Maria Merkert

The heart of Maria Merkert's life and work lies in the foundation and development of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth (also known as the Grey Sisters). On September 27, 1842, on the advice of her confessor, Maria joined her sister Matilde, Frances Werner, and Clara Wolff (a Franciscan tertiary) to care for the poor sick in their homes free of charge. They dedicated their project to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and received the blessing of the priest Francis Xavier Fischer. This initiative gave birth to the "Association of Sisters for the Assistance of Abandoned Sick, under the protection of the Sacred Heart of Jesus". On May 8, 1846, her sister Matilde died of typhus, contracted while caring for the sick. To acquire a solid religious formation, Maria and Clara Wolff entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy of Saint Charles Borromeo in Prague at the end of 1846. However, noting that this congregation considered home care as a secondary activity, Maria chose to leave the novitiate on June 30, 1850, in order to remain faithful to her initial vocation. On November 19, 1850, Maria Merkert and Frances Werner resumed home assistance in Nysa. They placed their community under the patronage of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, thus officially founding the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth. The institute developed rapidly despite poverty and difficulties. On September 4, 1859, the association received the approval of the Bishop of Breslau, Mgr. Heinrich Förster. On December 15, 1859, the first General Chapter elected Maria Merkert as the first Superior General. On May 5, 1860, she pronounced her religious vows with 25 other sisters. Between 1863 and 1865, she had the Motherhouse built in Nysa. On June 7, 1871, Pope Pius IX granted the decree of praise (Decretum Laudis) to the congregation. Under the leadership of Maria Merkert, who held the office of Superior General for 22 years, the institute experienced remarkable expansion. At her death in 1872, the congregation had nearly 500 sisters spread across 90 houses in 9 dioceses. The definitive approval of pontifical right would be granted by Pope Leo XIII on January 26, 1887.

The reputation for holiness of Maria Merkert, already immense during her lifetime, endured after her death. The beatification process was officially opened on July 2, 1985.

On December 20, 2004, Pope John Paul II signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of her virtues, thus proclaiming her Venerable.

To pave the way for her beatification, a miracle attributed to her intercession was examined by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. It involved a medically inexplicable healing. This miracle was officially recognized by a decree approved by Pope Benedict XVI on June 1, 2007.

The solemn celebration of the beatification of Maria Luisa Merkert took place on September 30, 2007, at the Church of Saints James and Agnes in Nysa, Poland. The ceremony was presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, acting on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI.

Her liturgical feast is set for November 14, the day of her birth into heaven.

The spirituality of Maria Merkert is centered on an ardent and concrete charity towards the suffering members of the Body of Christ, inspired by the words of Jesus: 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me' (Mt 25:40). Nicknamed the 'Samaritan of Silesia' or the 'Great Woman of Silesia,' she marked her era with her absolute dedication and unwavering trust in Providence. She also nurtured a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary, whom she considered the perfect model for her spiritual life and her union with God. Today, the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth continue her work of mercy in many countries around the world (notably in Poland, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and Tanzania), working with the sick, the elderly, the disabled, and in the education of youth. Her relics rest in the Basilica of Saints James and Agnes in Nysa.