Mother Maria Teresa Stanisława Jasionowicz was born on April 21, 1930 in Jezupol near Stanislawow, to parents Leon and Helena (born Wojtoń). Her family’s life of peace and love was abruptly interrupted by the war in September 1939. After the painful experiences of her youth: deportation deep into Russia and a two-year wandering through Siberia, and then after her release under the Sikorski-Mayski pact (June 1941) and the received amnesty, and thanks to the efforts of General Wladyslaw Anders, through Persia, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon – she got to Great Britain, where she settled with her mother and siblings. In Lebanon, she joined the Marian Sodality in 1947, and it was there that she first heard the voice of a vocation to religious life.
She first met the Nazareth Sisters in England, at the Polish School for Girls, in the village of Stowell Park. On October 29, 1950, in Pitsford, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. She made her novitiate in Albano, Italy where she took her first vows on July 24, 1953. She studied theology at the Pontifical Institute “Regina Mundi” She made her perpetual profession in Rome, at the Motherhouse in via Machiavelli on July 24, 1959, receiving the Mystery “of Jesus the Priest”.
From 1959 she served as sub-mistress of the international novitiate in Albano, and from 1964 to 1971 as its mistress, raising many generations of Nazareth Sisters, sharing her devotion and love for the Congregation, its spirit and traditions. In 1965, she left Albano for the new Generalate in Rome (via Nazareth) where the novitiate was transferred.
In 1971, she was elected general councilor and served in this duty for 12 years (1971-1982), dealing with formation at the level of the entire Congregation.
From 1983 to 1992, she served as superior of a community in Paris. Preoccupied with the problems of an increasingly vulnerable family, in 1995 she initiated the Association of the Holy Family in Paris, with the goal of the moral and spiritual rebirth of the family.
On July 27, 1992, she was elected Superior General of the Congregation. She listened deeply to the current needs of the Church in the world in order to rush to help wherever possible with her Nazareth-like readiness. During this time, she established several houses in the Philippines and a house in Nazareth.
While serving as Superior General, she was elected as a member of the board of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Union’s Executive Committee. She served in this position for 3 years (1998 – 2001).
As Superior General, on several occasions she received honors in various fields of social life: Medal and Cross of the Siberian Association, Medal of the Holy Family College in Philadelphia, Honorary Citizenship Key of the city of Grand Prairie, Texas (USA) “Pro Patria” medal and others. She accepted all these awards as signs of kindness to the Congregation she represented, and not because of her own merits.
In 2001, having finished her service as Superior General, she left for Paris, where she became Superior of the community in 2004. Continuing her duty of caring for the spiritual and physical needs of the sisters and helping with the tasks of running the Foyer for female students, she always took a keen interest in the families of the Association of the Holy Family. Until the end, she remained committed to the life of the community.
In her biography, she wrote: “My passion since the dawn of my years at the convent, has been and continues to be to immerse myself in the richness of the Mysteries of the Hidden Life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. I never cease to be amazed by this unfathomable Mystery entrusted to us in the charism by Blessed Mother Francis Siedliska, our Foundress. « O what a great calling for us, what a great task: to instill and spread among ourselves and others the Kingdom of God’s Love, which had its beginning in Nazareth ». With the passing of years and the most varied experiences in my life, I hear these words of our Blessed Mother more and more clearly. And my admiration for the beauty of Nazareth continues to grow. For Nazareth is heaven on earth and earth already in heaven! To Merciful Love I entrust every moment of life that the Spouse of my soul still wishes to give me . In my heart I constantly sing my Magnificat composed of daily graces, experiences and occurrences praising God for the call to Nazareth. Oh how I wish that now and for all eternity “my heart is Nazareth”.
She remained committed to the Paris community, the Province, the entire Congregation and the Church until the end, bearing witness to a life of love for Jesus and participating in His mission to spread the Kingdom of God’s love. She was embracing all the Sisters of the Congregation with her prayers and gratitude.
On July 27, 2023, after a few days in the hospital, Christ, the High Priest has carried her to eternity.
Her life, as she wished, became a hymn about her beloved Nazareth. She sang this hymn throughout her life and now she is singing it in eternity.
Dearest Mother Maria Teresa, rest in God forever!
