Sister Maria Thiatilde ND 4268 PDF Download
Klara FÖLLING
Maria Regina Province, Coesfeld, Germany
Date and Place of Birth: 26 October 1924 Freckenhorst
Date and Place of Profession: 15 August 1951 Ahlen
Date and Place of Death: 04 May 2026 Coesfeld, Kloster Annenthal
Date and Place of Funeral: 12 May 2026 Coesfeld, Convent Cemetery
Klara Fölling grew up with four siblings, lovingly cared for by her parents, Heinrich Fölling and his wife Gertrud, née Beermann. After finishing elementary primary and secondary school, Klara moved to Ahlen to attend the two-year commercial school run by the Sisters of Notre Dame as a boarding student. She writes in her autobiography… “It was here that I first discovered a sense of religious life, and many of the beautiful hours I spent there often made St. Michael the object of my thoughts.” Klara subsequently completed her compulsory year of service on a farm in Freckenhorst. After that, she began an apprenticeship at the city savings bank in Warendorf and was hired as a full-time employee after two years. She worked there for 6 1/2 years until she entered our congregation in Mülhausen on February 1, 1949. At her investment on August 15, 1949, she received her religious name, Sister Maria Thiatilde.
After her first profession, she lived in many different places: Vreden, Büren, Ahlen, Berlin, Münster, and Coesfeld, often in a leadership role within the community. In addition, Sr. M. Thiatilde received a teaching assignment from the then-Bishop of Münster in 1951 and thus devoted her energy and skills to schools and youth groups. She loved to talk about the early days of the music school in Vreden, which she had founded. She herself enjoyed playing the mandolin. In later years, when Sr. M. Thiatilde was already in Kloster Annenthal, she enjoyed playing music in the courtyard to the delight of all the sisters and staff. She was active in music groups that also performed publicly, took an interest in the lives of individual members, and offered support through her listening and advice.
She had a keen mind and took a keen interest in world affairs and church politics. In conversation, she was approachable and certainly had strong opinions. Of course, her interest was focused on our international congregation. She kept every decision—whether global or local—in her thoughts and prayers. She maintained close contact with her family throughout the years. She delighted in visits from her hometown, from relatives, and friends.
She also took a keen interest in archival work. To that end, she earned a certificate in 1990 with good grades. She established our archive and conducted research on the origins of individual branches within and outside our province. She received top marks for her written thesis on an ancient noble family.
“What’s new in politics?”—a question she often asked. As her eyesight began to fail, she was happy when someone read to her from the daily newspaper or the church newsletter. Letters from the Generalate always took priority. Sr. M. Thiatilde was an attentive listener.
She loved being outdoors in the “fresh air,” as she used to say. When she could no longer walk on her own, she took great joy in being driven around. On April 11 of this year, she celebrated her jubilee of joy with a grateful heart: 75 years of religious profession. She wanted to renew her vows once more before God and in the community. After that, her strength began to wane, and she became bedridden. Our thanks go to all the staff members for their skilled care and support.
A long religious life came to an end shortly before midnight on May 4. “The middle of the night is the beginning of a new day”; for our Sr. M. Thiatilde, it is the beginning of a new life in the vision of God.
