Europe
Germany
Bad Wörishofen
monastery

A brief description.

The Dominican sisters of the monastery of Saint Catherine in Augsburg founded a new monastery in Wörishofen. Therefore sister-vicar Christine Eggart, O.P. with two choir sisters, one lay-sister, and the prior of Augsburg as vicar of the Provincial Andreas Roth, O.P. (1717-1721) came to Wörishofen on 24.07.1718. The sisters lived in an part of the castle (now old city hall). Provincial Roth established contact with the well-known architect Franz Beer (+1726), which constructed the Dominican monastery in Siessen, near to Saulgau, to build also the monastery in Wörishofen. The stone laying took place on 4 August 1719, the feast of Saint Dominic. Beer's son, Johann Michael II (1700 -) completed the building. The tower and the church were finished in the summer of 1722, whereupon the church was consecrated by the suffagran Bishop of Augsburg, Jakob von Mayer on 12.09.1723. Andreas Roth was appointed the confessor.

In this monastery also lived the blessed sister Cecily Mayer.

On 29.11.1802 the elector of Bavaria confiscated all the clerical properties, also the monastery of Wörishofen, but the Dominican sisters were allowed to stay there. After forty years the King Ludwig I allowed the five remained sisters to open a primary school for girls on 17.05.1843.

The monastery received a world reputation by Sebastian Kneipp. This Bavarian priest and hydrotherapist was born at Stephansreid, Bavaria, on 17 Mai 1827. During his studies for the priesthood he had a breakdown and he began with hydrotherapy for himself. He was ordained a priest  in 1852 and became chaplain in Biberach, Boos and Augsburg (Saint George).

In 1855 he was appointed the confessor of the Dominican monastery in Wörishofen and the assistance of the parish. In 1880 he became the parish priest. To try out his hydrotherapy he built in the inner garden of the monastery a small bathhouse, which later was pulled down.

While still a curate he practised his hydrotherapy for the benefit of the poor, and his success in curing their ailments attracted wide intention, and his fame spread throughout Germany. His little book 'My water cure' went through many editions and was translated into many languages. Sebastian Kneipp lived in the presbytery from 1881 till 1897. He died in an room in the men wing of the monastery on 17 June 1897.

Source: Catholic Encyclopaedia.

Philately

The monastery and church of the
Dominican sisters inBad Wörishofen.
Also the 'Kurhaus' to receive the
hydrotherapy of Sebastian Kneipp.

Germany 1933/36. Postmark Bad Wörishofen with the monastery and Sebastian Kneipp.

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