GERHARDINGER, KAROLINA. - Foundress of the Poor School Sisters of Our Lady, b. at Stadtamhof on 20 June 1797, d. at Munich on 9 May 1879.
Desiring the religious life combined with teaching, she complied with the wishes of the bishop of Regensburg, G. M. Wittmann, by founding a Congregation, adapted to the times, for the instruction and education of girls, for whom she opened the first house, with the assistance of the court chaplain F. S. Job, in 1833 at Neuburg vorm Wald. In 1834 she took religious vows, assuming the name Maria Teresa di Gesù. The admirable perfection of her life and example, and especially her profound spirit of apostolate and reparative penance, led to the opening of her process of beatification in 1928.
BIBL.: F. Fries, Leben der ehrw. Mutter Maria Theresia V. Jesus, Munich 1907; M. K. Gietl, M. Maria Theresia V. Jesus, Freiburg im Br. 1921; M. Heimbucher, Die Orden und Kongregationen, I, 3rd ed., Paderborn 1933, pp. 465-67.