TEACHERS OF THE HOLY CROSS OF THE THIRD ORDER OF SAN FRANCESCO OF MENZINGEN (BASEL). — When, in the first half of the 19th century, convents were being suppressed and schools secularized in Switzerland, Fr. Teodosio Fiorentini founded a new women’s Congregation dedicated to teaching. He sent the first three young women abroad so that they might prepare for their task; then he had them enter a convent of nuns of the Third Order of s. Francesco to train them in religious life, and, after a year of novitiate, in 1844, he had them take their vows.
The motherhouse was established in Menzingen, where the nuns took charge of the municipal girls’ schools, with the support of the diocesan Ordinary, who approved their Constitutions on 2 October 1851. The Institute endured terrible persecutions and became embroiled in distressing events, but succeeded in overcoming every trial and today is flourishing, doing much good.
The nuns devote themselves to the teaching and education of young women and have teacher-training schools, girls’ boarding schools, orphanages, elementary schools, kindergartens, shelters for emigrants, etc.
In 1946 there were 2138 nuns, distributed among 70 houses.