The house the Sisters are planning to purchase is very roomy, well situated, and besides has garden area surrounding it. If a house for a convent is to be purchased in Olpe, this one would be the most favorable. I have no misgivings regarding this purchase other than the world political conditions and I have talked with the superior, Sister Clara, concerning these, with the remark that I consider it advisable to delay purchase for several months. The universal need for money might cause the lowering of the set price. It will definitely be in the interest of the congregation to purchase the property later, for the Bonzel and Loeser families who are expected to finance the purchase will only with difficulty be persuaded to do so if a house was to be purchased in another locality. At least during the lifetime of the parents of Aline Bonzel and Regina Loeser, this should not take place. Since the railroad now passes near Elspe, all prices have been advanced – making costs significantly higher than formerly. From what other sources could the money be obtained if not from the aforementioned persons?
Under pressure of conditions the house was purchased sooner than had been planned. On June 10, 1861, the legal procedures had been transacted with the businessman William Weber, the merchant Christian Loeser, and the widow Bonzel. The mother practically purchased the property for her daughter, Sister Maria Theresia. A singular situation! One could have transacted the business by having the superior purchase the property and the relatives of the co-founders finance the undertaking as a gift to the Sisters. Was the principle of Franciscan poverty accomplished by their way? Or did the relatives wish to gain greater security for their daughters through the method that was employed? After the completion of the business deal, renovation of the house took place immediately. Foremost, arrangements had to be made for a chapel. By July 31, 1861, the convent was ready for occupancy. The Blessed Sacrament was borne to the new chapel in solemn procession. The young Community now had a definite convent home.
The bishop was very hesitant in giving his approval. As late as August 29, 1861, he wrote to superior Dean Goerdes as follows:
Rather for the sake of peace, I wish that the Franciscans would investigate other areas to see if they could not locate more suitably in some other place. It would be very agreeable to me if Your Reverence, by your advice, would support some other suitable place.
What were the reasons for recommending the foundation to be made in some other place outside of Olpe? In itself Olpe seemed the most suitable. Three Olpe girls were among the first nine Sisters. The affluent families of Bonzel and Loeser backed the foundation and made possible the first steps in its economic support. Were the citizens of Olpe not justly proud that such an undertaking took place in their town? All told, the difficulty was linked with the fact that the Vincentians, an active charitable order and operating St. Martin Hospital in Olpe, were already established there. The Vincentian Sisters really had the first right. Through their charitable activities they had deserved the gratitude and the attachment of the citizens of Olpe. Must not the Vincentians, and above all their responsible superior, the suffragan bishop of Paderborn, be concerned that their activities in Olpe be maintained?
As long as the Sisters of the newly founded congregation under Mother Clara Pfaender were few in number, there was not thought of defining the operations of each community in detail. Why should it have been done? Their fields of work were well outlined. The Vincentians operated the hospital and nursed the sick; the Franciscans had opened a small orphanage and otherwise devoted themselves to Perpetual Adoration. Each congregation had its own spheres of activity without the one interfering in the work of the other; so it seemed.
There was no reason why the young congregation should have made known its first Constitution to the world. If it had done so, one would have become aware earlier that difficulties were bound to arise. For the Constitution drafted by Mother Clara and approved by the bishop gave as objectives not only the “care, education, and instruction of youth, but also the nursing of the sick in hospitals and in homes …” In the beginning, this second point did not come to the fore in the activities of the Sisters as can be learned from the fact that the people called them the “orphan sisters.” Also, the task of nursing was not sought by the Sisters themselves. It happened incidentally. It was really unavoidable.
When the Sisters on their begging tours entered the homes of their benefactors and saw a sick person who needed nursing care, it was but an act of charity to do more than just say a kind and encouraging word. When the families begged the Sisters to come again to see their sick, what else could the Sisters do? The sick are particularly attached to those persons in whom they have once confided. Could the Sisters refuse when people approached them to come and see their sick relatives? The instances increased. That aroused the feelings of the Sisters at the hospital and also those who saw in the Vincentians “their” sisters. Was not the newly established congregation forcing its way into the sphere of activity belonging to the long established charitable Sisters?
These feelings might have been augmented by the surprisingly rapid growth of the newly founded congregation. At that time Olpe was but a small town with a population of 2,200. Now if a really large motherhouse of the congregation should be established, could the Vincentians, who justly had priority, maintain themselves in Olpe? One must bear in mind that in October, 1859, the Sisters resided in the house of Widow Schuerholz; after Easter 1860, they moved into the Zimmermann house. On July 31, 1861, they moved into an established convent. Between these transactions there were negotiations for Elspe and the territory bordering on the Chapel of the Cross. Such restless activity could readily give opportunity for malicious talk.
Representing the interests of the Vincentians, Auxiliary Bishop Freusberg appealed to the bishop. The bishop presented his considerations to the superior of the Franciscans in Olpe. He announced by letter dated March 23, 1861:
As the activities of the Sisters of Charity are confined chiefly to the one special building, I do not believe that they suffer anything out of the ordinary if the Franciscans visit some of the sick to whom they are called. Likewise it is questionable whether the money bestowed upon the Franciscans would be given to the Sisters of Charity if the former were not there.
These words of the superior show quiet reflection. Unfortunately such careful thought was not the case of all concerned. For as the letter of the superior discloses, a strong apprehension had arisen that the Vincentians could possibly lose their successful operation and economic status if another congregation with great strength should develop in Olpe.
The situation did not quiet down. That occasioned the bishop to write to Mother Clara on April 18, 1861:
I have very carefully scrutinized the complaints leveled against your congregation in Olpe. The complaint is that the nursing of the sick in the homes is being usurped. I do not recognize this to be an established fact. On the other hand I see unfortunately that although your congregation should give no cause for dissention, the conflict will continue and grow into an uncontrollable scandal.… I assure you that I embrace your congregation with sincere pastoral benevolence and shall acknowledge it at all times; but because I heartily wish you well and would not like to see you, even though innocent, give occasion to scandalous conflicts…. I beg you through the love of Christ to offer this sacrifice to God: either change the location of your motherhouse from Olpe or refrain from nursing the sick in Olpe. I realize how very difficult either decision will be. My pastoral heart is greatly grieved to have to come to such a decision. But the greater the sacrifice the richer the reward that will rest upon your congregation.
The bishop’s letter was clear. Why were his urgent wishes not followed immediately and another site sought? In the first place the superior Dean Goerdes was of a different opinion. He was acquainted with the immediate and prevailing circumstances and knew that the Sisters in transferring the congregation out of Olpe would be hanging in midair. In Olpe they were established economically through the energetic assistance of widow Bonzel. Besides at this time negotiations were in progress for purchasing property that would provide a convent for the Sisters. Since widow Bonzel was prepared to finance the purchase of the property, stability