Franciszka Siedliska
Encyclopedia
Blessed Franciszka Siedliska (12 November 1842–21 November 1902), also known as Mother Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, was the founder of a Roman Catholic religious order
of nun
s, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
.
in Roszkowa Wola
, Congress Poland
. Franciszka was educated privately by governesses, remaining indifferent to religion until she met a zealous Capuchin
priest, who prepared her for her first Holy Communion, at which time she offered herself completely to God. She strongly desired a religious vocation, but because her father opposed the idea, she had to wait to execute her mission of founding a new religious congregation. Having submitted a petition on 1 October 1873, Siedliska founded her new congregation in Rome
on the first Sunday of Advent
in 1875, having received the blessing of Pope Pius IX
. Siedliska named her order after the Holy Family
, viewing it as the perfect model of total abandonment to the love of God.
The congregation spread rapidly to Poland, England
, France
, and, in 1885, the United States
. Siedliska led eleven sisters to found a community in Des Plaines, moving to Pittsburgh ten years later in August 1895. Having taken the name "Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd", Siedliska devoted herself to her congregation, presiding at religious exercises, holding conferences, and writing letters of encouragement to her more than 29 foundations.
Her efforts slowly drained her of physical strength and Franciszka Siedliska died in Rome on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary
, 21 November 1902.
, Australia
, India
, and Jerusalem. Franciszka Siedliska was beatified
by Pope John Paul II
on 23 April 1989, 86 years after her death. In 2000, the pope also beatified eleven sisters of the order who had been murdered by the Gestapo
in August 1943 in present-day Belarus
, the Blessed Martyrs of Nowogródek
.
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
of nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are a Roman Catholic religious order which was founded in Rome in 1875 by Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd . The Sisters of the Holy Family are an apostolic, international congregation, located on four continents and in thirteen countries. There are...
.
Life
In 1842, Franciszka Siedliska was born to a Polish noble familySzlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
in Roszkowa Wola
Roszkowa Wola
Roszkowa Wola is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rzeczyca, within Tomaszów Mazowiecki County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It lies approximately east of Rzeczyca, east of Tomaszów Mazowiecki, and east of the regional capital Łódź....
, Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
. Franciszka was educated privately by governesses, remaining indifferent to religion until she met a zealous Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
priest, who prepared her for her first Holy Communion, at which time she offered herself completely to God. She strongly desired a religious vocation, but because her father opposed the idea, she had to wait to execute her mission of founding a new religious congregation. Having submitted a petition on 1 October 1873, Siedliska founded her new congregation in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
on the first Sunday of Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
in 1875, having received the blessing of Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. Siedliska named her order after the Holy Family
Holy Family
The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family...
, viewing it as the perfect model of total abandonment to the love of God.
The congregation spread rapidly to Poland, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and, in 1885, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Siedliska led eleven sisters to found a community in Des Plaines, moving to Pittsburgh ten years later in August 1895. Having taken the name "Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd", Siedliska devoted herself to her congregation, presiding at religious exercises, holding conferences, and writing letters of encouragement to her more than 29 foundations.
Her efforts slowly drained her of physical strength and Franciszka Siedliska died in Rome on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary
Presentation of Mary
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary , or The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple , is a liturgical feast celebrated by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Orthodox Churches....
, 21 November 1902.
Legacy and veneration
Today, more than 1,500 Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth maintain ministries in 10 countries, including Italy, Poland, France, England, the United States, the Philippines, RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Jerusalem. Franciszka Siedliska was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 23 April 1989, 86 years after her death. In 2000, the pope also beatified eleven sisters of the order who had been murdered by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in August 1943 in present-day Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, the Blessed Martyrs of Nowogródek
Blessed Martyrs of Nowogródek
The Blessed Martyrs of Nowogródek, also known as the Eleven Nuns of Nowogródek or Sister Stella and Companions were a group of Roman Catholic nuns from the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth killed by the Gestapo in August 1943 in present-day Belarus.-Background:The Sisters of the Holy Family...
.