Daughters of Divine Charity

The Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Love (Latin: Congregation of metastases Divinae Caritatis, religious symbol: FDC) is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by sister Franziska Lechner.

On November 21, 1868 sister Franziska Lechner received permission establishing the Community. The statutes were approved by the Archbishop Ordinariate in Vienna on March 18, 1871. On 1 February 1869, the first mother house was purchased, the young, penniless women offered a roof over their head, food and an education. Later, kindergartens, primary schools, secondary and higher educational establishments were in all major cities of the former imperial Monarchy founded.

On July 26, 1884, the Congregation of Rome was legally recognized. On the death of mother Lechner in 1894 almost 600 sisters of the Congregation of the monarchy were already joined and in 30 communities in the various countries active.

The nuns dedicated in a special way in education and in the establishment of nurseries and schools throughout the Danube monarchy. Today, about 1,280 sisters are (as of 31 August 2005) in Europe, North and South America and a mission station in Africa ( in Uganda) of the Congregation. Overall, it is active in 19 countries, seven offices in Austria. The mother house of the Mother of God Church is now in the Jacquingasse in the 3rd district of Vienna highway.