Don Quijote de Viena
Wien, 3. Bezirk (the art of very historic institutions in the suburbs of Vienna) - Apostelgasse (Schulzentrum St. Franziskus), School Center, Centre d'Éducation, Centro de Educación, Centro di Educazione di Francesco d'Assisi
(further information and pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
Congregation of the School Sisters of III. Order of St. Francis
Chronology - chronological table and life of the foundress
On 23 June 1697, the foundress of Hallein (Salzburg), Vienna-Erdberger and Amstettner (Lower Austria) school sisters, Theresa Zechner, is born in Hallein.
By the age of 24 years, she enters the III. Order of Saint Francis and receives the name of Sister M. Hyazintha. Together with her mother and a like-minded acquaintance they take care to those girls from a poor background who have no fixed home and must get through by begging or theft. They teach them free of charge in arithmetic, writing, reading and the manual skills of sewing.
The very talented Theresa follows a different path than the scetched out for her on the basis of her origins - her parents and the relatives belong to the richest and most distinguished citizens of Hallein. The radical step to a life in concrete poverty she brings about consciously and purposefully. Decisive role models for the new way of life are the Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia.
Until 1744 join another five like-minded people the community, but with their new "private" school the sisters experience various hostilities from the school upholders of the other schools in Hallein.
1750, the sister community is dissolved by the ecclesiastical authorities. However, the school activities they can continue to pursue. It was not until seven years later, the separation is removed
After the death of the foundress in 1763, the number of sisters oscillates in the next few decades always between eight and ten, however, the number of students is increasing more and more.
The visit of Emperor Franz I in 1807 promotes the reputation of the sister community. Only through the adjudication of the public status is the existence of the Institute of the (Regelschwestern) rule Sisters, as they are called by the people, saved as a recognized school for girls. By the financial support of the Empress Karolina Augusta, the first Kinderbewahranstalt (children's home or children keeping institution) is opened in Hallein in the year 1844.
The Empress herself asks 1845 for sisters from Hallein for the soldiers daughters institute she founded in Vienna Erdberg.
Foundation - Erdberger School Sisters
In 1845 begins with the then Superior M. Xaveria Lienbacher and three other sisters from Hallein the founding history of our community of the Erdberger School Sisters, as those come in October to Vienna.
1847 follows the change of cloths from the up till now clothing of Halleiner citizen women into a religious habit. Mother Xaveria Lienbacher is re-elected after the end of her second term to Mother Superior, from now on the first Generaloberin (general mother superior).
From 1845 to 1969 are carried out by the mother house 54 new setting ups of branches in Vienna and Lower Austria. Today of those are still existing Seebenstein in Lower Austria, Vienna-Leopoldstadt (2nd district) and Ober St. Veit (13th District) in Vienna.
Out of the from Vienna in 1852 founded branch Judenau at Tulln emerges an independent autonomous Mother House to Judenau (after the 2nd World War Amstetten), now known as the School Sisters of Amstetten.
From 1931 to 1935 follow four sendings of 21 sisters to the United States.
In the years 1939-1962 25 sisters are sent to Argentina.
Today live altogether 85 sisters in Austria, North and South America.
The spread was very tedious and linked with large difficulties. At the moment of the death of the foundress, there was only a small flock of sisters. Until today, the community has remained a small flock despite great distances of the branches.
Review of gratitude
"Those who forget the past, lose the future."
Wien, 3. Bezirk (the art of very historic institutions in the suburbs of Vienna) - Apostelgasse (Schulzentrum St. Franziskus), School Center, Centre d'Éducation, Centro de Educación, Centro di Educazione di Francesco d'Assisi
(further information and pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
Congregation of the School Sisters of III. Order of St. Francis
Chronology - chronological table and life of the foundress
On 23 June 1697, the foundress of Hallein (Salzburg), Vienna-Erdberger and Amstettner (Lower Austria) school sisters, Theresa Zechner, is born in Hallein.
By the age of 24 years, she enters the III. Order of Saint Francis and receives the name of Sister M. Hyazintha. Together with her mother and a like-minded acquaintance they take care to those girls from a poor background who have no fixed home and must get through by begging or theft. They teach them free of charge in arithmetic, writing, reading and the manual skills of sewing.
The very talented Theresa follows a different path than the scetched out for her on the basis of her origins - her parents and the relatives belong to the richest and most distinguished citizens of Hallein. The radical step to a life in concrete poverty she brings about consciously and purposefully. Decisive role models for the new way of life are the Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia.
Until 1744 join another five like-minded people the community, but with their new "private" school the sisters experience various hostilities from the school upholders of the other schools in Hallein.
1750, the sister community is dissolved by the ecclesiastical authorities. However, the school activities they can continue to pursue. It was not until seven years later, the separation is removed
After the death of the foundress in 1763, the number of sisters oscillates in the next few decades always between eight and ten, however, the number of students is increasing more and more.
The visit of Emperor Franz I in 1807 promotes the reputation of the sister community. Only through the adjudication of the public status is the existence of the Institute of the (Regelschwestern) rule Sisters, as they are called by the people, saved as a recognized school for girls. By the financial support of the Empress Karolina Augusta, the first Kinderbewahranstalt (children's home or children keeping institution) is opened in Hallein in the year 1844.
The Empress herself asks 1845 for sisters from Hallein for the soldiers daughters institute she founded in Vienna Erdberg.
Foundation - Erdberger School Sisters
In 1845 begins with the then Superior M. Xaveria Lienbacher and three other sisters from Hallein the founding history of our community of the Erdberger School Sisters, as those come in October to Vienna.
1847 follows the change of cloths from the up till now clothing of Halleiner citizen women into a religious habit. Mother Xaveria Lienbacher is re-elected after the end of her second term to Mother Superior, from now on the first Generaloberin (general mother superior).
From 1845 to 1969 are carried out by the mother house 54 new setting ups of branches in Vienna and Lower Austria. Today of those are still existing Seebenstein in Lower Austria, Vienna-Leopoldstadt (2nd district) and Ober St. Veit (13th District) in Vienna.
Out of the from Vienna in 1852 founded branch Judenau at Tulln emerges an independent autonomous Mother House to Judenau (after the 2nd World War Amstetten), now known as the School Sisters of Amstetten.
From 1931 to 1935 follow four sendings of 21 sisters to the United States.
In the years 1939-1962 25 sisters are sent to Argentina.
Today live altogether 85 sisters in Austria, North and South America.
The spread was very tedious and linked with large difficulties. At the moment of the death of the foundress, there was only a small flock of sisters. Until today, the community has remained a small flock despite great distances of the branches.
Review of gratitude
"Those who forget the past, lose the future."