This year is a jubilee year for the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Worldwide we are celebrating our 175th anniversary, and the St. Louis Province celebrates its 150th anniversary in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger founded the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Bavaria in 1833, with an unshakeable faith that God would make possible her mission to transform the world through education.

Blessed Mother Theresa’s vision for this new congregation recognized the importance of educating girls and women. She believed the renewal of society depended on the Christian family in which the mother, the first educator, had a key role. Thus, she chose the Christian education of girls as the vital service her community would offer. Their first concern was for poor girls in small towns and villages.

That mission brought the sisters to America in 1847 and to St. Louis in 1858.

At the request of Rev. Joseph Patshovsky, SJ, Mother Caroline Friess, three sisters and a candidate took over the German girls’ school at St. Joseph Parish (now Shrine) on Biddle Street in St. Louis.

At the blessing of their arrival at St. Joseph, more than 200 children greeted the sisters and became their first pupils. Within 17 months, they had opened four schools in the city. These first four schools grew into hundreds of parochial schools and dozens of high schools and academies, all conducted by Mother Theresa's sisters.

Our pioneer sisters fought adversity, inclement weather and primitive modes of transportation to continue their commitment to the education of women and children. Today with that same spirit, our sisters carry that mission forward in ministries throughout the St. Louis Archdiocese, as well as in other areas in the United States and around the world.

We invite you to join us at the events planned for this jubilee year. I look forward to celebrating with you, our partners in mission. Together, we are making a difference in our world, walking in the footsteps of our founding sisters. Thank you for all you do for us.

Joan C. Markus, SSND
Provincial Leader
St. Louis Province

Stories About Our History

Article in the March 19, 2008, issue of the Oakville Call:
School Sisters of Notre Dame recall pioneering visionary

Articles in the May 2, 2008, issue of the St. Louis Review:
School Sisters of Notre Dame: Transforming lives through education
School Sisters of Notre Dame: Longtime members recalling classroom experience