New Sculpture Depicts School Sisters of Notre Dame Foundress

On Saturday, July 31, 2010, the School Sisters of Notre Dame in St. Louis unveiled and blessed a statue of the congregation’s foundress, Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger.

In 2007, sculptor Sister Marie Henderson, RSM, (Religious Sister of Mercy) was commissioned to create a sculpture that depicts Blessed Theresa as young woman of her time, foundress and educator. The sculpture portrays Blessed Theresa at her moment of call and the heart and inspiration of her vision. The bronze figure shows her as a woman steadfastly and courageously embracing the future.

Letters from Blessed Theresa; writings about her by her contemporaries; poetry by Sister Maura Eichner, SSND; and other research about her were studied, along with information about the early 1800s in Bavaria.

The bronze sculpture includes significant detail that presents Blessed Theresa holding a Bible, indicating her love of scripture. She holds a feather pen, depicting her as a prolific writer of letters to her sisters, benefactors, and political and government figures. At her feet are items related to education and her belief of infusing the curriculum with the arts.
 
Current provincial leader, Sister Joan Markus, SSND, and former provincial leader, Sister Joanne Hanrahan, SSND, blessed the sculpture of Blessed Theresa at the closing of the two-day assembly of the sisters from the St. Louis Province.

The figure is located in the Peace Garden near the main entrance to the School Sisters of Notre Dame motherhouse in St. Louis, known as Sancta Maria in Ripa.