Bl. Odilia Baumgarten
Blessed Odilia Baumgarten
Bl. Odilia Baumgarten – A Remarkable Life
When She Lived:
Blessed Odilia Baumgarten, also known as Sister Maria Teresa of the Heart of Jesus, lived from December 20, 1853, to April 9, 1926.
Where She Lived:
Blessed Odilia Baumgarten was born in Günzburg, Bavaria, which is now part of Germany. She spent most of her life in Europe, particularly in the areas of Germany and Switzerland.
Notable World Events During Her Life:
- Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871): This war between France and the Kingdom of Prussia (later becoming part of Germany) had a significant impact on Europe’s political landscape. The war resulted in the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership and the establishment of the German Empire.
- Invention of the Telephone (1876): Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone revolutionized communication, paving the way for a global telecommunications network and connecting people across vast distances.
- Women’s Suffrage Movement: During Blessed Odilia’s lifetime, the women’s suffrage movement was gaining momentum in various parts of the world. Notably, New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote in national elections in 1893, setting a significant precedent for other nations.
- Einstein’s Theory of Relativity (1905): Albert Einstein’s groundbreaking theory of special relativity, published in 1905, revolutionized the understanding of time, space, and gravity, laying the foundation for modern physics.
- World War I (1914-1918): The First World War was one of the most devastating conflicts in history, involving numerous countries and resulting in millions of casualties. It profoundly impacted society, politics, and international relations.
- Russian Revolution (1917): The Russian Revolution brought about the fall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of communism, leading to significant changes in the geopolitical landscape and the spread of socialist ideologies.
Patronage:
Blessed Odilia Baumgarten is the patroness of expectant mothers, difficult marriages, and victims of abuse. Her life was marked by compassion and dedication to the suffering, making her an inspiring figure for those facing challenges in these areas.
Early Life
There is little known about Blessed Odilia Baumgarten. What little is known often associates her with Blessed Marie-Anne Vayo.
History records that Odilia Baumgarten was born in Gordrexang, Eastern France. She was born on November 15, 1750.
Her family was a lowly family of millers. The Baumgartens lived a very simple life.
As a child, Odilia’s father then told her stories about how the church was found by Saint Vincent. These stories often amused Odilia and shepromised herself to serve God all her life.
Years later, Odilia Baumgarten discovered the community of the Daughters of Mercy. She first met them in Vic-Sur-Seille, and she sought to live how they lived. Although lacking financially to some extent, she loved how the Daughters of Mercy helped the poor.
Dedication and Devotion
On August 4, 1774, Odilia joined the society of the Daughters of Mercy in Brest, Paris. She was just 24 years old.
There, she spent time understanding their lifestyle. It was probably during this period that she met
After staying with the congregation for a while, Odilia was dischargedto Angers, Western France, to help take care of victims of the plagues in a hospital called Saint-Jean.
While serving in Angers, the French Revolution broke out. This marked the beginning of the persecution of Christians in 1789.
Christians were reported to the authorities, arrested, tortured, and punished. Citizens were expected to not only denounce their faith in Christ but also denounce their faith in the Church and even the pope.
People who defected from these instructions were stripped of their property, banished, or even killed. The government sought to dissolve not only religious institutions but also religion-backed institutions, including the hospital ministry of the Daughters of Mercy.
While many of the institutions shrank in fear, the Superioress of the Daughters of Mercy community encouraged the sisters to continue to serve God through the sick. She encouraged them to have faith in God and not be intimidated by the acts of men.
In order to frustrate the sisters, the Jacob Democratic Party of France tried to make all members of the Daughters of Mercy community take an oath to denounce their faith in public.
All the sisters, however, refused to take the oath and were immediately rounded up and arrested. On January 19, 1794, when Odilia Baumgarten was 43, she and all her sisters in faith were arrested.
They were held and tortured for data. On the 1st of February in the same year, they were taken to the public library along with other erring individuals.
Death and Canonization
On the 1st day of February 1784, Blessed Odilia Baumgarten was shot and killed in Avrillé, Maine-et-Loire, France.
She died, like many others that day, for her staunch belief in God and the Church.
Blessed Odilia Baumgarten was consecrated by Pope John Paul II on February 19, 1984. She is remembered by the Church on January 2.
5 Interesting Facts About Blessed Odilia Baumgarten
- Did you know that Blessed Odilia Baumgarten was a part of the
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul? - Did you know that Blessed Odilia Baumgarten died a virgin?
- Did you know that Odilia Baumgarten has not been named Patron saint?
by anyone? - Did you know that Blessed Odilia Baumgarten is named after a Catholic
liturgy? - Did you know that Blessed Odilia Baumgarten was one of the 99 martyrs of
the French Revolution to be blessed by Pope Saint John Paul II?
