Name/Title
Father Edward A. Schindel and Father Henry MeuhlsiepenEntry/Object ID
70.20.069Description
Photo of Father Edward A. Schindel and a drawing of Father Henry Muehlsiepen.
Pastor of St. Boniface Parish in St. Louis, in 1872 Father Schindel contacted his godfather in Germany to request assistance in locating Sisters with nursing experience. In turn, this message was forwarded to Bishop Konrad Martin who then approached Mother Clara Pfaender. In December of 1872, three Franciscan Sisters left Salzkotten, Germany and arrived in St. Louis just before Christmas. By September of the following year, St. Boniface Hospital was dedicated and received its first patients soon after. The hospital was located on the west side of Lemay Ferry Road, just south of the River des Peres.
Father Henry Meuhlsiepen, the German Vicar General of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, was a supporter, advisor and superior during the Sister's early years in the United States. For more than twenty-five years until his death in 1903, Father Meuhlsiepen provided spiritual guidance and worked with the Sisters to develop their ministry.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
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Notes
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