Sint-Jozef Monastery Zusters van Liefde

The congregation of the Sisters of Charity was founded in Schijndel in 1836. From here, more than thirty new monasteries were established during the congregation’s most prosperous years. The sisters also played an important role in the local community, particularly in education and healthcare.

Motherhouse
The motherhouse on Pastoor van Erpstraat, known as the Saint Joseph Monastery, is a listed national monument. It now contains apartments where members of the congregation still live. The monastery was built between 1869 and 1878. The sisters also established a hospital and several schools in Schijndel.

Pastor Van Erp
In 1831, the 34-year-old Antonius van Erp became parish priest of Schijndel. He devoted himself to caring for the poor and the sick. Soon afterwards, he founded a Catholic school for girls in the village. Despite a difficult start, the school grew rapidly, creating a need for more teachers.

Sisters of Schijndel
To address this need, Pastor Van Erp founded a religious congregation. In 1836, the “Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, Mother of Good Assistance” was established. Locally, the members became known simply as the Sisters of Charity or the Sisters of Schijndel.

Education and Care for the Poor
Maria de Bref was the first woman to join the congregation, taking the religious name Sister Vincentia. In its early years, the Sisters of Charity lived a strict and humble life marked by poverty. They worked tirelessly in education and social care, and the congregation flourished in the years that followed.

Growth of the Congregation
Pastor Van Erp died unexpectedly in 1861, but the congregation continued to grow. By 1929, more than thirty new monasteries had been established. The sisters devoted themselves to education, healthcare and elderly care. Since 1975, no new sisters have joined the congregation, and its numbers have gradually declined.

A Pioneering Role
Outside the monastery stands the artwork Nieuw Leven (“New Life”) by Ru van Rossem. It was created in 1986 to mark the congregation’s 150th anniversary. The horses depicted in the artwork symbolise the pioneering role played by the sisters.

This text has been translated using AI.