Diamond Profess: Sr. Josefa Maria Stieglbauer celebrates 60 years of faith!

Diamond Profess: Sr. Josefa Maria Stieglbauer celebrates 60 years of faith!

Laxenburg, Österreich - On May 30, 2025, a very special ceremony was celebrated in the monastery church of the cross sisters in Laxenburg. Sister Josefa Maria Stieglbauer committed her diamond profession of profession - 60 years of religious life. With this impressive life path it becomes once again clear how complex the life of religious can be.

The solemn service was celebrated by Prelate Karl Hoffegger and five priests, including her brother, the spiritual council of Karl Stieglbauer. Numerous family members and friends gathered to express their gratitude for Sr. Josefa Maria's tireless service and their committed work. Together with three other sisters, one of whom celebrated their 50th anniversary, the event was duly celebrated.

a life in the sign of faith

sr. Josefa Maria Stieglbauer was born on April 17, 1940 in Otternitz, in the parish of Groß St. Florian. As the second child of Karl and Johanna Stieglbauer, she grew up with four siblings on a farm. At an early age, she felt the inner reputation of consecrating her life completely God, despite the initial concerns of her father with regard to an entrance to the monastery. She spent her school days in the St. Martin elementary school in the Sulmtal and then helped in the family agriculture, while she also worked as a nanny in the Mayr family in Dörfla.

The way to the monastery began in 1958 when she entered the monastery of the Barmherzigen sisters from the Holy Cross in Laxenburg at the age of 18. During her training as a nurse, she received the order name Sister Josefa Maria. On July 15, 1965, she took off her initial professor and tied to the congregation, where she was active over the years in various activities, including in nursing schools in Mistelbach and Amstetten.

commitment and dedication

Her conductor positions in the religious community enclosed for eleven years as a secretary of the provincial house and a decade of a decade as a provincial superior of 1992 to 2001. Then she found her place in the “Haus Elisabeth” old people's and nursing home, where she continues to work. It regularly brings the residents to Holy Communion and has been doing sacristy for 14 years. Her passion for service to others and her commitment in the community shows in every step she takes.

As Sr. Josefa confirms Maria herself, her life in the order is characterized by deep fulfillment. "I feel arrived and live fulfilled and freely with God," she is quoted. This is reminiscent of other sister Josefa Maria, who, although she chose a different way of life and lives in Munich, shares similar sensations. This younger Josefa Maria, for example, who entered the Congregation of the Merciful Sisters from the Holy Vinzenz von Paul in 2020, also found the meaning in faith that she was looking for for a career as a project manager at Airbus.

Both women illustrate that religious life is far more than just retreating to the monastery - it offers space for community, prayer and tireless service to others. While the older Sr. Josefa Maria leaves numerous traces, there are crucial turning points in the life story of the younger sister, which illustrate their calling for religious life.

This shows once again: Orders shape the coexistence and full of love by devoting to God and people. The celebration of the diamond profession of profession of Sr. Josefa Maria is therefore not only a personal success, but also a sign of durability and engagement in the community.