TEACHERS OF THE HOLY CROSS OF THE THIRD ORDER OF SAINT FRANCIS OF MENZINGEN (BASEL). - When in the first half of the 19th century the convents in Switzerland were suppressed and the schools secularized, Fr. Teodosio Fiorentini established a new women's Congregation dedicated to teaching. He sent the first three young women abroad so that they might prepare themselves for their task, then had them enter a convent of sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis to train them in the religious life, and, after a year of novitiate, in 1844, had them take their vows.

The mother house was established in Menzingen, where the sisters took charge of the municipal girls' schools, with the favor of the diocesan Ordinary, who on 2 October 1851 approved their Constitutions. The Institute suffered terrible persecutions and was entangled in sad events, but it managed to overcome every trial and today it flourishes, doing great good.

The sisters devote themselves to the teaching and education of young women and have normal schools, girls' boarding schools, orphanages, elementary schools, kindergartens, shelters for emigrants, etc.

In 1946 the sisters numbered 2,138, distributed among 70 houses.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: Arch. S. Congregazione dei Religiosi, B. 32; G. Baumberg, Sr. M. Paula Beck, Einsiedeln 1908; M. Heimbucher, Die Orden und Kongregationen der katholischen Kirche, II, Paderborn 1934, pp. 42-44.

Agostino Pugliese

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Teachers of the Holy Cross of the Third Order of Saint Francis of Menzingen

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