Maria Droste zu Vischering (1863–1899)

Biography

Among them is María Droste zu Vischering, born in Münster, Germany. At the age of 23 he voluntarily decided to lead a life according to evangelical advice. After many doubts and battles with herself about her vocation, she resolved to serve as an educator to abandoned girls and prostitutes. She joined the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Münster and about this resolution she wrote the following: “Lord: I have abandoned everything, absolutely everything, to love you until the last moment of my life and to spread devotion to your Most Sacred Heart, according to all my possibilities.” He took charge of the house of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, in Porto, Portugal, which was in a difficult situation and close to financial ruin. After five years of hard work with the sisters and girls, he managed to turn the convent, both administratively and spiritually, into an exemplary Christian center of charity. During this time he suffered a total collapse due to excessive work. From the Lord he perceived the vocation to serve him as an instrument for the consecration of the entire world to his Sacred Heart: Jesus wants to be King and Center of all hearts. He received the mandate to put this divine demand in writing and send it to Pope Leo XIII. On May 8, 1899, at the age of 36, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus died. In April of that same year the Pope had already contributed the litanies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the universal Church. Three days after the sister's death, the Pope carried out the solemn consecration of the entire world to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was beatified by Pope Paul VI on November 1, 1975.