History of the Sisters of Notre Dame

The Congregation was founded in Germany in the nineteenth century, a time of religious and social need. In 1849, two young teachers, Hilligonde Wolbring and Elisabeth Kuhling, in their love for the poor, took orphaned and neglected children into their home in Coesfeld, Germany, and began to educate and care for them. Recognizing the significance of their apostolate in the Church, Father Theodor Elting encouraged them to continue their service to the poor as members of a religious congregation. In the Sisters of Notre Dame of Amersfoort, Holland, he found a similar apostolic aim. At his request, they came to Coesfeld in 1850 to start a new foundation in which Hilligonde Wolbring as Sister Maria Aloysia and Elisabeth Kuhling as Sister Maria Ignatia began their religious formation. From 1850 to 1855, the community in Coesfeld was introduced to the spirit and rule of the Amersfoort congregation by three sisters from Amersfoort. This spirit and rule was received from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, founded in France by Julie Billiart in 1804. In 1855, the foundation in Coesfeld became an independent congregation. The charism of the first Coesfeld sisters, which had become one with the charism of Julie Billiart, gave the new congregation life and direction in the service of the Church. The congregation grew rapidly and is active today on several continents. We continue to witness to all people in the spirit of St. Julie and the first Coesfeld sisters, "How good God is!" On August 13, 1874, two Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in Covington, Kentucky. Things moved quickly. Two days later, the sisters were officially welcomed by the pastor of Mother of God parish and the following day found the sisters facing curious children at the parish school. From 1875 to 1878, Covington served as the center of the congregation due to the political conditions in Germany. Covington became a province in 1924. At present, there are 135 sisters in the province (including those in Rome and Uganda.) The sisters serve in a variety of ministries including education, (elementary, secondary, college), health care, childcare, religious education, pastoral care, and community services.

The Sisters of Notre Dame, an international congregation of women religious, now serve the Church in educational, pastoral and social ministries in fourteen countries on five continents. For further information, visit the SND international website at www.snd1.org.