Karolina was the only child of a boatman, born in the suburb of Regensburg in Bavaria. As a teacher she was encouraged by a priest, Fr.George Wittman to form a Congregation of teachers to take charge of the education of the poor, especially the rural poor in Bavaria. She wrote a Rule for a new congregation and made her profession to the local bishop, taking the name Mary Teresa of Jesus in religion.

The purpose of the congregation was to provide Sisters who would work in pairs in rural schools. It expanded rapidly. It took the name of Sisters of Notre Dame and ten years later it had 52 houses in Bavaria. Mary-Teresa was forceful and outspoken by nature and saw to it that her ideas were put into practice. She had a talent for spotting different educational needs and started the first kindergartens and the first technical high schools in Bavaria. She won the respect of all church and civic authorities as well as the love of parents and schoolchildren.

She died in 1879 and by then her congregation numbered 3000 working in 300 houses across the world. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1985. Her name today lives on in many parts of the world including South and Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands.