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Our Foundress

Katharina Kasper was born May 26, 1820 in Dernbach, Germany. Her parents were Henry Kasper and Katherine (Fassel). Her father had been married before and had four daughters. In his second marriage he and Katherine had four children: Peter, Christian, Katharina and Joseph.

As a young child of six, Katharina went to the school in her little village. Reading was the subject she liked most. She would help in the family's potato patch and with other tasks. Her mother taught her household chores as well as how to spin and weave fabric.

Often other children would gather around Katharina and they would visit a Marian shrine outside their village. They would sing on the way and Katharina would tell stories about God and Mary.

Katharina's father died when she was 21 years old. Because of the law, all the property went to the four children of the first wife, Anna Margaret Kasper, to the exclusion of the second Mrs. Kasper and her children. Katharina and her mother had to rent from the Matthias Müller family. Although Katharina's mother was only 56 years old when her husband died, she was not in good health. Katharina worked on the land and hired out for about 10 cents a day as a "farm hand."

Because she helped others in ordinary ways, other young girls were attracted by Katharina’s example of service. Together Katharina and four other women formed the religious community, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ when they pronounced the public vows of poverty, chastity and obedience on August 15, 1851.

Their ministry continued throughout Germany and spread to England, the United States in 1868, the Netherlands, India, Mexico, Brazil, Kenya and Nigeria.

Katharina Kasper, known in religious life, as Mother Mary, died on February 2, 1898. Her good works and following the life of Christ caused the Catholic Church to name her Blessed Katharina Kasper on April 16, 1978, by Pope Paul VI. She was canonized as Saint Katharina Kasper on October 14, 2018, by Pope Francis