After 27 years

Change of leadership of the Sisters of Mercy

Maria Gerlinde Kätzler (left) was Superior General of the Sisters of Mercy Zams for 27 years. Barbara Flad (right) has now been elected as her successor.(Bild: Barm. Schwe. Zams/Marcel Hagen-studio 22)

After 27 years, the office of Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul with their motherhouse in Zams is being passed into new hands. Barbara Flad will take over from Maria Gerlinde Kätzler.

Since 1997, Sr. Maria Gerlinde Kätzler has shaped an era of development with foresight and courageous decisions. The sisters have repeatedly expressed their trust in her. This has ensured the necessary continuity in times of major restructuring. Now that these processes have been completed, the time had come for her to pass on the leadership as planned.

Our plants are central and permanent. The focus is on qualitative development with an emphasis on dignity, solidarity and careful use of resources

Barbara Flad

Sr. Barbara Flad will take over this position until the regular General Chapter in 2027. She is responsible both for the community and for the company run by the order as a sponsor with around 1,800 employees in medical, social, educational and catering facilities in Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Carinthia, South Tyrol and Peru.

Goals, visions, challenges
The primary task of a superior general follows the mission of the order's founders: caring for fellow sisters, the needy and those in need, as well as education, especially for women. Flad believes that the order is well on the way to becoming a relevant player in the social, health and education sectors. She pays particular attention to strengthening community and values.

We need to be highly attentive to trends in society and politics and have the courage to take a stand for the convictions we stand for.

Barbara Flad

Flad describes today's world as an era of change and social upheaval that requires resilience and an awareness of values. She is concerned about nationalist tendencies and the threat to democratic values. 

To inspire young women for religious life, Flad relies on presence through direct encounters as well as in social media. "It is crucial to be close to people and to create low-threshold places for exchange," she explains.