On 19th November 2024, we celebrated the 120th anniversary of the Redemptoristines in Lauterach. A group of 17 sisters came to Lauterach (Vorarlberg, Austria) on 19th November 1904. Originally, eight sisters had been sent from our motherhouse in Vienna to found a community in Salzburg in 1900. Due to the great poverty and the very poor state of the house, the sisters could not stay there. Despite the difficult conditions, the number of sisters grew from 8 to 17 during these four years. Thanks to the Redemptorists, who had a community in Dornbirn (a neighbouring town of Lauterach) at the time, the sisters found out about a vacant monastery in Vorarlberg and moved here. More than 80 Redemptoristines from nine different countries have lived in our community. We thank God for the faithfulness of each and every sister who has lived in this monastery for Jesus and prayed for the world.
The thanksgiving Mass at 10 a.m. was celebrated by our bishop, Beno Elbs, together with 11 priests, five of whom were Redemptorists. Our neighbouring religious sisters from Bregenz and many faithful from our diocese also took part.
In his homily, Bishop Benno reminded us that as Redemptoristines we bear Jesus the Redemptor – the Redeemer and healing Saviour – in our name and that it is our task to pray on behalf of others and to be balm for many wounds.
After Holy Mass, the guests were invited for refreshments in our inner garden and were able to visit our Altar Breads factory, the cemetery and a newly opened museum, which was blessed by Father Provincial Martin Leitgöb CSsR in the small circle of the Redemptorist family on the morning of the anniversary day. One of the museum’s highlights is a red shoe and a pileolus of Pope Pius IX, which were unexpectedly found in our attic. Pius IX was the 255th Pope from 1846 to 1878. During his pontificate – which, at 31 years and 8 months, was the longest recorded – the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary was proclaimed and the First Vatican Council was held, among other things. In the meantime, we have learned that these valuable papal items originally belonged to the Dominican Sisters (who built the Monastery of St. Joseph as a boarding school for girls, but when it became too small for them, they moved to Marienberg in Bregenz in 1904). We are very grateful to the Dominican Sisters of Marienberg that we are able to preserve these valuable treasures and make them accessible to the public in our museum. The museum is open every Monday from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
We look back on the past with love and gratitude, live in the present in faith and joy, and look to the future with hope and courage. Above all, we continue to follow Jesus, the Redeemer, bear witness to his redeeming love and carry the world and the needs of concrete people in our daily prayers.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who made this special day even more special for us through their presence, their great help, support and prayers. We are grateful to all our benefactors, friends and relatives of our community who have supported our prayer ministry over the past 120 years. We also thank all the priests who celebrate Holy Mass for us daily and accompany us spiritually. May we all continue to experience God’s loving presence in our midst and may many more graces flow from our monastery to the whole world.
Sr. Maria Sidorova, OSsR.
