Therese Neumann

Therese Neumann
von Konnersreuth

Mystic and Stigmatist

April 8, 1898 - September 18, 1962

Therese Neumann was born on April 8, 1898, during the night of Good Friday/Holy Saturday in Konnersreuth in Bavaria (Oberpfalz) Germany. She was the first child of 11 of Ferdinand Neumann, a tailor, and his wife Anna Grillmeier. As it was the custom, soon after birth, she was baptized, on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1898, in the parish church St. Laurentius in Konnersreuth. Therese grew up in a modest home. Work in the house was a main task. There was not much of an opportunity for children's play, because each of the children had to do some work on the small farm or in the tailor´s shop, according to their strength and ability. The parents raised their children consistently Christian. She attended elementary school from 1904 - 1911. She was known as a diligent and good pupil.

The small income of the parents made it necessary for the children to earn some money for the daily living of the family, as soon as possible. For that reason, Therese worked already in the afternoons during the last half year of Elementary school (1910-11) in the Castle of Fockenfeld. By age 14 (1912) she worked full time as a maid on a rather large property in Konnersreuth. Therefore, during the years 1911 - 1914, she attended only Sunday school. According to her final report card, she earned good and very good grades for the subjects of Religion, Science, Reading, Arithmetic, Essay and Penmanship. Therese was an intelligent and healthy child. During her school years, nothing extraordinary was noticed. She was known for her cheerful mind and showed great responsibility at an early age. On July 12, 1908, she was confirmed by the Bishop Antonius von Henle in Waldsassen. On April 18, 1909, she received First Holy Communion.

At the age of fifteen Therese began thinking about becoming a missionary Sister to Africa. But in 1914, the First World War prevented her entry into that Order. When her father was drafted in 1914, she promised her parents to postpone entering the convent until her father returned from the war. Because the owner of the estate was drafted to serve in World War I, Therese took over the position of the head-servant. Because she was physically very strong, the work on the farm and in the fields went well. She loved plants and animals, the change of seasons as well as natural events. As a soldier on leave in World War I, her father came home and brought a devotional picture of the French Therese of Lisieux (Thérèse Martin) of the Carmelite Order for his daughter. At age 16, Therese Neumann became interested in the biography of "Little Therese", venerated her and prayed for her beatification.

In 1918 a tragic injury changed her life. During a fire, Therese was helping to pass buckets of water to put it out when she injured her back. This injury led her to fall uncontrollably to the ground on succeeding days. These falls brought on paralysis and blindness. She developed pneumonia, digestive problems, abscesses formed in her ears causing a loss of hearing and bed sores developed. These physical sufferings continued for six years until she developed appendicitis. Her family and doctors expected imminent death.

She miraculously regained her sight in 1923 through prayers to St. Teresa, "The Little Flower." Later Therese Neumann's limbs were instantaneously healed. From 1923 onward, Therese has abstained completely from food and drink, except for the daily swallowing of one small consecrated wafer. February 16, 1926 was a new decisive turning point in Therese's life. She fell ill again, in addition, an ear abscess developed, and at times bloody water and pus trickled out of her eyes. Often the pain gave her sleepless nights, i.e. on the night of Thursday/Friday March 4/5, 1926 she couldn't sleep. Suddenly, she had a vision. She saw Jesus kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane. At the same time, she experienced a pain on the left side of her breast, of such intensity that she thought she would die. Then blood started to run down from this place. The trickling of blood lasted until the next midday.

The other signs of illness remained. The ear abscess broke open on Holy Saturday, but she was bedridden until 1927. On the night of Thursday she had a second vision - substantially the same, yet extended by the scene of the scourging of Jesus. On the following Friday, March 19, 1926, she saw also the crown of thorns put on, and on Friday, March 26, 1926, the carrying of the Cross and the fall under the Cross. On Good Friday, April 02, 1926, she saw the complete Passion, and in the early morning of Easter, the Resurrection of Christ. The visions were accompanied by blood-wounds, which appeared not only in the heart area, but by the end of the year, in all places of the wounds of Christ, the Stigmata.

Therese had this vision of the Passion again and again until her death, during 36 years each time in over 30 separate visions every Friday, except on those Fridays from Christmas to Lent, Easter to the Feast of the Sacred Heart and on any Fridays which coincided with a high feast or an octave of a feast. During her visions, her eyes, heart and head bled; during Lent, her hands, feet, knees and right shoulder also bled...on Good Friday, bleeding would occur on her chest and back too. The Stigmata on her heart, hands and feet stayed visible, but never became inflamed or festering ...unless a remedy was applied.