of 300 florins which was still missing. On March 1, 1871, the Sisters were able to move into a room, a bathroom and a kitchen in the purchased house; and, trusting in God’s help, they began the renovation of the house. Until this was completed, the ten sisters really crowded into the small apartment, had much discomfort to endure. Usually during the day they went collecting for contributions for the foundation. At this time Mother Franziska was sick in bed in Vienna, but the concern for the new foundations did not let her rest and she traveled again to Brunn just as soon as she had recovered just a little. This was on March 7. Of course, because of her weakened condition this trip brought her great discomfort but she paid it little attention and thought only about the necessity of her presence in Brunn because of the construction. On May 1 it was already possible to hold the solemn dedication which was attended by His Excellency the Governor, Earl Thun, many high officials and ladies of the aristocracy. Because of the Solemn High Mass in the St. Thomas Parish Church followed by a procession of priests, sisters and guests to the Marian Institute, a large crowd of people had gathered and fifteen guards had to maintain order. Mother Franziska wanted to give each of them a gulden but she had no money and had to borrow the sum from Director Steiner and the Lang brothers who had both come for the dedication in Brunn. In this way also this foundation began in the greatest poverty. On the day of the dedication there were already thirteen servant girls in the institute and the Sisters soon had a richly blessed field of activity. Later here, as in Troppau, a section for orphans and other pupils was also erected.
Almost at the same time of the foundation in Brunn, Mother Franziska had begun erecting another Marian Institute, this in the capital of Hungary. She judged correctly that such institutes were needed especially in capital cities. On January 25, 1871 she traveled with Sister Augustina d’Armaille to Budapest to find out if the establishment of a Marian Institute were possible there, and, in case of the affirmative, to begin immediately with the steps to acquire a house. Mother Franziska and her companion were complete strangers in Budapest and knew no one, thus making this foundation doubly difficult. They lived fourteen days in the Hotel Tieger and looked in the meanwhile for a suitable house. During this time they had to live very frugally because their small sum of money allowed them to have only one meal a day, and that was usually mutton as the cheapest food available. After a long search they finally found the house belonging to Mr. Joppich on Soroksarergasse 36 which seemed suitable for the foundation. Even though without funds, Mother Franziska, trusting in God’s help, closed the deal for purchase of the house on January 28 for 58,500 florins. Naturally, as she herself often said, this morning was a frightening one for her in this position. Since no apartment in the newly purchased house would be available soon, Mother Franziska went in search of one and found it at Waaggasse 5 on the third floor. She immediately sent for four Sisters from Vienna who collected funds for the Marian Institute to be erected in Budapest because the other branches as well as the Mother House in Vienna needed her presence. She had to go here and then there, and since her time was too short, she used the nights for travel in order to have the day for work.
On May I the Sisters in Budapest could move into a small apartment in their own house and the renovations began immediately. These, with furnishings, cost 12,400 florins and Mother Franziska had to send all the sisters that could in any way be spared in the houses soliciting to meet all the obligations entered upon for the new foundations. In these difficult times she herself collected contributions among the nobility in Budapest and shared in the privations of the sisters there. These, because they still had no kitchen, had to use an ironing stove for cooking, but, because of the collecting and the work in the house they had only very little time anyway for kitchen concerns. On July 2, 1871 the Marian Institute in Budapest was dedicated and opened. The City Supervisor Thaiss and Mayor Gempi and many other high officials and also Director Steiner and Mr. Lang from Vienna were present. During this celebration there were again various financial embarrassments for Mother Franziska in which, however, God helped her in noteworthy ways. After Mass the guests were to receive a breakfast, but the poor sisters were not able to buy the needed baked goods until some benefactors had placed some offerings in the box under the crucifix in the hallway. Through God’s providence they gave so much that not only the baked goods, but also the guards needed to maintain order, were paid for. But now there remained the payment for the carriage that had brought the Abbot Rath who had presided at the dedication, and Mother Franziska had nothing left. Just at the right moment Canon Pribek, later Auxiliary Bishop of Vesprem, approached her and gave her a gift of two ducats. So there was help for this embarrassment. However, in the evening, when Mother Franziska wanted to go back to Vienna, she again had nothing and Mr. Lang had to help her again by lending her the fare. She and her companions had to endure a fright on this trip because near Neuhause their train almost collided with another one. This misfortune was prevented in time by God’s special protection.
Now the beginning of a third branch of the Congregation which was to become one of its largest institutes was made. Today, besides the busy section for servant girls, there is in the Budapest house also a boarding school, a section for orphans, an eight-grade elementary school, the last also for day students, a vocational school and a kindergarten. Some one who reads about the quick erection of this and also the other branch foundations of Mother Franziska might begin to think that she entered hastily upon such widespread and difficult-to-fulfill obligations. This was absolutely not so. Her quick, almost, so to speak, masculine, decisiveness was not hasty, but rather she always consulted God in intimate prayer before she began a new work and seriously weighed the reasons for and against. When she then, however, recognized something as the will of God, there was no hesitation and no more turning back and no matter what difficulties rose in opposition, she pressed on to the goal ahead. “All for God, for the poor and for our Congregation!” was the key which she later designated as the motto of the Congregation. As a matter of fact, even people who wished the Congregation well sometimes reproached Mother Franziska that she founded her institutes too quickly and thoughtlessly one after the other and thereby put too great a burden upon the Congregation. When she mentioned this she usually said, “I am doing it, after all, for the glory of God and for the poor; I cannot believe that this is wrong and that our loving God will punish me for that which is done for His glory!” She also liked to say, “Our loving God will surely help us to fulfill our obligations; He knows, after all, what we need and already holds the means in his hand. If He withdraws it, it is only we, with our limited trust who are to blame!” Love for God and neighbor, paired with a rock-like trust in God, was the motive of all her actions and the loving God showed with notable blessing how pleasing to Him her striving and working were.
Congratulations on another wonderful blog! This biography is wonderful.
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