St. Anna Schäffer

 

St. Anna Schäffer was born in Mindelstetten, Bavaria on Feb. 18, 1882. Her father was a carpenter. When he died at a young age, the family of six children was left in poverty. Anna dropped out of school at 14 and worked as a maid to help support the family.

Anna hoped to eventually join a religious order. In 1898, she had a vision that long suffering was ahead. Less than three years later, on Feb. 4, 1901, while working in a laundry, she slipped and severely burnt her legs against a boiling laundry kettle, leaving her immobile. She endured more than 30 surgeries, but the operations and skin grafts were unsuccessful. Her mother took care of her for the rest of her life. 

Anna believed her suffering was her path to heaven. She focused on prayer, writing, and knitting. She would knit clothes for her friends from her bed. A local abbott brought her the Eucharist daily, and she had a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She continued to experience visions around 1910 and even received the stigmata.

Anna Schäffer died on Oct. 5, 1925 from colon cancer. Her feast day is Oct. 5.