securing more girls from her native town. Undoubtedly one does not know all that was discussed among them at that time in an endeavor to persuade the two Olpe girls to enter the community of the Poor Child Jesus. Mother Maria Theresia has made clear the readily understandable situation. Sister Laurentia at that time reacted to Sister Clara Pfaender, the future superior, very critically and spoke accordingly to Regina and Aline. Could pride in her home town have aroused unknowingly an unconscious antipathy toward Clara Pfaender? That could have been possible, for with persons deeply conscious of home, it is not easy to see a stranger come in to found a new community with the home girls. To them it seemed an enigma that Clara Pfaender had entered a community and then withdrew to found another one.
The first obstacles, even before the actual start of the foundation, were the hardest to bear. Later on it became apparent that difficulties had their good points, because every detail was examined more carefully, haste was prevented, and blind idealism eliminated. To the above difficulties others were added, as Mother Maria Theresia mentioned in her later record that “even the father confessor pointed out how dangerous it is to found something new, for all is already provided for in the church; he advised us to enter an established community of which there are many with excellent reputations. He referred to Aix-la-Chapelle as an example.”
The hearts of Regina and Aline were heavy. They were tortured with many doubts. One of them determined to drive to Witten on the next morning to enter the congregation of the Liguorians where she could find rest and tranquility in the cloister. Apparently, the “Witten” referred to is in Holland and not in the Ruhr. It is not mentioned directly which one had decided to enter a contemplative order to evade all difficulties in the way of their new foundation. But one can say with certainty that it was not Aline. In her honesty she would have mentioned her discouragement as she did in the beginning of this brief chronicle. Here her name was not omitted where disagreeable things were concerned. Also, it was not consonant with Aline’s character to give up readily, for she had the firm support of her family for the Olpe foundation.
At all events, Mother Theresia wrote about their leaving Aix-La-Chapelle and the overcoming of their difficulties:
Almighty God willed otherwise. He gave strength and courage to their souls to overcome all kinds of hardships in the fulfillment of his Holy Will. After a stay of three to four weeks in Aix-la-Chapelle, which time was devoted chiefly to spiritual exercises, they returned by way of Cologne to Olpe. In Cologne they celebrated the feast of St. Ursula and were encouraged by a Jesuit priest to continue in their plan of a new foundation. They arrived in Olpe by post chaise about five o’clock in the morning and took up residence in a rented portion of the private home of widow Schuerholz.
During their absence the people of Olpe were not idle. The Bonzels and other benefactors rented the required space for living quarters, where the small group began their new life. Special concern was exercised to find quarters for a convent near the parish church of St. Martin:
Within a few days all was arranged for conventual living as much as was possible in a private residence and Sister Clara appointed superior. As no constitution existed, they lived according to the Rule of St. Francis, the determined order of the day and the directives of Sister Clara. No mortification was too severe and the practice of penance was sweet and agreeable. During the month of November a brief devotion was held for the Poor Souls which was attended by the people of Olpe. By means of alms from the Loeser and Bonzel families, several weeks passed in relative peace and quiet during which the three Sisters prepared for investiture through prayer and good works.
These sketches by Mother Maria Theresia of the first days in the newly founded religious community are certainly not abundant. One ardently desires far more particulars. Still something previous lies in this treasured background of their first days in Olpe. The beginning was established. Now they had to prove themselves; with wholehearted zeal they undertook to prepare themselves worthily. They were able to begin their apostolate for the care of orphans immediately. At first their charges numbered four children. The Sisters provided for their care and educational development. Later as the children attended the city schools, they had charge of them outside school hours. The number did not remain at four but increased rapidly.
It must have been a great consolation for the three to see their apostolate flourish so well in the very beginning of the foundation. Success in their sphere of work proved the necessity for a new community in the active life. On this point we have an evaluation by Dean Goerdes of Drolshagen in a request he wrote to the bishop of Paderborn on October 25, 1860. Among other items was the following:
Views in regard to the new foundations vary. Many are in favor; many others are in opposition. Their objectives certainly are good and praiseworthy, provided they are carried out in a suitable and prudent manner. To my knowledge not a single institution exists in the whole of Sauerland for the care of orphans. Here a great need could be served. Such children are often obliged to earn much money for their upkeep under poor conditions. Their education is almost entirely neglected. They are employed to herd cattle or like jobs. Their school and church attendance is poorly provided for. There is no question that the orphans of this locality could be placed in their institutes, as I have learned from the Land and Administrative Councilor Meeting in Freusberg several days ago.
Here a great need is pointed out in a few brief sentences. Without doubt the parishes were responsible for the poor conditions that existed for the care of orphans. It is true that some families carried out their responsibilities toward these children very conscientiously. Others, however, just used these children. Child abuses were lessened considerably after the passage of the child labor laws. It would be an advantage basically for child placement in the home, if the respective families fulfilled their duties toward the child. But it happened too often that orphans were adopted for ruthless use in labor; their educational development and religious instruction were sorely neglected. The oft reiterated complaint of the sorry plight of orphans could not be denied. Thus it meant much for Olpe to have a group of idealistic minded women form a new community and dedicate their services to the care of orphan children.
Prospects for the new foundation in Olpe were favorable not only with respect to the apostolate but also to the increase in numbers. Following is a quotation from Mother Maria Theresia’s Chronicles:
Soon the daughter of Widow Schuerholz entered the small community as lay-sister and as postulant was called Miss Louise. Then Miss Lisette, a small foster-sister of Sister Clara was admitted. As seamstress she helped in the sewing room to make clothes for investiture. She herself was determined to remain a postulant. A young girl from Paderborn, who had previously been granted admission from Sister Clara, now entered. The entrance of Fredericka Boehmer, who had sought admittance, was postponed because of lack of space. In the following year, a house that had served as quarters for the soldiers, but was now vacated was remodeled as a convent for the Sisters. They moved into these quarters several weeks after Easter. Since this location had only a small space for a garden, the sisters utilized the garden of Widow Schuerholz near their present location. Fredericka Boehmer from Paderborn, Theresa Eisenbach from Olpe, and Anna Clemens from Rueblinghausen soon entered.
The new house into which the Sisters had moved was called the Zimmermann house, located on the street known today as the Railroad Station Street. The residence was acquired by Aline’s mother and placed at the disposal of the Sisters. Secured in early March, the house was remodeled and ready for occupancy by the Sisters several weeks after Easter. Since it was more spacious, it could accommodate the admission of additional candidates. One wonders whether by admission of the candidates, the new foundation wished to show its importance and give evidence of its purpose and vitality? Perhaps relative to Clara Pfaender, the bishop’s approval to occupy the new convent was a foregone conclusion. Otherwise, if there were not some certitude regarding the future, the simple acceptance of girls into the new foundation would be beyond comprehension.
It was evident to the energetic superior, Sister Clara, that the time of probation should not be filled just with prayer and work. While awaiting the
