Understanding of the Church

The Servant of God was obedient to the Church, whose laws she faithfully observed. She venerated the Church in its visible head. She prayed a lot for Pope Pius IX, who was then ruling. She offered her sufferings for him. She had great esteem for the bishops; personally as well as in the administration of her Congregation she was especially loyal to Bishop Raess. She showed great respect for all priests, in whom she saw God himself.
“I would have gone down on my knees before anyone of them to ask them for their blessing.” And in a special way, during her whole life she had great respect for her spiritual director and was completely obedient to him, Father Reichard, who was called to found the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Savior. She called on her Daughters to be completely obedient to the ministers of the altar.  The Original Rule says: “They will always be obedient to the pastor, who, whatever his ministry may be, is to be regarded by them as the legitimate authority.”

The Servant of God received many priests who came to ask her advice; many of them were edified by her. She spoke kindly of the priests, of the high dignity they were given and of the priestly virtues. She prayed a lot for them. Her prayers were very passionate: “Oh Jesus, my Divine Spouse, look at them with mercy, do not consider their weakness, You only have to say a word, oh my Love. Kindle the fire of Your love in them. Fill them with disgust for everything which is of the world. Imprint into their hearts Your bitter sufferings and make them give up everything that displeases You.” For the bishops, she offered her whole life in suffering.
She showed her spirit of faith through very deep sufferings, which she experienced knowing that the Church was persecuted in Rome, in France, in Switzerland, through the desire which she felt to convert the heretics; through her zeal for leading those who had lost the way, back to the Church, especially the Protestants nearby. It is, at first, through her prayers and her sufferings that she realized her zeal, then she sent out her Daughters to win over the souls by recommending to them above all the prayer and the practice of Christian and religious virtues. She declared herself ready to willingly give her blood and her life for the salvation of those who do not have faith.