History of our community

Actually, one could say, the way to today's Maria Theresia Bonzel Foundation was already marked out back then, in the middle of the 19th century. Already at a young age it was the wish of the young girl Aline Bonzel (later Sister Maria Theresia) (internal link to Where we come from / Maria Theresia Bonzel) to lead a life in the special following of Christ - following the example of St. Francis (internal link to Where we come from / Francis of Assisi). At the same time, she always had an open and realistic eye for the great need of the people in her immediate surroundings.

And after overcoming several difficulties, in 1859 three young women found themselves in Olpe, under the leadership of Sister Klara Pfänder, to found a religious community, which was very quickly joined by other women. In addition to the education and training of orphans and the care of the sick, the sisters took on important charitable tasks at that time, the accomplishment of which was very necessary in the turmoil of the time. The group soon had to look for another location. Sister Klara decided to move the motherhouse to Salzkotten. She moved there with the majority of the sisters in April 1863, and Sister Maria Theresia remained in the Olpe branch with seven other sisters.

A lively religious and social life developed at both locations. But because of the long distances for that time, there were also many misunderstandings and problems. Thus, as early as July 20, 1863, Bishop Konrad Martin of Paderborn sent a letter to Olpe officially confirming the group in Olpe as an independent Franciscan women's community. Sister Maria Theresia Bonzel was appointed Superior General and was now "Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel", who now had to take care of her own form of life and rule for her community. In 1865 she presented this to the bishop, who recognized it, and the community took the name: "Cooperative of the Poor Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Olpe". There followed a period of development and numerous activities and requirements in different places. July 20, 1863 is considered the official foundation day of the community of the "Olpe Franciscan Sisters".

The plans were initially thwarted by the Kulturkampf. Educational work in any form was withdrawn from the sisters; they were only allowed to work as nurses in the military hospitals, and new members were not admitted. During this time, Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel made contact with a bishop in the USA and was then able to send young women to America so that they could realize there their desire to live in the special following of Christ.

Out of these experiences and with the always critical view of the events of the socio-political environment, the decision was made as early as 1902 to found a limited liability company in order to create a secure basis for the existence of the order and the institutions that had been established in the meantime. For the time, this was a more than farsighted act, because from then on the sisters worked under the commercial register entry "Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für Krankenpflege und Kindererziehung zu Olpe mit beschränkter Haftung".

Many changes of a socio-political and economic nature challenged the community again and again. The goal was always to secure a socially acceptable old-age pension for the sisters, but also to enable them to serve the poor and needy in the future.

In 1982, the association of the "Franziskanerinnen von der ewigen Anbetung e.V. Olpe" was founded. This was the first time that separate asset management of the GmbH and the order's assets became effective - a wise decision.

In 1983, a development began that constantly placed new demands on the administrative area. Therefore, for the first time, the sisters appointed a managing director for the business of the GmbH. In the course of this change, the company name and the object of the enterprise also changed. The new company name was now: "Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft der Franziskanerinnen zu Olpe mbH" (GFO).

While Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel had made a more than correct decision at the beginning of the 20th century by founding a limited liability company, this decision had to be reconsidered not quite 100 years later under the pressure of far-reaching changes. The good economic situation of the company and the growth of the facilities into a large company similar to an association were now clearly contrasted by the declining number of new women and the higher age structure of the sisters. In this situation, the sisters were no longer able to meet the personnel and professional requirements for the sole management of a rapidly developing "enterprise".

Several models of a supporting concept were therefore examined: in 1995, those responsible decided to establish a foundation. Since then, July 20, 1995, has been the official foundation date of the Maria Theresia Bonzel Foundation.

With the transfer of the limited liability company shares of the "Franziskanerinnen von der ewigen Anbetung e.V. Olpe" association to this foundation, the main shareholder function lies with the foundation and the economic management with the "Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft der Franziskanerinnen zu Olpe mbH" - a sensible separation of important entrepreneurial functions, which since these days, through mutual control and prudent exertion of influence, has developed and proven itself to be an effectively operating structure of religious community, foundation and limited liability company.