Where love, there is God and where God, there is heaven - in our hearts, in our homes. Trust and Dare August 31; MT 949

My God and All! . . . . To love you is here the beginning and hereafter the perfect and eternal continuation of true happiness.  Trust and Dare August 30; MT 3

Stole belonging to Fr. Job. Vienna, Austria

1791 Father Francis Sebastian Job ordained in Regensburg. 

True happiness is happiness in God.  Nothing suffices to fill the heart but God.  Trust and Dare August 29; MT 2

My heart should beat only for you, O God, because it is made only by and for you and because everything is dust to me; you are my all. Trust and Dare August 28; MT 3

430     St. Augustine died in Hippo, North Africa. The SSND charism flows from a spiritual heritage which includes the gifts of St. Augustine.

2011   Inauguration of the Province of Africa. 

The heart forms itself according to what it loves. 

Trust and Dare August 27; MT 3

1884  M. Seraphine von Pronath died in Milwaukee. She was a member of the first group of sisters to come from Munich to North America. In the photo, she is in the front row on the far left.

 Love gives everything gladly, everything again and again, daily. 

Trust and Dare August 26; MT 1

Theme and logo of the Directional Statement of the 24th General Chapter,

 approved October 24, 2017

2013   The Regional governance of Japan was dissolved and the Japan Extended Assembly of the Central Pacific Province was established.

1865    Pope Pius IX granted final approbation to the Rule and Constitution

Cold, so-called sober reason does nothing to foster love.  Trust and Dare August 25; MT 1

Photo by S. Inês Camiran, SSND

We want to use no other weapons against our enemies but prayer and love. 
Trust and Dare August 24; MT 2637

Mother Caroline Friess

1824 Josepha Friess (later Mother Caroline Friess) was baptized at Notre Dame des Victoires church, Paris.

This is the sign by which we will be recognized . . .  -  that we love one another after the example of Jesus, who on the cross still prayed even for his enemies and who has loved us all unto death.  Trust and Dare August 23; MT 714

Seckau Basilica, Styira, Austria
Creative Commons

Love is the bond that unites us with one another
and with God.   Trust and Dare August 22; MT 949

No matter how much it storms outside, our congregation will stand firm and continue to flourish as long as we persevere in holy love among ourselves.  

Trust and Dare August 21; MT 714

Banner created by S. Josephine Niemann and S. Regina Kabayama (CP)

1824 Mother Caroline Friess (Josepha Friess) was born in Choisy-le-Roi, a suburb of Paris. In 1850, she was appointed Blessed M. Theresa's vicar in North America.

As sisters let us help one another, and as sinners let us pray together fervently in the name of Jesus; then the Lord will be in our midst.  Trust and Dare August 20; MT 4760

Illustration by S. Monika Schulze, Munich, 2011

“In silence and hope is strength” is your word, O my God.  Give me the grace constantly to praise and glorify you with heart and tongue and, before I say a word, to weigh it on the golden scale of God’s love.  Trust and Dare August 19; MT 29

Blessed M. Theresia image from Munich

What should I say about sisterly charity, which should make us of one heart and one mind like the first holy Christian community?  Trust and Dare August 18; MT 949

True and sincere love of our neighbor is at the same time the infallible criterion of our love of God.  Trust and Dare August 17; MT 4307 

Image from Germany

Love is the sign through which the world should be convinced that we believe in Jesus.  Trust and Dare August 16; MT 949

Artist: Erich Klimek, Bavaria, 1985

How blessed will the judgment be if in our lifetime we have followed in the footprints of Mary and imitated her example.  She herself asserts in her beautiful hymn of praise, the Magnificat: “He has looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid.”  Trust and Dare August 15; MT 5199

Window by Mayumi Sasaki

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1847      Mother Theresa and four sisters arrived in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, USA. They had set sail from Bremen, Germany on June 25.

1849     The first Profession ceremony in America was held in Baltimore.

1850    M. Caroline Friess arrived in Munich from North America to discuss the enclosure with Mother Theresa. 

Let us begin now to do earnestly what we one day will wish we had done - to love one another in God and for God’s sake! Trust and Dare August 14; MT 949

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, where Fr. Job wrote
the Spirit of the Constitutions.
 He was confessor to the Empress Caroline.

1833 Francis Sebastian Job completed the Spirit of the Constitutions in Vienna.

Aren’t our souls dead if we lack love? Trust and Dare August 13; MT 949

1961 The Berlin Wall was erected separating East and West Berlin as well as East and West Germany for over 28 years. As a result, the Berlin province (SSND Berlin) was divided into the Province of Berlin in West Berlin and the Region of Berlin/DDR (German Democratic Republic) which was under the communist government.  

Don’t forget . . . to set the double roof of love of God and neighbor on the walls of virtue.  Without this love all our speech is like a clanging bell, a noisy gong.  Without this love all our actions are useless, even if we work miracles, even if we die as martyrs.  Trust and Dare August 12; MT 2941

Santo Antônio da Patrulha Brazil 1942 S. Maria Teorofa Krzonkalla

International Youth Day

Without humility - no grace, without gentleness - no peace, without obedience - no holiness, without love - no happiness.  Ziegler, p. 264 Blessed M. Theresa Gerhardinger, Ziegler p. 264  Trust & Dare, August 11

Cardinal John Henry Newmann (1801-1890)

   

1890 Cardinal John Henry Newman died. He highly esteemed the School Sisters of Notre Dame who taught at the Birmingham Oratory, England (1869 – 1881). When in 1881 circumstances led Mother Margaret Cortona to withdraw the sisters, he wrote: “They have worked hard and successfully in our schools . . . and have indirectly done our people great spiritual good; and I am very sorry to lose them.”

Prayer is that glowing furnace in which the fire of divine love is kindled and kept burning.  Trust and Dare August 10; MT 3537

Notre Dame High School, Inc. - Guam

1949     First School Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in Guam.  St. Francis, Yona, Guam, was the first foundation. (SSND in Oceania)

 Love is victorious over all evil.  Trust and Dare August 9; MT 1

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

1945    Today we remember the bombing of the city of Nagasaki, Japan, and pray for peace. 

1804    Father Matthias Siegert was born in Amberg, Bavaria. He would later be chosen and trained by Bishop Wittmann as spiritual direction for the young congregation.

1848    Mother Theresa arrived in Munich on her return from the United States.

Who made the saints so strong except Love?  Who taught them so much self-denial except Love?  Who helped them combat death and hell except Love?   Trust and Dare August 8; MT 1

1860     Mother Theresa could report that the Rule had finally been printed. (letter 3084)

 Christians can love God if they earnestly desire to do so.  Trust and Dare August 7; MT 2

Only the heart that is entirely free of clinging to earthly things . . . can love a God and is receptive to his power.  Trust and Dare August 6; MT 3

Hiroshima Peace Bell (public domain)

1945  Today we remember the bombing of the city of Hiroshima, Japan and pray for peace. 

Christians have the important task of loving God so that in this way they may become like him.  Trust and Dare August 5; MT 3

Second grade classroom - Gorizia, Italy

In my opinion, our perfection lies in the love of God. Trust and Dare August 4; MT 714 

Statues in Ghana, West Africa

Because he loves us, God also gave us the ability to love him, who is worthy of all love.      Trust and Dare August 3; MT 3

Because love is God’s essence, he loves us, too, as our creation and salvation proclaim. Trust and Dare August 2; MT 3

First SSND Generalate in Rome

1957     Sister M. Liudgera Wildenauer traveled from Rome to Munich to copy important documents for the new Generalate in Rome.                

 God is love and cannot do anything but love.  Trust and Dare August 1; MT 3

Image of Mother Theresia and children
Convent Chapel 
Regensberg-Stadtamhof, 
Germany

1809 Dissolution of the Notre Dame Convent in Stadtamhof. The Sisters of Notre Dame were a community founded by St. Peter Fourier. The school that they had opened at Stadtamhof in 1734 closed and 12-year-old Caroline Gerhardinger lost her teachers. Bishop Wittmann worked to reopen the school. Caroline and two other young girls trained to be teachers in the school.