Marija Terezija grofica Ledochowska: utemeljiteljica Družbe sv. Petra Klavera za afričke misije i otkup robova

The book Maria Theresa Countess Ledochowska, edited in 1940 by the Croatian writer Štefa Kršnjavi-Iskra (pseudonym Iva Rod), is a religious-hagiographic biography of the blessed Maria Theresa Ledóchowska (1863–1922). It is an adapted and edited edition of the original work for Croatian readers, published by the Society of St. Peter the Claver in Zagreb.

Maria Theresa Ledóchowska was born into a prominent Polish noble family in Loosdorf (Austria). As the eldest of seven children, she grew up in a deeply Catholic atmosphere. Despite the possibilities of a brilliant secular life, she felt a strong spiritual call to missions. She worked in the secretariat of the Propaganda of the Faith in Rome, where she encountered the drama of Africa – slavery, ignorance and suffering. In 1894/1896 she founded the Society of St. Peter the Claver, whose goal was prayerful, material and spiritual assistance to African missions and the redemption of slaves.

She never went to Africa, but she became known as "Mother of African Missions". The book describes in detail her ascetic life, deep humility, organizational work, writing, fundraising and suffering caused by illness (tuberculosis). Her family stands out in particular - among her brothers and sisters are Jesuit General Włodzimierz Ledóchowski and St. Ursula Ledóchowska.

The work is written in the spirit of Catholic devotional literature of the 1940s: the style is inspired, full of quotes from her letters, emphasizes virtues and sacrifice and serves as a spiritual encouragement to the faithful. It contains black and white photographs, and today this book is a rare antiquarian publication that testifies to the missionary zeal of the Catholic Church in the first half of the 20th century and to the work of Croatian Catholic women writers. Maria Theresa Ledóchowska was beatified in 1975.