Saint Aldegonde
Saint Aldegonde, consecrated to God at the age of fourteen, founded the monastery that gave rise to the city of Maubeuge…
Category
Foundress
359 saints
Saint Aldegonde of Maubeuge
A princess of Hainaut in the 7th century, Aldegonde fled marriage to dedicate herself to God. After miraculously crossin…
Ángela de la Cruz
A Spanish religious sister born in Seville in 1846, Ángela de la Cruz (María de los Ángeles Guerrero González) founded t…
Saint Athanasia of Aegina
Twice widowed on the island of Aegina in the 9th century, Athanasia dedicated her life and possessions to God by foundin…
Saint Bathild (Queen of France)
An English princess sold as a slave to the Frankish court, Bathild became the wife of Clovis II and regent of the kingdo…
Saint Bertha of Blangy
A princess of royal blood and widow of Sigefroy, Berthe founded the Abbey of Blangy in Artois in the 7th century followi…
Saint Bridget of Sweden (Widow)
A Swedish princess married to the Prince of Nericia, Bridget led an exemplary family life before dedicating herself enti…
Saint Brigid the Thaumaturge
Saint Brigid, nicknamed the Thaumaturge, is the patron saint of Ireland along with Saint Patrick. Founder of the monaste…
Saint Ceronne
Born to pagan parents near Béziers in the 5th century, Céronne fled with her brother Sophronius to receive baptism in Bo…
Saint Clare of Assisi
A noblewoman of Assisi, Clare renounced her fortune in 1212 to follow the ideal of poverty of Saint Francis. Foundress o…
Saint Colette (Nicole)
Born miraculously in Corbie, Colette dedicated herself to a life of austerity before becoming the great reformer of the …
Élisabeth Bruyère
Foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa, Élisabeth Bruyère established the first healthcare and educational struct…
Émilie d'Oultremont
Émilie d'Oultremont (1818-1878), in religion Mother Mary of Jesus, was a Belgian widow and mother, foundress of the Soci…
Émilie de Villeneuve
Jeanne-Émilie de Villeneuve (1811-1854), a French aristocrat from Toulouse, founded in 1836 the Congregation of the Sist…
Émilie Gamelin
Émilie Gamelin (1800-1851) was a Canadian religious sister, foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Montreal, dedicate…
Saint Eustadiola
Coming from a senatorial family of Bourges in the 7th century, Eustadiola became a widow and dedicated her fortune to Go…
Saint Frances of Rome
A Roman noblewoman married against her will, Frances lived forty years of exemplary marriage before founding the congreg…
Saint Gertrude (Geretrude)
Daughter of the lord of Douai and relative of the Merovingians, Saint Gertrude retired to Hamage after her widowhood on …
Saint Glossinde (Glossinne)
A noble virgin of the 7th century, Glossinde refused marriage and took refuge in the Church of Saint-Étienne in Metz, wh…
Saint Hildegard (Hiltegarde)
Born in 1098 in Germany, Saint Hildegard was a Benedictine abbess and a great mystic of the 12th century. Famous for her…
Blessed Humility of Florence
Born Rosana in Faenza, she lived nine years in marriage before embracing religious life with her husband. After a period…
Saint Irmina of Trier
Daughter of King Dagobert II of Austrasia, Saint Irmina renounced the world after the sudden death of her fiancé to beco…
Saint Isabel (Elizabeth) of France
A princess of France and sister of Saint Louis, Isabelle refused royal alliances to dedicate herself to God. She founded…
Małgorzata Szewczyk
Polish foundress of the Congregation of the Seraphic Sisters, dedicated to the care of the poor and the elderly.
María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa
An 18th-century Argentine laywoman, María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, known as Mama Antula, spread the Ignatian spiritual…
María Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo
María Beatriz del Rosario Arroyo (1884-1957), in religion Sister Maria Rosario of the Visitation, was a Filipino Dominic…
María Benita Arias
Foundress of the congregation of the Servants of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in Argentina, María Benita Arias dedicat…
Maria Bernarda Bütler
A Swiss religious sister born in 1848, Maria Bernarda Bütler founded the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of C…
María de los Desamparados Portilla Crespo
A Spanish laywoman, wife, and mother of eleven children, Amparo Portilla was declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2021 …
María del Carmen González-Ramos
María del Carmen González-Ramos (1834-1899), in religion Mary of Mount Carmel of the Child Jesus, was a Spanish widow an…
María del Monte Carmelo Sallés y Barangueras
Spanish religious born in Vic in 1848, Carmen Sallés y Barangueras founded the congregation of the Conceptionist Mission…
María del Tránsito Cabanillas
The first Argentine religious foundress, María del Tránsito Cabanillas founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Missio…
María Dolores Medina Zepeda
Mexican religious sister and foundress of the congregation of the Daughters of the Passion of Jesus Christ and of Mary D…
María Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña
Foundress of the Catechist Institute of Dolores Sopeña and the social work OSCUS, she dedicated her life to the educatio…
María Dolores Segarra Gestoso
A Spanish religious sister and foundress of the Missionaries of Christ the Priest, María Dolores Segarra Gestoso dedicat…
María Emilia Riquelme y Zayas
María Emilia Riquelme y Zayas (1847-1940) was a Spanish religious sister, foundress of the Congregation of the Missionar…
María Félix Torres
María Félix Torres (1907-2001) was a Spanish religious sister, foundress of the Company of the Savior dedicated to the C…
María Guadalupe García Zavala
A Mexican religious sister, Maria Guadalupe García Zavala founded the congregation of the Handmaids of Saint Margaret Ma…
María Josefa Recio
María Josefa Recio Martín (1846-1883) was a Spanish religious sister, co-foundress and first Superior General of the Con…
María Josefa Sancho de Guerra
Spanish religious sister (1842-1912), foundress in Bilbao of the Servants of Jesus of Charity, dedicated to the care of …
María Natividad Venegas de la Torre
Mexican religious (1868-1959), foundress of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Guadalajara, dedicated to the …
María Pilar López de Maturana
Spanish Blessed, foundress of the Missionary Mercedarian Sisters of Berriz, she transformed her cloistered monastery int…
María Rafols Bruna
María Rafols Bruna (1781-1853) was a Spanish religious sister, co-founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity …
María Séiquer Gayá
María Séiquer Gayá (1891-1975) was a Spanish religious, foundress of the Apostolic Sisters of Christ Crucified. After th…
Saint Martha (Hostess of Jesus Christ)
Sister of Lazarus and Mary Magdalene, Martha is famous for having welcomed Jesus at Bethany. After the Resurrection, she…
Mary Elizabeth Lange
Foundress of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the first Catholic religious congregation for women of African descent in…
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier
French religious sister born Rose-Virginie Pelletier (1796-1868), foundress of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity o…
Mary Jane Wilson
Mary Jane Wilson (1840-1916), in religion Sister Mary of St. Francis, was an English-born religious, foundress in Madeir…
Mary MacKillop
Australian religious (1842-1909), foundress of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart and the first canonized s…
Mary of the Passion
Hélène de Chappotin (Mary of the Passion) is the foundress of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, a missionary institut…
Mary Potter
Mary Potter (1847-1913) was the foundress of the congregation of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, dedicated to…
Mary Theresa Dudzik
Józefina Dudzik (Sister Mary Theresa), born in Poland in 1860 and died in Chicago in 1918, is the foundress of the Franc…
Mary Ward
Mary Ward was an English religious sister, foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM) and the Congrega…
Saint Matilda (Mahault)
Wife of Henry I and mother of Otto the Great, Saint Matilda was an Empress of Germany exemplary for her humility and cha…
Matilda of the Sacred Heart
Spanish Blessed, foundress of the congregation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church, devoted to Eucharistic ad…
Mercedes de Jesús Molina
Mercedes de Jesús Molina (1828-1883) was an Ecuadorian religious sister, foundress of the Institute of the Sisters of St…
Nano Nagle
Pioneer of Catholic education in Ireland under the Penal Laws and foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Bl…
Nazaria Ignacia March Mesa
Nazaria Ignacia March Mesa, born in Madrid in 1889, founded the congregation of the Crusading Missionaries of the Church…
Blessed Oringa (Christina of the Holy Cross)
Born poor in Tuscany, Oringa refused marriage to dedicate herself to God, fleeing her family to become a servant in Lucc…
Paola Elisabetta Cerioli
An Italian widow who became the foundress of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Bergamo, dedicated to orphans and ru…
Paula de Jesús Gil Cano
Foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, she dedicated her life to orphans and the sick in Spai…
Paula Frassinetti
Italian religious born in Genoa in 1809, Paula Frassinetti founded the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy in 1…
Paula Montal Fornés
Spanish religious (1799-1889), Paula Montal Fornés founded the institute of the Daughters of Mary, Religious of the Piou…
Saint Paula of Rome
An illustrious Roman patrician descended from the Scipios, Paula dedicated herself to God after her widowhood under the …
Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus
Italian-Brazilian religious (1865-1942), foundress of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conceptio…
Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus
Saint Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, born Amabile Lucia Visintainer, is the founder of the Congregation of the…
Pauline von Mallinckrodt
Pauline von Mallinckrodt (1817-1881) was a German religious sister, foundress of the Sisters of Christian Charity, dedic…
Peregrina Mogas Fontcuberta
Peregrina Mogas Fontcuberta (María Ana) was a Spanish religious sister, foundress of the congregation of the Franciscan …
Rachele Lalia
Italian religious and foundress of the congregation of the Dominican Missionary Sisters of Saint Sixtus, she dedicated h…
Saint Radegund, Queen of France
A Thuringian princess captured by Chlothar I, Radegund became Queen of France despite her deep piety. After the murder o…
Rafaela Veintemilla Villacis
Rafaela Veintemilla Villacis (Rafaela of the Passion) was an Ecuadorian religious sister, foundress of the Congregation …
Rafaela Ybarra de Vilallonga
Rafaela Ybarra de Vilallonga (1843-1900) was a Spanish wife, mother, and foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of…
Raphaela Mary Porras y Ayllón
Spanish religious sister, foundress of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; after her removal from office in 1893…
Regina Protmann
Blessed Regina Protmann (1552-1613), foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Catherine, a pioneer in the e…
Saint Reine and Blessed Aldebert
A relative of King Pepin and wife of Aldebert, Count of Ostrevent, Saint Reine led a life of exemplary charity. Together…
Saint Richardis, Empress
Wife of Emperor Charles the Fat, Saint Richardis was unjustly accused of infidelity. She miraculously proved her innocen…
Rita Lopes de Almeida
Rita Lopes de Almeida (1848-1913), in religion Rita Amada de Jesus, was a Portuguese religious sister and foundress of t…
Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno
Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno (1831-1900) was an Italian widow, foundress of the Daughters of Saint Anne, dedicated to a…
Rosalie Cadron-Jetté
Foundress of the Sisters of Misericorde of Montreal
Rose Hawthorne Lathrop
Daughter of the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop (Mother Mary Alphonsa) dedicated herself to the free …
Rose Venerini
Italian religious born in Viterbo in 1656, Rose Venerini founded the first public school for girls in Italy in 1685 and …
Róża Czacka
Róża Czacka (1876-1961), in religion Mother Elżbieta, was a Polish religious sister, foundress of the Franciscan Sisters…
Róża Filipa Białecka
Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dominic in Poland, she dedicated herself to the education of rural…
Saturnina Rodríguez de Zavalía
Argentine widow and foundress of the country's first active religious congregation, the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus.
Savina Petrilli
Savina Petrilli (1851-1923) was an Italian religious sister, foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Poor of…
Saint Scholastica
Sister of Saint Benedict born in Norcia, Scholastica dedicated herself to religious life from childhood. She founded the…
Sebastiana Lladó Sala
Sebastiana Lladó Sala (1814-1899), in religion Sister Maria Raphaela of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was a Spanish religio…
Sister Mary Magdalene (Julie Postel)
Julie Postel, in religion Sister Marie-Madeleine, is the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy in the 19th century. She dedi…
Sophie-Thérèse de Soubiran
Sophie-Thérèse de Soubiran (1834-1889), in religion Marie-Thérèse de Soubiran, was the foundress of the Congregation of …
Blessed Stephana de Quinzani
A 16th-century Dominican nun, Stefana de Quinzani dedicated herself to God from childhood. She experienced a profound my…
Suzanne Aubert
Suzanne Aubert (1835-1926) was a French religious sister, foundress of the Sisters of Compassion in New Zealand, recogni…
Tecla Relucenti
Co-foundress and first superior of the Congregation of the Pious Workers of the Immaculate Conception, Tecla Relucenti d…
Teodora Campostrini
Teodora Campostrini (1788-1860) was the foundress of the congregation of the Minims of Charity of Our Lady of Sorrows in…
Teresa Candamo Álvarez-Calderon
Teresa Candamo Álvarez-Calderon (1875-1953), in religion Teresa de la Cruz, was a Peruvian religious sister and foundres…
Teresa Fardella di Blasi
Teresa Fardella di Blasi (1867-1957) was an Italian laywoman and foundress of a religious institute, recognized as Vener…
Teresa Grillo Michel
Italian widow who became the foundress of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of Divine Providence for the relief of …
Teresa Janina Kierocińska
Foundress of the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of the Infant Jesus, she distinguished herself by her heroic char…
Teresa Maria Manetti
Teresa Maria Manetti (1846-1910), in religion Teresa Maria della Croce, is the foundress of the congregation of the Carm…
Saint Teresa of Avila
Born in Avila in 1515, Teresa entered the Carmel where she experienced intense mystical events, including the transverbe…
Teresa of Calcutta
A religious sister of Albanian origin born in Skopje in 1910, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcu…
Teresa of Jesus Jornet
Spanish religious, Saint Teresa of Jesus Jornet e Ibars (1843-1897) founded in 1873 in Barbastro the congregation of the…
Teresa Rosa Ferdinanda de Saldanha
Foundress of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena in Portugal, she dedicated her life t…
Teresa Solari
Foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Little House of Divine Providence, Teresa Solari dedicated her life to welcomi…
Teresa Toda Juncosa
A wife who fled domestic violence, she founded with her daughter the congregation of the Carmelite Teresian Sisters of S…
Theodore Guerin
A French religious sister who emigrated to the United States, Saint Theodore Guerin founded the Sisters of Providence of…
Thérèse Couderc
A French religious, Thérèse Couderc is the co-foundress of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle, dedicated to spi…
Tomasa Ortiz Real
Tomasa Ortiz Real (1842-1916), in religion Mother Piedad de la Cruz, was a Spanish religious sister and foundress of the…
Saint Ulpha (Virgin and Recluse)
A solitary virgin of the 8th century, Saint Ulphe settled near Amiens to flee the world. Under the guidance of Saint Dom…
Ursula Ledóchowska
A Polish religious sister born in Austria, Ursula Ledóchowska founded the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters of the Ag…
Veronica of the Passion
Sophie Leeves (Mother Veronica of the Passion) was a British religious sister, a convert from Anglicanism, and the found…
Vicenta Chávez Orozco
Mexican foundress of the Servants of the Most Holy Trinity and the Poor, dedicated to the service of the sick.
Vincentia Maria López y Vicuña
Vincentia Maria López y Vicuña (1847-1890) was a Spanish religious, foundress in Madrid of the congregation of the Relig…
Vincenza Gerosa
Italian religious, Vincenza Gerosa (1784-1847) was, with Bartolomea Capitanio, the co-foundress of the Sisters of Charit…
Vincenza Maria Poloni
An Italian religious sister, Vincenza Maria Poloni co-founded the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy in Verona, dedicated…
Virginia Centurione Bracelli
A Genoese widow and noblewoman, Virginia Centurione Bracelli (1587-1651) dedicated her widowhood to the service of the p…
Virginia de Brincat
Virginia de Brincat (1862-1952), in religion Sister Margherita of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was a Maltese nun and found…
Saint Waltrude (Vaudre)
Saint Waltrude, a noble lady of the 7th century, founded the city of Mons after leading an exemplary life as a wife and …
Saint Wivine
Born of a noble lineage, Saint Wivine refused marriage to dedicate herself to God. After a life as a hermit near Brussel…
Zofia Czeska
A 17th-century Polish widow, Zofia Czeska dedicated her life and fortune to the education of poor and orphaned girls by …