Maria Teresa of St. Joseph
Foundress of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus, she united the contemplation of Carmel with charitable action for street children and the homeless.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
Biography
Birth, youth, and conversion of Anna Maria Tauscher van den Bosch.
Anna Maria Tauscher van den Bosch was born on June 19, 1855, in Sandow, Brandenburg. The daughter of a Lutheran pastor, she grew up in piety and developed an early sensitivity toward the poor. Attracted to the Catholic Church during the Kulturkampf, she converted on October 30, 1888, in Cologne, which led to her being rejected by her family and losing her job. Touched by the misery of street children in Berlin, she opened her first shelter there in 1891.
Life and Work
Foundation and expansion of the Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus.
To structure her work, she founded a community uniting Carmelite contemplation and active apostolate. In 1897, her community was aggregated to the Order of Discalced Carmelites under the name of Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus, and she took the name Sister Maria Teresa of St. Joseph. The institute expanded rapidly in Europe and the United States. After establishing the Motherhouse in Sittard in the Netherlands, she died there on September 20, 1938.
Path to holiness
The process of recognizing her heroic virtues.
After her death, her reputation for holiness led to the opening of a diocesan process in Sittard in 1953. Her numerous writings were examined and approved in 1972. In 1987, her remains were transferred to the chapel of the Moederhuis in Sittard. Pope John Paul II declared her Venerable on December 20, 2002, by promulgating the decree on the heroism of her virtues.
Beatification and canonization
The recognition of a miracle and her beatification in 2006.
The beatification of Maria Teresa of St. Joseph followed the recognition of a miracle of unexplained healing in the Netherlands, approved by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. The beatification ceremony was celebrated on May 13, 2006, at Saint Christopher's Cathedral in Roermond by Cardinal Adrianus Johannes Simonis. It was the first beatification celebrated on Dutch soil.
Spirituality and legacy
The union of contemplation and action in the service of the most destitute.
The spirituality of the Blessed rests on the union of Carmelite contemplation and active service, inspired by the Sacred Heart of Jesus and placed under the protection of Saint Joseph. Today, the Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus continue their mission on several continents, serving abandoned children, the elderly, and the homeless.
Frequently asked questions about Maria Teresa of St. Joseph
Who was Maria Teresa of St. Joseph?
Foundress of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus, she united the contemplation of Carmel with charitable action for street children and the homeless.
Which saints were contemporaries of Maria Teresa of St. Joseph?
Contemporaries include: Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Felipe de Jesús Munárriz and 50 companions, Mariano de Jesús Euse Hoyos and Teresa of Jesus of the Andes.
When did Maria Teresa of St. Joseph die?
Maria Teresa of St. Joseph died around 1938.
What are the other names of Maria Teresa of St. Joseph?
Other forms of the name: Anna Maria Tauscher van den Bosch, Maria Teresa di San Giuseppe and Marie-Thérèse de Saint-Joseph.
Who are the relatives of Maria Teresa of St. Joseph?
Relatives of Maria Teresa of St. Joseph: Hermann Tauscher (father) and Pauline van den Bosch (mother).
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Era / death: 1938
- Beatification in 2006 by Benedict XVI