CHAPTER VI
Foundation in St. Georgental, Foundations in Toponar and Berzencze.

In September of 1873 two sisters of the Congregation were on a soliciting trip in German Bohemia. When they arrived in St. Georgental the Pastor, Reverend Luttna, told them that a factory owner, Mr. Edward Wolf and his wife, Magdalena, wanted to make a foundation for the good of poor children in order to thank God for the blessing that had come to their businesses. Foreseen for this was a house belonging to Mr. Wolf which should become an institute to care for children and a vocational school, as well as a place for the education of orphans. The Pastor asked the sisters to intercede with Mother Franziska to send sisters to conduct the institute to be established in St. Georgental. Mother Franziska was not against these plans and, after repeated exchanges of letters with the Pastor and Mr. Wolf, she went in the company of Sister Xaveria Egger to St. Georgental on November 27, 1873 to see the house. On this occasion she traveled through the pilgrimage site of Philippsdorf. It was reputed that the Blessed Mother appeared there in 1868 to a sick girl named Magdalena Kali and healed her. During her stay in Philippsdorf Mother Franziska had opportunity to speak with the favored one. In the shrine chapel she recommended all her undertakings and intentions to the Mother of God with great devotion. Since now, as was often the case, she was lacking funds, she placed her purse on the spot where the Blessed Mother had stood during the apparitions and asked her fervently to provide through her intercession the necessary money so that many poor people could be helped. This request did not remain unheard, because, even if Mother Franziska often had to struggle with great money worries, she always received what was absolutely necessary, often in the last minute and in almost mysterious ways. Mother Franziska was completely satisfied with the absolute necessities and often admonished her spiritual daughters to wish for no more than that so that holy poverty would be preserved. She saw this as the protecting wall of the spiritual life and therefore often said, When I die I will constantly ask God that the Congregation remain poor." Money and possessions she saw as mere means to do good. They had no other value for her. Therefore, as soon as she received a larger donation she could think only of how to use it as soon as possible for some good work.
After successfully completing the journey to St. Georgental, Mother Franziska was greeted in a most friendly way at the station by the Pastor and Mrs. Wolf. After viewing the house, Mother Franziska came to an agreement with Mr. Wolf to first renovate it for the intended purpose since it was not in especially good condition. Mr. Wolf was very prepared to have this done. Upon his agreement to this, Mother Franziska, seeing how fervently the inhabitants of St. Georgental desired the opening of the planned institute, promised to send sisters as soon as the building was finished. She also thought that these, by a good education of the children with a firm foundation of instruction in the holy Faith, could limit the influence of the very widespread ‘Old Catholic’ sect in that populous region and so have a beautiful field of apostolic activity. For Mother Franziska, for whom the holy Faith was above everything else and whose greatest wish was to be able to save very many souls, this was the decisive reason for taking over the planned institute, even if various obstacles should present themselves. These did not fail to come, but Mother Franziska overcame them all with her determination’ and so, on July 25, 1874, the bill of sale in which Mr. Wolf gave the house to the Congregation for a nominal fee was signed. Mother Franziska had traveled again to St. Georgental to close this deal. After finishing the business involved in the purchase she went to Leitmeritz, the diocesan seat of St. Georgental to ask the Bishop to accept the Congregation there as well as to obtain permission to have a chapel and to have Holy Mass celebrated in the house at St. Georgental. This good shepherd received Mother Franziska kindly, agreed to her requests and to special protection for the Congregation and gave her and the new undertaking his blessing. Then Mother Franziska traveled on to Prague to obtain the civil permission for the foundation in St. Georgental and was received in a most friendly way by the Governor’s Assistant, von Adar. The request was most satisfactorily granted in a short time. After taking care of her affairs, Mother Franziska passed through Brunn, to their great joy, visiting the sisters there and then back to Vienna. On August 1 she sent the sisters to the new foundation and on the 31st of the same month she traveled there again herself to prepare for the dedication. The renovation was completed and so, after much effort and work, this celebration could be held on September 10. The inhabitants of St. Georgental participated enthusiastically. The day before they decorated the houses with wreaths and lighted the windows at night. After a Pontifical High Mass and moving sermon in the parish church there was a solemn procession to the convent which was dedicated in honor of the Queen of Angels. Thereafter the first Holy Mass was celebrated in the house chapel, at which the sisters received Holy Communion. The celebration concluded with the singing of the TE DEUM. Until evening the house was full of people who were very happy about the foundation by the sisters. As name for this new house Mother Franziska chose the one she had earlier wanted to give the Refuge in Breitenfurt, "Divine Providence". After all, she had great devotion to Divine Providence to which she completely handed over all her undertakings, but the action of Divine Providence was also wonderfully visible in the whole life of Mother Franziska and the success of her endeavors witnessed the truth of the saying: "Who trusts in God builds on sure ground."
On January 19, 1875 Mother Franziska again gave her permission to take over a foundation. Countess Festetics, by birth, Countess Zichy, had opened a Kindergarten and vocational school on her properties in Toponar in Hungary and turned to Mother Franziska to allow sisters to come and conduct the institute. Joyfully she grasped this opportunity to widen the field of the Congregation’s work and promised to send sisters to Toponar in the fall of the same year. On June 28 this was confirmed by contract.
In February of 1875 the Rev. Father Steiner resigned from his position as general director of Congregation. The loss of this deserving man so bound up with her noble work hurt Mother Franziska deeply. To get a substitute she asked the Reverend Monsignor Anton Horny, Cathedral Canon at St. Stephen’s in Vienna, on March 11, to take over this position. He gladly agreed, visited the Marienanstalt for the first time and expressed much praise of its arrangement and accepted on March 21. For many years Monsignor Horny filled this position as a blessing for the Congregation and, after the first approbation of the Constitutions by the Holy See when the post of General Director was dissolved he was appointed Vicar for the Congregation.
At the same time, to Mother Franziska ‘s great joy, the Congregation gained still another friend who, ever since, has worked with restless zeal for its welfare. This is Reverend Monsignor Friedrich Sixt, a priest of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, who on March 15, 1873 took over the catechetical instruction of the pupils in the Vienna Marienanstalt and later, became confessor for the novices and still later for the professed sisters in the Mother House.
On April 20, 1875 Mother Franziska traveled with Sister Xaveria Egger to Paris to arrange some family business for Sister Augustina d’Armaille and at the same time to try to get permission to solicit in the French capitol. Mother Franziska and her companion had to endure much discomfort during the trip, especially suffering hunger and thirst because of the lack of money and they finally arrived in Paris without a cent. If Sister Augustina, who was already there, hadn’t picked them up at the station their situation would have been the worst imaginable. The efforts to obtain permission to solicit were, unfortunately, in vain. In order that the trip would not remain without profit for the Congregation, however, Mother Franziska visited various humanitarian institutes in Paris as well as in Strassburg on the way back, in order to learn how they were run. She was especially interested in the shelters for servants, though none of these met her expectations since none received the girls without charging for room and board, most charging them two Francs a day. This in no way satisfied Mother Franziska’s zealous love of neighbor. As on this trip, so otherwise, Mother Franziska liked to use the opportunities to visit charitable institutions to take what was good and practical to improve her own institutes. In general she used her trips to enrich her knowledge and experience and encouraged her spiritual daughters to do the same. She told these to buy maps and geography books on their collecting trips, to study them thoroughly, to visit the various places of interest, all for the purposes of learning something and to use that which was learned for the good of the Congregation. On such occasions she often said to the sisters, "Don’t travel like empty suitcases!" by which she meant, "thoughtlessly". One is immediately reminded of Mother Franziska’s father, who never allowed little Franzi to ride absentmindedly with him and we see the good fruits of his wisdom.
On the return trip from Paris Mother Franziska stayed one day in the orphanage of the School Sisters in Augsburg. There were her former teacher, Sister Margareta and many other sister acquaintances who had worked earlier in the convent in Munich. The sisters were very happy to see their former promising pupil, now a foundress of a religious Congregation, again, and not less, was the joy of Mother Franziska to be even a short time with her former teachers whom she so revered and of whom she always spoke with such respect.
June 16, 1875, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was a meaningful day for the Congregation as Mother Franziska, in union with the sisters in all the houses, consecrated the Congregation in a solemn way to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Franziska had a truly glowing devotion for this Most Sacred Heart as even the name she gave the Congregation demonstrates. He was the object of her most intimate love. In this Most Sacred Heart she placed all her cares and intentions, in Him she sought counsel and consolation and she believed firmly that a sister who did not honor the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus could not be a true Daughter of Divine Love. She designated the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the main Feast of the Congregation and it is annually celebrated in the most solemn manner.
In August, 1875 Mother Franziska obtained Austrian citizenship. This news was in the Vienna newspapers on the 27th of the month. Following this many people expressed their recognition of the many good things which had already come about through her work. So her noble work attacked at the beginning by enemies from various sides, now, after a few years received general public praise.
September 22, 1875 was again a joyful day for Mother Franziska because of the dedication of the institute honoring the Mother of God under the name "Maria Schutz" (Mary’s protection) founded by Countess Festetics in Toponar and given over to the direction of our sisters. Of course Mother Franziska traveled to Toponar for this. At the conclusion of the celebration the house was presented to the sisters. Unfortunately Mother Franziska became so seriously ill in Toponar that she thought she would not see Vienna again. This led to the great dismay of the sisters, but with God’s help she recovered since the life work given her by the Lord was still a long way from completion.
On November 21, the foundation feast of the Congregation, the Reception and Profession took place as each year, but now for the first time in the solemn way according to the prescribed ecclesiastical ceremonial to the great joy of Mother Franziska and making a moving impression on all those present and participating. The candidates for Reception also wore white dresses for the first time. After the conclusion of the celebration those received were led into the novitiate and those sisters who had pronounced their holy vows were conducted into the professed sisters’ room. In front of the procession were three girls dressed in white, one carrying a palm and the other two with candles. On this day all the sisters received the office books with the imprimatur of the bishop, containing not only the Marian Office to be recited daily but also all the rest of the prayers customary in the Congregation. Previously the sisters had not had all the prayers used daily all together in one book and therefore were very happy about the new books.
Mother Franziska liked strong prayers, composed many of them herself or selected them with great care for the Congregation. She often reminded the sisters of the devotional and punctual recitation of the obligatory prayers and emphasized that these, because done in obedience, had far greater value than self-chosen personal devotions. She also liked to explain the Marian Office to the Sisters. She did this in such simple and yet enthusiastic words that thereafter all prayed with a redoubled zeal. On such occasions she usually let one sister after another read a psalm, asked what this or that verse meant, which psalm or which verse was preferred by the individual and such things. At that time the Office was prayed in German, not yet in Latin as later. Mother Franziska noted her favorite psalms as those which expressed praise to God or called upon creatures to do so, for example, the TE DEUM, the song of Praise of the Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace: "Praise the Lord, all you works of the Lord", etc., the Psalms 148, "Praise the Lord in the Highest Heaven", 149, "Sing a new song unto the Lord", 150, "Praise the Lord in His Holy Ones" among others. She also strictly insisted that prayer in choir be beautiful, in the correct even tempo, and exactly according to the prescribed ceremonial regulations. She did not tolerate a careless attitude at prayer, leaning on one’s arms and so on, neither did she accept an exaggerated piety. Her own piety was simple, without singularity, but deep, and this is what she expected of the sisters, and encouraged them to strive for the same among their charges. As with prayer, so with the rest of the spiritual practices, Mother Franziska placed great value on their exact and punctual performance, feeling rightly that it is here that the sisters must take the spiritual nourishment needed for the exact fulfillment of the obligations of their vocation. She valued meditative prayer very highly and was very careful that this was explained to the candidates and novices so that they could become practiced in it. She often did this herself. In the same way, when it was possible, Mother Franziska herself gave the spiritual reading to the sisters and candidates and in later years, when her time was much taken up by the constantly growing Congregation, she often held a so-called "reading without book". She usually read one or other point of the Holy Rule or a few sentences from a book appropriate for such reading and then began to explain that which had been read. At these times her extraordinary eloquence was a good help. She spoke fluently and easily, analyzed the point at hand with simple, clear words clarified it with examples, usually taken from her own experience, pointed out failures that had come about and showed how these could be avoided in the future. Such a reading said more to the sisters than many of the most beautiful thoughts found in a book, since Mother Franziska knew exactly how to touch the spiritual needs of her daughters and, as the saying goes, "What comes from the heart reaches hearts".
On special occasions, such as in Holy Week Or after times of especially distracting work as, for example, is caused by the renovation of a house, Mother Franziska liked to lead for this or other house or also for the candidates, a three day spiritual renewal or so-called "little retreat". As a foundation for this she used excerpts from the book of Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, which consisted of loose pages, each one containing a meditation. These were not fully written, but gave only single points which the person meditating herself filled in. She jokingly called these pages her "wisdom sheets". She slowly read out the points and then completed them as she let her own thoughts intermingle with them. She did this with such warmth that all who listened felt themselves touched and at the same time became convinced about their spiritual Mother’s familiarity with meditative prayer and the intimate communion she experienced with God therein. In using these she knew, as with the spiritual readings, how to touch the needs of her children. She matched her conference and her words entirely to the meditation. These last were sometimes terrifyingly serious during the meditations about the goal and end of the human person, sin, death, judgment and hell, encouraging in considering the divine mercy, enthusiastic when she spoke of heaven, the call to religious life, working for the glory of God and salvation of neighbor. The sisters liked best to hear the meditation about the sufferings of Christ, since she knew how to present this with such warmth in the most glorious light of the love of the Savior, that no heart could remain untouched. After all, she had a most fervent devotion to the sufferings of the divine Bridegroom. The sisters and candidates always came from these little retreats inflamed with a new zeal and the best resolutions.
On February 15, 1876 during a fall in the hallway in the Mother House Mother Franziska seriously injured a hand and had to wear it in a sling for a long time, though she didn’t allow this accident to greatly interrupt her restless activity and, since she could not work with her hand, her restless spirit worked all the more. The Vienna Marienanstalt had long ago proved to be too small for all the unemployed servant girls and the pupils who were registered for acceptance. At the celebrations for Reception and Profession also, which were always attended by many relatives of the sisters, the lack of space made itself felt and so Mother Franziska thought about enlarging the house through an addition in the garden. Since the poor Congregation had no means for this, she decided to turn to the Emperor, Franz Joseph I, with a respectful petition to assign a sum from the income of the State Welfare Lottery. She requested an audience with His Majesty for this purpose. His Highness graciously received the request and Mother Franziska received 10,000 florins from the lottery for the planned addition. The cost estimate was 19,000, but the beginning was helped and for the rest Mother Franziska hoped in God’s continued help. So on April 3, 1876 she let the preparations begin and the cornerstone for the addition was laid on the 20th of the month. The Reverend Director, Dr. Horny gave the sermon on this occasion on the text: "If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor". The Lord did build the house since Mother Franziska had placed Him in command as Master Builder by offering this up as she did every undertaking and the dedication of the wing could be held as early as September 11, 1876. Through this increased space Mother Franziska could now follow the impulse of her benevolent heart and open the doors of the house to more of the poor.
During the enlargement of the Mother House preparations were being made again to take over a new foundation. The Reverend Pastor Johann Kavulak in Berzencze in Hungary had the intention, using the capital carefully saved over long years, to found an educational institute. Since he had heard of the work of the Daughters of Divine Charity in Budapest, he went there to the superior, Sister Borgia Uri, and offered the Congregation the ownership and direction of the convent he would donate. When Mother Franziska heard of this she sent Sister Borgia to Berzencze on March 2, 1876 to get to know the situation there exactly. She reported to her that the house built by the Pastor would serve the purpose and it seemed to offer a beautiful field of work for the Congregation. Filled with the desire to work for the salvation of youth wherever the Congregation would be offered opportunity to do so, Mother Franziska gave her consent for accepting the institute to the Reverend Pastor Kavulak and sealed this in a contract with him on July 30, 1876. On September 22 she traveled to Berzencze for the dedication of the house which was held on the 24th. This was celebrated by the Most Reverend Auxiliary Bishop of Vesprem and the convent received the beautiful name, "The Divine Friend of Children". So now Mother Franziska had an additional foundation under her direction and this blossomed to her credit and the joy of the worthy pastor, later Monsignor, Kavulak. It contains an elementary school, vocational school and a kindergarten.
Mother Franziska never forgot the spiritual progress of her daughters during the visible development of the Congregation, but rather directed her efforts toward confirming them more and more in their religious life. Therefore, she entertained for a long time the thought of providing some substitute for the candidacy and novitiate that the circumstances of the time had not allowed to those sisters who had entered immediately after the foundation. In October, 1876 her plan was fulfilled in that Mother Franziska called the sisters concerned, twelve in number, together in the Refuge in Breitenfurt and had them begin a so-called Profession Novitiate. This was introduced by a retreat and the sisters had certain exercises to fulfill as novices must do. Mother Franziska spent as much time with them herself and gave them the necessary direction. This novitiate lasted four months and Mother Franziska had the joy of seeing that the sisters involved used this graced time given them very zealously. She would gladly have extended this to an entire year but it was impossible since the Sisters were needed in the various houses and for soliciting. Even so it was a great sacrifice to let them come to Breitenfurt for so long a time, but Mother Franziska wanted to bring this sacrifice because she knew well of the value of the novitiate and that the outwardly most glowing works of the Congregation would have no value and no endurance before God if at the same time there is no work done for the interior perfection and stability of the same. Mother Franziska considered it a holy obligation to provide them with the grace of a novitiate, since it was exactly these sisters who entered first who brought so many and so great sacrifices. Although much has already been told about the early years of the Congregation and the efforts and sacrifices involved, it will still be interesting to hear Mother Franziska’s own words, in the Chronicle of the Congregation in connection with the announcement concerning the Profession Novitiate. These are written down in 1884 as the events of the first years are once again and more thoroughly summarized. She says, "At the foundation of the Congregation during the first years, it was not possible to have a candidacy and novitiate and therefore those accepted could not be sufficiently evaluated. Also we could not be too selective in accepting those who really had enough courage and trust in God to enter a congregation whose continued existence was not yet assured! In this way some slipped in who were not really called and this was demonstrated only later. Therefore, in the early years some had to be dismissed. Those, however, who, filled with the best spirit, were called by God to help in this work, let nothing shake them in their holy vocation. Enough sufferings and persecutions came. Many told the sisters that the Congregation was not viable and would not endure; we had much opposition. The sisters, however, faithfully remained with me. It was a life of love in community. I comforted them by saying that God would surely help us and that our society would certainly become a religious congregation. For me the saying of Gamaliel was a constant comfort, ‘If it is God’s work no one can destroy it, if it is a human work it will fall apart of itself.’ The thought that no enemy could destroy the Congregation if God wanted it to exist strengthened me. I did as much as I could in my poverty to educate the sisters in the spiritual life and the purposes of the Congregation. I saw how concerned the sisters were to ennoble their hearts and spirits. When these arrived home, weary from soliciting, or worn out by some other work of the day, they still zealously studied, with an eagerness for knowledge like good children, catechism, Bible history, church history, geography etc. or also needlework. Spiritual counsels were accepted with joy. I did not have to give any command in a severe way, it was enough if I said, ‘I think this or that should be done or should be this way or that.’ I was very strict but the sisters knew that I loved them. The first sisters who helped with the foundation, tired themselves day and night and undertook the most difficult trips in order to prove themselves useful to the Congregation. How often the rail compartment was our dormitory, how often we wrote the whole night through to make the changes in the Statutes, to write soliciting letters, etc. It was a life of sacrifice and yet we did everything gladly. It was all meant to establish our dear Congregation or to win benefactors for it. All joys and sufferings were shared with the sisters because I knew how fervently they participated in these. In principle I told the first sisters of all events so that these could use these experiences if God would call them to be superiors.
When much bitterness came and I thought I would be crushed by worry and cares, I took my little niece Theresia Rinauer (later Sister Gonzaga), who came to me at age five as an orphan, with me to the chapel so that she could help me pray. How many tears were shed before the tabernacle are known to God alone. At night when I couldn’t sleep because of worry and pain I looked for comfort and help in the chapel. A glance at the crucifix which hangs in the chapel and the Sorrowful Mother strengthened me and then peace and resignation returned to my soul. This crucifix with the Sorrowful Mother was in our family for many years. We always had to say all our prayers before this crucifix, therefore I had it brought here as my dearest treasure.
God gave me from childhood a cheerful disposition. I treasure this as a special grace from the Lord. No matter how the storms blew, no one noticed it from the outside. The good God was visibly with us. We very often did not have even ten ‘Kreuzer’ in the house, but if a payment had to be made, the money also came at the right time. A hundred cases could be cited, all the sisters had an unlimited trust in our holy Father St. Joseph. He was and still is, after the Mother of the Lord, our best intercessor and protector. May this faith and this trust never become dormant among the sisters of the Congregation!"
Thus far we have the simple and yet eloquent words of Mother Franziska which have given us a glance into her noble heart and surely form a worthy conclusion to this chapter.

Mother Franziska Lechner Chapter Five

CHAPTER V

Events during the years from 1871 to 1874 and the founding of the Refuge St. Joseph in Breitenfurt.

In order not to interrupt the narrative, two events which were very painful for Mother Franziska were omitted and must now be recounted. On May 4, 1871 the Protectress of the Congregation, her Royal Highness, Archduchess Maria Annunciata who had been a protectress of the young community in the truest sense of the word, passed away. For the community and especially for Mother Franziska this was a hard blow; She and the sisters took turns during three days and three nights holding vigil at the wake. On the 29th of the same month Mother Franziska received a new hurt in the death of Sister Luzia Benda, who was her first spiritual daughter and co-worker in the founding of the Congregation, leaving it now to go into eternity. Unfortunately Mother Franziska did not have the consolation to see her before her death because Sister Luzia caught an inflammation of the brain as a result of overexertion during a collecting trip in Bohemia and was no longer able to be brought home. She died in Prague with the Elizabethans and was also buried there. Everywhere she went collecting, but especially in Moravia and Hungary, Sister Luzia was much loved and when, without the initiative of the Congregation, her death was announced in various newspapers many priests said Masses for her.

Since the Congregation had lost its protectress so soon, Mother Franziska thought of requesting the Empress Elizabeth to deign to overtake the protectorate. Therefore she requested an audience with her Royal Highness the Archduchess Sophie, the Mother of His Majesty the Emperor, Franz Joseph I, to ask her intercession with Her Majesty. The great lady granted the request. Her Imperial Majesty spoke with Mother Franziska as with a friend and told her much about the Bavarian royal family and about the sad death of her son, Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. This respectful condescension was a great encouragement and special consolation for Mother Franz iska.

On July 22, 1871 she had the grace of an audience with His Majesty, Emperor Franz Joseph I and requested a tax exemption for the Vienna MARIENANSTALT. His Majesty deigned to receive this request respectfully and expressed interest in the Congregation. At this opportunity Mother Franziska also told how the Congregation had been orphaned through the death of the Archduchess Maria Annunciata and she and the sisters had the joyful hope that Her Majesty the Empress Elizabeth would deign to take over the protectorate herself. His majesty mentioned then that he would be very happy if Her Majesty would agree because the Congregation does so much good for his people and works in a truly charitable way. He also would be very ready to help wherever he could. Mother Franziska left the audience hall very happy about this graciousness and respect. The request she made was granted promptly because His Majesty had deigned to affix his signature to it. The day after the audience Mother Franziska sent two sisters to collect in Ischl in upper Austria and told them to request an audience with Her Majesty, the Empress Elizabeth who was staying there. The next day at 10 o’clock Mother Franziska received a telegram from the sisters saying that Her Majesty had deigned to receive them and at the same time had agreed to take over the protectorate. This was a great joy for herself and her spiritual daughters and at the same time an encouragement which they really needed at that time. July 28, 29, and 30 had been very bitter days for Mother Franziska and the Congregation. Because of a loan against the Marian Institute, made to meet the obligations which became urgent in taking over the house in Budapest, something had to be changed in the Statutes of the Congregation and Mother Franziska had to go from one official to the other, to the governor, the police, to district and even the state judges with the most urgent requests in order to see this matter quickly and successfully taken care of. While she was received in a friendly way everywhere, one official was very tactless and rude and had only spiteful words for her presentation and requests. Mother Franziska was all the more sensitive to this since she had received several worrisome telegrams from Budapest saying that the former owner of the house would wait not one day longer for payment. In all this she did not lose her trust in God and was rewarded after these difficult days by having the loan come through successfully on August 2. A false alarm which brought two fire trucks to the Marienanstalt added to the excitement of these days.

On August 20 Mother Franziska traveled with Sister Borgia Uri, her subsequent second General Assistant, to Wildbad-Gastein to solicit alms. In Hallein their travel funds ran out, however, and they had to ask a coachman who was going with an empty coach to Werfen to take them along free. He had compassion and did as they asked. From there another kind man let them ride along in his wagon with him as far as St. Johann. Now, however, Mother Franziska and her companion, who had been riding all night and not eaten anything in a long time, could go no farther because of weakness. But the Dean of St. Johann received them kindly and after they had recovered somewhat they solicited in that place the next day and were so blessed by God that they had gathered the necessary fare and could continue on to Wildbad-Gastein. His Majesty, the German Emperor, Wilhelm I was staying there and gave Mother Franziska 100 florins. All the men of the court also gave donations and the collection went well also in other respects. On August 27 she returned to Vienna and in spite of the difficulties that the trip had entailed, was happy to again have something with which to cover the many payments. Naturally, compared to the many obligations that had to be fulfilled it was only a drop in the ocean and Mother Franziska soon had to suffer money worries again. On September 1 a payment of 5,000 florins for the house in Brunn came due, but in spite of every effort, by August 30 only the sum of 3,800 florins could be gotten together. The former owner had explained that she absolutely had to have the money by September 1 because she wanted to take a long trip and wanted to buy a house before she left. Good advice was here expensive. Mother Franziska sent Sister Borgia on a trip to Brunn, to give the 3,800 florins to Mrs. Waniek and to ask her for a postponement. Just before Sister Borgia wanted to leave on August 30, however, came the news that Mrs. Waniek had died suddenly. So the difficulty was taken care of, naturally in a way that the sisters neither expected nor desired.

In spite of the fact that Mother Franziska had so many worries with payments, she still had to think about getting a house for the foundation in Troppau in order not to have any obstacles in the way of its flourishing. There the sisters were still living in the rented apartment and because of the lack of space had to turn away many of the servant girls who applied for admission. A house across from the parish church on Pechring in a quiet spot was offered for sale to Mother Franziska; earlier it had been a Greek Catholic monastery. On December 15 she traveled to Troppau and looked at the one mentioned and a series of other houses. However, none was as suitable as the first. On December 18 the purchase took place for the sum of 29,000 florins. Mother Franziska again could close the deal only with trust in God’s help; she had no more than 1,000 florins for down payment. In this need Mother Franziska thought again about making a collecting trip, this time to Germany. Therefore on February 20, 1872 she traveled to Dresden to gain permission for collecting and to ask for a financial support from the nobility. At the time she was sick, having, as often in her life, severe headaches and also stomach discomfort, and only the zeal for her work and the needs of the Congregation would not let her rest. Mother Franziska had in fact an extraordinary self-control and unselfishness and considered concern for her own welfare the least and the last. This time, too, God visibly rewarded her for her sacrifice. Mother Franziska had only enough means that she and her companion could reach Dresden. They could not eat in the hotel where they had taken a room for they would not have been able to pay the bill. With God’s help they received permission to collect in Dresden. At court Mother Franziska was received with a condescension such as she had never expected. Their Majesties, the widowed Queen Marie, King Johann, Queen Amalie and Crown Princess Karola were extremely respectful to her and all the other nobles at court were very kind and all supported her noble work. Her Majesty Queen Marie also let Mother Franziska and her companion stay at the Josephine Institute at her cost, thereby removing the worry about paying the hotel bill. Then Mother Franziska sent for two more sisters to help with the collecting in Dresden. Before she left, Queen Marie came to the Josephinum to visit her. Mother Franziska could hardly trust her eyes and ears as she saw Her Majesty and heard that she had come especially to see her. Later she expressed it so, “I will never forget this blessed soliciting; I myself couldn’t understand why God had granted me so much joy. The nobility received me with such love and condescension as if I myself were a princess. This was a great embarrassment for me!” Though, to the joy, God sent a small drop of bitters in the fact that one of the sisters who followed became ill. Also Mother Franziska’s stomach troubles did not improve. The sisters in the Josefinum were from Westfalen and cooked only Wesfalen cuisine. They meant well with their guests, especially so since the Queen was paying the bill, and added much sugar and red wine to the meat soup and many raisins and plums in the sauce. Those coming from Vienna however were not used to this and suffered discomfort because of it. The later recounting of this often caused much laughter. Mother Franziska traveled from Dresden to Leipzig and from there to Weimar and Gotha, everywhere collecting alms for the foundation from the nobility with good result. From the last place Mother Franziska and her companion made a detour to Eisenach and the Wartburg to get to know these historically famous places. In Gotha Mother Franziska experienced a memorable night; It was from the 8th to the 9th of March. Directly under their window she and her companion heard lovely music and wonderful singing. At least forty times they opened the window and looked out but no one was to be seen on the street and everything around was in deepest peace. Mother Franziska who was far removed from any superstition, was forced to think at this occurrence that something must have happened in the Congregation and this intuition gave her no peace. On March 9 she was to have an audience at noon with the Duchess von Coburg-Gotha, but her worry would not let her wait any longer and she rode back to Leipzig. There was waiting the telegram with the news that Sister Monika Dichristin had died in the same night of small pox. Now the strange event was clear for Mother Franziska but now also, she was filled with the fear that all the sisters in Troppau would be infected with the illness and she traveled back to Vienna without delay to order appropriate measures to be taken immediately. The trip seemed endless to her. However, through God’s help further cases of illness were prevented. Sister Monika became ill on a collecting trip in Galizia; Her traveling companion, Sister Vincentia Seidl had brought her to Troppau where after the third day she passed away so beautifully and well prepared that her death became a source of the greatest edification to all the sisters. Just before her passing Sister Monika had asked those standing around her to step aside because she saw the lovely Mother of God in the company of angels nearing. For Mother Franziska this beautiful death of her spiritual daughter was a great comfort in the pain brought by her loss.

On April 8, 1872 she traveled to Budapest to ask Her Majesty the Empress Elizabeth, who was staying there to pay a visit to the house in Pest. Her Majesty deigned to agree to the visit by her Royal Highness Archduchess Gisela in her stead and donated 200 florins. The visit took place on April 15; This was a great honor for Mother Franziska and her institute because it was the first visit Her Royal Highness had made since her engagement a few days before to His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Her Highness remained an hour and a quarter in the Marian Institute, looked at everything thoroughly. When the sisters were introduced she had a friendly word for each one, and she praised the pupils on seeing their work. The Archduchess was especially condescending to Mother Franziska; She invited her to sit beside her on the sofa, expressed her satisfaction over the accomplishments of the sisters and cordially thanked for the festive welcome they had prepared for her. This visit was a great encouragement for Mother Franziska and the sisters.
On May 5 Mother Franziska had to again undertake a trip to Budapest, this time to get money from a Hungarian bank to cover the payment of 10,000 florins due on the house there. In Vienna she had gone from one bank to another but none wanted to lend money for Hungary. In Budapest, too, Mother Franziska made great efforts to get the needed sum without paying all too high an interest; unfortunately, she did not succeed. A bank lent her the money, but it was given out in mortgage bonds which had a value of only 87 florins, but which were recorded for the Congregation at the face value of 100 florins. Since the installments had to be paid absolutely, Mother Franziska could do nothing else than accept the money on these oppressive terms, but the thought that the Congregation which was so poor anyway would lose so much money was a terrible one for her. Without her great trust in God this trial would have been even harder to bear. A comfort during these difficult days was the kind reception granted her by the Prince-Primate of Graz, to whom she went from Pest for discussions concerning the school for the pupils there.

On May 15, 1872 the congregation received a new little foundation in Dornbach near Vienna to which Mother Franziska gave sisters at the request of the Pastor there to direct a commercial school and child care institute which he founded. Unfortunately this foundation did not last long since Mother Franziska had to recall the sisters on October 15, 1873 because of various circumstances found there.

September 4, 1872 brought Mother Franziska the joy of the dedication of the Troppau Marian Institute. About twenty priests, many important officials, countless citizens of the city and many people from the country took part. On this day, too, the first Holy Mass was celebrated in the chapel there. Mother Franziska could never participate in such an uplifting celebration without being greatly moved; For rightly, she considered it the greatest grace to be able to set up once again a dwelling for the Divine Savior and her heart, filled with fervent love for God and neighbor, had at such times so much to thank and intercede for that the time of the mass was too short. Her fervent prayers with which she always recommended the new house with all the sisters and pupils to the Divine Savior is surely reason to thank for the blessing which the good God so visibly bestowed on the houses of the Congregation.

On November 20 Mother Franziska had an audience with Her Majesty the Empress Karoline Auguste, Grandmother of His Majesty Emperor Franz Joseph I. This was a very great joy for her since she had long wanted to approach Her Majesty before whom she had been calumniated by evil intentioned persons. Good projects usually have enemies; and so it was also for her work. The lie had been spread that Mother Franziska with her foundation wanted to destroy the “Marian Foundation for the Education of Good Housemaids” erected in 1850 in the Fornergasse in Wien-Gumpendorf. Mother Franziska had not even had knowledge of the existence of this Marian Foundation, much less had she any bad intentions toward it. The calumny that was circulated was very painful for Mother Franziska, less for her own person than for the young Congregation which suffered some damage because of it. This lie was brought even to Her Majesty in such a way that she had to believe it. Therefore Mother Franziska was deeply hurt by the refusal of her previous request for an audience, since she greatly respected Her Majesty, not only as the sister of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, but also because of her well known nobility of character. However, just as nothing is woven so tightly that it doesn’t sooner or later come to light, so after awhile, from other quarters, Empress Karoline Auguste was enlightened about this calumny and now granted Mother Franziska the requested audience without delay. Her Majesty received her with the most cordial words and asked Mother Franziska, among other things, if she knew she had thought badly of her. She responded in the affirmative and added that she had wept much over it because she had a special respect for Her Majesty as sister of King Ludwig. At this response Her Majesty embraced and kissed her and said, “Oh you are a good patriot!” I am happy to have gotten to know you and now on one may say anything against you. I would not believe it, or rather, not even listen to it”. Mother Franziska also told her of a new plan which her charity had conceived some time ago. She had heard of many old servants who, having worn themselves out for minimum wages for many years, were now abandoned in old age without a home. Even though she had so much care and worry to bear for the institutes already founded, at the sight of this misery her loving heart could not suppress the wish to found a refuge for the lifelong care of old, poor servant women. Empress Karoline Auguste was very interested in this plan and Mother Franziska had to explain exactly how she thought to go about it. Also, Her Majesty said that she herself wanted to set up with Mother Franziska the plans for the building and the daily schedule for the asylum, or refuge as the latter wanted to call it, and asked her to come again at a later time. With great joy and fervent thanks to God Mother Franziska returned home and soon thereafter received from Her Majesty a contribution of 1,000 florins toward the refuge to be founded. Unfortunately the above mentioned intentions of the noble Empress could not be fulfilled because soon afterward she became seriously ill and died on February 9, 1873. Mother Franziska always spoke of Her Highness with the greatest respect and gratitude and in her own last illness still asked that her biography be read. She also saved a simple embroidered purse as well as a book with the picture of the Immaculate Conception in petit point on the cover and containing many prayers and poems written in Her Highness’ own hand, as dear souvenirs of the royal lady; so she also had a framed copy of the death announcement of the Empress in her room. All of these items are carefully preserved in the Mother House even now. The signs of honor which Mother Franziska received from so many highly placed persons, even members of the ruling family, she considered given not to herself but to the Congregation whose representative she was and she was far from becoming vain about them. She often said to the sisters, “Lay people do not honor our own person but only because of our Habit and state”. That her own admirable qualities were likewise the object of the honor shown her did not occur to her. She did not like flattering praise and when such was given her she was more inclined to take offense than pleasure in it.

At the beginning of the year 1873 Mother Franziska made a trip to Prague, Pressburg and Bavaria to obtain the permission to collect and thereby get the means to support her charitable institutions as well as for the construction of the Refuge already mentioned. Unfortunately, only in Prague was she successful. In April she undertook a similar trip with Sister Augustina to Berlin. She had received a recommendation for free travel on the Prussian railroad from the royal Prussian embassy in Vienna. Having arrived in Roderau, the border station between Saxony and Prussia, the stationmaster refused her the free travel; this was a new embarrassment for Mother Franziska since she did not have the money necessary to pay the trip. Only after long pleading did the stationmaster allow the continuing travel free. In Berlin Mother Franziska and her companion had to spend the first night in a hotel; although they had eaten nothing all day, upon their arrival they did not dare to eat anything before going to bed for fear that their meager funds would then not be enough to pay for the night’s stay. The next day they found a kind welcome with the Borromeo Sisters in the Hedwig Hospital. They went as soon as possible to His Excellency Duke Karoly, the Austrian Ambassador in Berlin, for whom they had a recommendation from the Austrian Foreign Minister. He, as well as his wife, received Mother Franziska with extraordinary kindness and friendliness. His Excellency personally took the steps necessary for obtaining the collecting permit and so this was granted to Mother Franziska. With her companion she also received audiences with Her Majesty Empress Auguste and the widow-Queen Elizabeth. Their Highnesses received them very graciously, conversed in the most casual way with them and gave donations. The Empress Auguste instructed Mother Franziska to visit the charitable institutions in Berlin and to say everywhere that it is the wish of Her Majesty that she be shown everything thoroughly. Mother Franziska and her companion also received the kindest reception and support from all the princesses of the Imperial family. Princess Friedrich Karl even introduced her prince and princesses and showed their rooms and their paintings. As the soliciting among the royalty was finished Mother Franziska returned to Vienna on April 29 and Sister Augustina continued the collecting in Berlin with Sister Gertrude Ridisser who had arrived in the meantime.

In June 1873 Mother Franziska believed the time had come, trusting in the continued help from God, to be able to begin carrying out the beautiful plan regarding the foundation of the Refuge, especially since the number of the sisters had increased significantly. She wanted for this, a house in the country in a healthful situation so that the old people would have good air and opportunity for movement outdoors; and she thought, at the same time this house could be a place for recuperation for weak or sick sisters. On June 27 Mother Franziska drove to the region of Breitenfurt only a few hours distant from Vienna and looked at several houses there. Because of its good situation and beautiful surroundings, she liked Nr. 1 best, a mill for sale with some land attached to it. She immediately inquired about the price and all the conditions of the house. On July 3 the sale took place and on August 5 the renovation or rather, the construction of the house was begun, for only the foundation wall of the old mill could still be used. The construction brought many worries for Mother Franziska and many irritations for the sisters living there. Until November there were daily 50-60 workers in the house, and since they had to be working everywhere, the poor sisters had no corner where they could find peace. In the evenings when they were dead tired from work in the house or fields, they first had to find themselves a place where they could rest. Besides this they had a long way to go to the Church, which was especially difficult in winter. During the construction, Mother Franziska stayed as much as she could in Breitenfurt , supervised everything and with a wise insight gave necessary instructions here and there. She shared the deprivations of the sisters and encouraged them by enthusiastically speaking of the great good which could be done through this refuge for the glory of God and for the poor. In November the construction was completed and the dedication of the chapel and house by Monsignor Sebastian Brunner of Vienna took place on December 27. On that day there were already eleven charges in the house since Mother Franziska had begun with receiving them just as soon as it was at all possible. She named the refuge, “Refuge of St. Joseph”. In the beginning she wanted to call it “of Divine Providence” because it all came about through trust in Divine Providence, but the sisters asked her to name it after St. Joseph because this dear Saint had proved himself to be up till now such a specially protective patron and Mother Franziska agreed to the request.

So now the plan that Mother Franziska had conceived in her generous love of neighbor had become a reality. Much good has since then come about in the Refuge where countless poor servants found a peaceful home and care in old age. This foundation remained a special care and favorite of Mother Franziska and she appeared as often as she possibly could in this place of charity. The old people always rejoiced at her visits because the good “Frau Mutter” came also to them, kindly asked each one how she felt, told them various things, comforted the sick and showed everyone her motherly love. The Refuge for aged servants also became a place of refuge for the sick sisters of the Congregation. Most of the deceased members ended their lives there and found their last resting place in the cemetery at Breitenfurt where a part is sectioned off especially for the sisters. Mother Franziska was filled with true motherly love for all her spiritual daughters but most especially for the sick. For this reason her first and last stop in visits to Breitenfurt were always in the sick rooms where she asked about the state and needs of her dear daughters, comforted and encouraged them to bear their sufferings patiently by pointing toward heaven and their divine Spouse. It was a special joy for her to bring some refreshments for the sick and to give it to them personally. The joy this tender love of their spiritual mother brought them can hardly be described. Since the Marienanstalt in Vienna did not have much room Mother Franziska moved the candidacy for the future members of the Congregation, especially for those candidates who would be employed in household and farm work, to the refuge in Breitenfurt. She often and gladly spent time in this candidacy, as she generally always showed special care for candidates as the future of the Congregation. Those that had talent and liked to learn she had educated for school and kindergarten and made sure that the others, too were trained, according to their ability, for some work, but she never permitted the candidates to be overburdened with work so that their strength would be destroyed in their youth. She liked it when the candidates were very cheerful during recreation, jumping around and playing happy games which she gladly watched. She believed firmly that young people must exercise themselves and Breitenfurt was the perfect place for this. For this reason, she had the candidates from the other houses of the congregation come there also when possible for vacation, especially the teacher training candidates. In general, Mother Franziska liked to recommend a cheerfulness consistent with religious life, not only to candidates but also to the sisters, since she herself was of a cheerful nature and so easily surmounted difficulties; she couldn’t stand hanging heads and sad faces, and one of the sayings she often repeated was, “The devil has good fishing in sadness”. On the other hand, she found cheerfulness in suitable limits to be an expression of inner peace and contentment. She recommended that the sisters and the candidates take sufferings that weighed them down in complaint to Our Lord in the tabernacle as the best comforter, but then to be calm and save themselves unnecessary tears and sighs. Mother Franziska also ordered that even those candidates who were not destined for teacher training must still be educated in the required school subjects, but above all, she was concerned about good religious education. She was equally concerned that the candidates would have the Holy Rule explained to them and that they would come to know the various temptations and obstacles which they could encounter, especially at the beginning of the spiritual life, and which could be dangerous for them. She often questioned them about their knowledge and gladly told them useful stories, some serious and warning and some with cheerful content. Much of this Mother Franziska drew from her own experience. She had, as was already mentioned in the account of her years at schools, a gift for telling stories; she knew how to present things in such a lively way and with such appropriate facial expression that her hearers were always spellbound. The sisters and candidates were always happy when Mother Franziska would tell them of the various things that happened concerning the Congregation or anything else. With children too, whom Mother Franziska loved very much, she often made use of this beautiful gift, to the great rejoicing of the young. When her visit was announced in one of the houses of the Congregation, the charges and students would happily cry out, “Frau Mutter is coming, she will tell us fine stories again!” If time permitted the children naturally had to earn this pleasure with a little test of their knowledge and, finally, the older ones received pictures from her and the little ones rings with pretty stones which naturally completed the fun.

Returning to the main thread of our story after this little detour, we want to mention, at the end of this chapter, a joyful surprise which came to Mother Franziska and the sisters at the Mother House on March 8, 1874. About 12 o’clock noon a court messenger arrived with the message, “Her Majesty asks if there are any in the house who have the measles”. the portress thought Her Majesty Queen Marie of Saxony was meant as she often visited Baroness Sophie Stureder, a former lady in waiting at the court in Saxony who had been taken in and cared for in the Marienanstalt. After the response that all were well, the messenger left and after a while a carriage pulled up from which descended Her Majesty the Empress Elizabeth and chief lady of court, Countess Marie Goess. At the time Mother Franziska was in bed because she was very ill. Sister Augustina, whom Her Highness immediately recognized, made apologies when asked about Mother Franziska, and accompanied Her Majesty to the sisters’ quarters. In spite of her illness, Mother Franziska immediately got up and appeared in a short time to greet the important visitor and to express her pleasure. Her Majesty deigned to view the entire institute, to be introduced to some of the residents, and to express her greatest satisfaction with everything she saw. At her departure the charges sang the national anthem. The sisters, the pupils and the servant girls were very happy about the honor and condescension of Her Majesty and the day on which the royal protectress honored the house for the first time with her visit remained with Mother Franziska and the sisters as a most happy memory.