Zuster Maria-Jozefa

Sister
Maria-Jozefa
Born
Henriette Haeck

(1883-09-30)30 September 1883
Turnhout, Belgium
Died30 June 1961(1961-06-30) (aged 77)
Maarssen, Netherlands
EducationHeilig Graf Instituut

Sister Maria-Jozefa (born Henriette Haeck; 30 September 1883 – 30 June 1961) was a Belgian nun, educator, and poet. She directed the Heilig Graf Instituut ('Holy Sepulchre Institute') in Turnhout and is credited with "Dutchifying" the institution.

Biography

Sister Maria-Jozefa was born Henriette Haeck on 30 September 1883 in Turnhout, Belgium.[1][2] She was the eldest daughter of Pieter Haeck and Helena Haeck (née Lambrechts).[3] Her younger brother Herman Haeck (1888–1960) became a Jesuit priest and author.[3]

Maria-Jozefa was educated at the Heilig Graf Instituut (Holy Sepulchre Institute) in Turnhout from 1901,[4] taking her perpetual vows as a Roman Catholic nun on 25 August 1905.[3] From 1906, she directed the Institute.[1][5]

As director, Maria-Jozefa "Dutchified" the school, translating the Flemish language textbooks into Dutch.[1][6] She was supported by lay figures such as lawyer and politician Frans Van Cauwelaert.[7] She also translated hymns and psalms into Dutch.[3] She added a teacher training college and contributed articles on pedagogy to the Flemish Educational Journal.[1]

In 1927, Sister Maria-Jozefa was appointed prioress of the newly founded priory near Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands and left Flanders.[8] She served here until retiring from education in 1957.[1]

Sister Maria-Jozefa also wrote religious poetry and contributed works to the Flemish literary magazine Dietsche Warande (DW B) and Belfort.[1]

Sister Maria-Jozefa died on 30 June 1961 in Maarssen, Utrecht, Netherlands.[3][9]

In 2021, Sister Maria-Jozefa was included in a heritage walk in Turnhout.[6][10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Maes, Sandra (2023) [1998]. "Haeck, Henriette". De Encyclopedie van de Vlaamse (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  2. ^ Pissens, Désiré (1925). Vlaamsche weelde: een keus van zestig koppen uit onze letterkunde (in Dutch). Drukkerij Erasmus.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Zuster Maria Jozefa". Schrijversgewijs (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  4. ^ Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis (in Dutch). Vol. 68–69. Departement Geschiedenis van de Universitaire Faculteiten Sint-Ignatius. 1985. p. 121.
  5. ^ Durnez, Gaston (1981). Maria Rosseels (in Dutch). Gottmer. p. 7. ISBN 978-90-264-3348-1.
  6. ^ a b "Erfgoedwandeling besteedt aandacht aan opmerkelijke dames". Gazet van Antwerpen (GVA) (in Flemish). 2 March 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  7. ^ Reymenants, Geraldine (2013). Marie Elisabeth Belpaire: gender en macht in het literaire veld, 1900-1940 (in Dutch). Universitaire Pers Leuven. p. 210. ISBN 978-90-5867-944-4.
  8. ^ Monasticon belge (in French). Centre national de recherches d'histoire religeuse. 1978. p. 1064.
  9. ^ "Henriette Haeck". Biograpfisch portaal van Nederland. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Turnhout, stad van vrouwen". Visit Turnhout (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 August 2025.