Blessed Mary Frances Schervier (1819-1876)

Mary Frances Schervier was born into a wealthy family in Aachen, Germany. Her father, Johann Heinrich Schervier was a wealthy needle factory owner and the vice-mayor of Aachen. Her mother, Maria Louise Migeon, was the god-daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria. After her mother’s and two sisters death from tuberculosis, Mary Frances established a reputation for generosity to the poor. In 1844 she became a Secular Franciscan. The next year she and four companions established a religious community devoted to caring for the poor. On 2 July 1851, the local bishop approved the “Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis“, and the community soon spread. The first American foundation occurred in 1858. In 1857, she encouraged Philip Hoever in establishing the “Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis” (a congregation of lay brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis instituted for charitable work among orphan boys and educating the youth of the poorer classes). At the same time she oversaw the foundation of several hospitals. In 1863, Mother Frances visited the United States and helped her sisters to nurse soldiers wounded in the Civil War. She visited the United States again in 1868. When Mother Frances died, there were 2,500 members of her community worldwide. The number has kept growing, and they are still engaged in operating hospitals and homes for the aged. Mother Mary Frances was beatified in 1974.
(From Wikipedia)