Schwestern der englische Institut St. Mariae Plaque

A quiet plaque. That’s the unassuming marker that whispers the story of the Schwestern der englische Institut St. Mariae, or the English Ladies of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Here, on this very spot in Munich, their story intertwines with the city’s rich history. The Schwestern der englische Institut St. Mariae, also known as the Maria Ward Sisters, represent a remarkable chapter in the history of women’s religious orders. Their founder, Mary Ward, an English noblewoman, fled Catholic persecution in her homeland. She sought refuge in Flanders and initially joined the Poor Clares in St. Omer. But Ward felt a different calling. She left the convent and established her first school in St. Omer in 1609, focused on girls’ education. This marked the beginning of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The order soon expanded, establishing branches in the Rhineland and Italy. In 1626, Mary Ward and her community were invited to Munich by the Bavarian Elector Maximilian I. A year later, they opened a girls’ school with a boarding facility. The Schwestern der englische Institut St. Mariae distinguished themselves from other women’s communities of their time. Unlike the Elisabethines and Ursulines, they refused to be cloistered. This bold stance attracted controversy and led to the closure of their institutes by Pope Urban VII in 1631. Mary Ward herself was briefly imprisoned in Munich in 1632. Undeterred, she journeyed on foot from Munich to Rome and back, advocating for her order. Her persistence paid off. In 1635, the Munich institute, the very one commemorated by this plaque, was allowed to reopen. This location became the motherhouse of the entire order. The Schwestern der englische Institut St. Mariae thrived under the patronage of the Munich electors and the dioceses of Freising and Augsburg. By 1800, they had established eighteen houses. Their community was divided into three classes: noble “ladies” and middle-class “maidens” served as teachers, while other sisters performed the more physically demanding household tasks. The Schwestern der englische Institut St. Mariae weathered the secularization of the early 19th century due to their recognized contributions to education and social work. Although their order was officially dissolved in Munich in 1808, they eventually regained their footing. In 1835, King Ludwig I of Bavaria granted them the Royal Educational Institute in Nymphenburg. They didn’t receive full recognition as a regular order from Rome until 1877. Although the General Superior’s seat was transferred to Rome in 1929, the legacy of Mary Ward and her English Ladies continues to resonate in Munich. This simple plaque serves as a reminder of their pioneering spirit and dedication to educating young women.