Name/Title
Via SistinaEntry/Object ID
10.01.018Description
Sign on 149 Via Sistina in Rome, Italy. Mother Clara Pfaender arrived in Rome in February of 1881 and this location was her final residence. She passed away here on October 5th, 1882. An inscription on the building, not visible in this photo, reads "When in short time we leave this house / that others' hands have built for us, / we shall enter an everlasting house / that we have built with our own hands".
During the 1870s, Kulturkampf caused significant strife between the Prussian government and Catholic Church in Germany. This eventually led to Bishop Konrad Martin bestowing special authority, ordinarily reserved for clergy, on Mother Clara. Known as the "Burning Seal", Mother Clara never divulged this secret, and was censored and expelled for her actions in 1880. She died in Rome in 1882 awaiting an audience with Pope Leo XIII.Context
Born in Germany in 1827, Mother Clara Pfaender founded the Franciscan Sisters, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, in 1860. With a focus on education, nursing and care for orphaned children, the women reached out to those in need. In the following years, Sisters were sent to nations such as France, the Netherlands and the United States. There, they gained increased autonomy when America became a province in 1884, and by the early 20th Century, their health and education ministries included locations in Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Colorado. Looking to relocate, in 1947 land was purchased in Wheaton, Illinois and a new motherhouse was completed in 1955. As time passed, the Sisters continued to develop their healthcare ministry and addressed pressing issues such as Polio, Aids and affordable housing. During the early 21st Century, they celebrated the 150th anniversary of the congregation and found new sponsorships for their healthcare and housing ministries. Today, the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters continue to follow in the spirit of Mother Clara Pfaender by responding to the needs of the Church and our times.Lexicon
Search Terms
Photographs, Photos, Pictures, Religion, Religious Organizations, Historic SitesReproductions
Notes
Please contact the WFS Archives (archives@wfsisters.org) for further information or materials requests.