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Maria Josefa Karolina Brader was born on August 14, 1860 in Kaltbrunn, Sankt Gallen, Switzerland. She was an only child who lost her father at a very young age.
When she was 20 years old, Maria entered the Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and took the name Maria Caridad of the Holy Spirit. She made her final vows two years later on August 22, 1882. Maria’s mother was initially sad to lose her daughter to religious life, but in time, she accepted Maria’s call.
In religious life, Sr. Caridad served as a teacher for six years. Then, in 1888, she volunteered to be one of the first six missionaries from the community and was quickly accepted. In fact, the superior of the new adventure recognized Sr. Caridad’s abilities and was delighted to have her.
The group made its way to Chone, Ecuador where Sr. Caridad worked as a teacher and children’s catechist from 1888 to 1893. Then, in 1893, she was sent to Túqurres, Colombia to teach the poor and marginalized of society. She spent the rest of her missionary days serving the people of Colombia.
On March 31, 1893, Sr. Caridad founded her own order, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception with the help of a German priest, Fr. Reinaldo Herbrand. She served as superior general from 1893 to 1919 and again from 1928 to 1940. Pope Pius XI approved the order in 1933.
Mother Caridad died on February 27, 1943 at the age of 82 in Pasto, Nariño, Colombia. Mother Caridad was beatified on March 23, 2003. In addition to being a patron of her order, Blessed Maria Caridad is a patron of catechists, missionaries, and teachers.
Today, the order she founded serves throughout the world.
