Bl. Hildegard Burjan

Patron of the Sisterhood of Caritas Socialis and Politicians

Bl. Hildegard was an early twentieth-century Austrian laywoman who was known for her work promoting women’s rights and the rights of workers. She was born to Jewish parents in 1883, moved frequently throughout the German empire, and eventually received her doctorate in 1908. However, she suffered severe kidney problems later in 1908 which almost ended her life. After her recovery, she converted to Catholicism along with her husband. She then spent the rest of her life working for women’s rights as well as the right of workers. She became one of the first women elected to the Austrian Parliament when she was elected in 1918. She was beatified in 2012 and can serve as inspiration for laywomen in the work of politics today.