Maria Katharina Kasper

Maria Katharina Kasper – born Katharina but in religion known as Maria – was a German Roman Catholic religious sister and the founder of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. Kasper entered the religious life later in her life despite having harbored a desire to become a religious sister for a great period of time. It had not materialized earlier due to aggravating circumstances such as the Kaspers' poor economic status and the deaths of both a brother and her father. Her dedication to the poor and the ill was noted during the course of her life and she dedicated herself to this work with great zeal.