St. Ursula Ledóchowska navigated the turmoil of early 20th-century Europe to found a community of nuns to educate those who suffered the most from wars and unrest: girls.

She was born in 1865 to a Polish aristocratic family. Her family was full of faith—a sister, Maria, has been declared blessed after founding an order of nuns who served people in Africa; a brother, Vladimir, served as leader of the worldwide Jesuit community. She even had an uncle who was a cardinal!

The family had been living in Austria after suffering financial trouble, but returned to Poland when St. Ursula’s father died of smallpox. After his death, Ursula entered the convent and dedicated herself to the education of young people.

After 18 years in the community, Ursula was named mother superior. She opened a home for women studying at the university in Krakow, which had not been done before.

She was asked to provide similar help in St. Petersburg, Russia, by opening a boarding school for Polish girls living there. She established a convent there to sustain this work, and the nuns wore plain clothes because the Russian empire opposed Catholic institutions. She and the nuns who helped her were often watched and followed.

When the climate in Russia became more hostile, she moved to Russian-controlled Finland, where she translated prayers, songs, and a catechism into Finnish.

After the Communist revolution, Ursula and her community of nuns were expelled from Russia, and they settled in neutral Sweden. There, Ursula continued to educate girls—especially those who were displaced by war or unrest—by starting schools for science and language. The community also started a Catholic newspaper and established an orphanage in Denmark.

In 1920 Ursula made her way back to Poland with her sisters and dozens of orphans. During her work out of the country, her band of sisters had developed their own personality, and she established them as a new order in 1906—the Ursuline Sisters of the Heart of Jesus in Agony. They continue their work today all over the world.

St. Ursula was known as a gifted speaker, and often spoke before royalty and other international dignitaries. She died on this date in 1939, and her image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.

St. Ursula Ledóchowska, you spent your life educating girls despite opposition from Communists—pray for us!