On Monday, 27 April 2026, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, signed in Rome the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of our Sister Maria Theresia. Thus, she may now be called “Venerable,” and this means that she may be publicly invoked as an intercessor and serve as an example to the faithful.
Theresia Ysseldijk was born on 13 November 1897 in Apeldoorn, Gelderland, to devout parents. Her father had learned the shoemaking trade, but due to the newly emerging factories, the craft was no longer in demand, and the family moved several times in search of work. After six years in Ochtrup, Germany, where her father died at the age of thirty following a workplace accident, the family moved to Enschede. There, four children from her father’s second marriage joined the original three children.
Theresia suffered greatly from childhood onwards, but she did not complain. Instead, she looked to Jesus and simply said: “Jesus suffered much more for us.” After school, and later after working in the factory, she would always visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
On 2 October 1917, she entered the Carmel of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Tilburg. Two years later, she made her first profession. She then spent several months at the Motherhouse in Sittard preparing for the mission in America, for which the Foundress, Mother Maria-Teresa Tauscher, needed sisters. At that time, this meant saying farewell to her family forever. It was undoubtedly a great sacrifice, but the missionary zeal within her gave her the strength to do so. Together with seven other Dutch sisters, she set out across the ocean in December 1919.
Soon after her arrival in America, she developed a painful kidney illness, which was unfortunately recognized too late. Her missionary activity now unfolded differently from what she had imagined. Instead of going out to people and telling them about Jesus, she was able to unite herself with Him who hung upon the Cross. Her motto was: “Suffer in silence and give thanks aloud.” Out of love for Him, she endured all her sufferings without taking pain medication. Her religious life was exemplary; despite her illness, she faithfully observed the Rule of her Order and the practice of silence. On 10 March 1926, she died a holy death in a hospital in St. Louis. Soon after her death, many wonderful answers to prayer began to occur, leading the Foundress, Mother Maria-Teresa Tauscher, to say that she was a saint.
Her cause for beatification was opened in 2010 at the request of her family, who had always venerated her as their “holy aunt.” Now, with the recognition of her heroic virtues, another step forward has been taken. Great joy is being experienced both in the Netherlands, where she was born, and in the United States, where she died and was buried.
We wish to thank God for this grace with a Holy Mass in our chapel on 11 May at 10:00 a.m.
Everyone is warmly invited!
