In her autobiography, Sr. M. Zita gave herself the title of "a hermit at heart from youth." The twinkle in her eyes and the radiant smile on her face bore daily witness to her excitement about seeking union with God throughout her life.

Katharina Koenig, the tenth of the eleven children of Anna (Daldrup) and Anton Koenig, was born May 20, 1899 in Demekamp, Dulmen, Germany. After the deaths of 5 children in their infancy and her husband in 1902, Mrs. Koenig continued to manage the farm and raised her 3 sons and 3 daughters, supported by the love and kind assistance of loyal friends. When her oldest son died in 1905 at age 20, the second oldest returned home and inherited the farm. Theirs was a loving family bonded together by hard work and nourished by deep faith. Katharina's personal love for God was apparent to her family and friends even at an early age. At age 15 a school friend gave her a daily prayer for a religious vocation. 

A contemplative heart was her experience long before she entered the convent. On the farm, alone with the cattle or elsewhere, her heart was always lifted up by the songs she sang by herself. In her own words, "I had that confidence that was always between God and me, even when I was a child in school, and it has stayed with me all these years." Sr. M. Bernard Willman from Clyde came to visit their parish and after Katharina's first interview with her it became clear that she was being drawn to the convent of perpetual adoration in America. Of course her dear mother wept bitterly at the thought of such a separation. Although it was difficult for all the family, Katharina had a peaceful departure from home with her two brothers bringing her to the train.

She accompanied Sr. M. Bernard and 22 other young women to America, spending 13 days on the sea, including a severe storm, and many were sea sick along the way. After she entered at Clyde on August 27, 1922, Sr. M. Cunigunda became her guardian angel. Sr. M. Benedicta Forschner was their postulant director and could speak German pretty well although at times they laughed at her efforts. 

The next few days found them stomping silage in the barn, having some good sweat baths in the process. Her first work assignment was to the chicken house. "Surely this will not be all day" she thought, but found out differently. Sr. M. Margaret Wiesli spoke German so they got along very well. Katharina also had the honor of shoveling coal down through a little window below the infirmary where Sister had the heating of the boiler. This left her covered with black soot and was something unusual, although she had emptied the stables at home in Germany. Work at the chicken house was fun even though it was hard work. 

Sr. M. Zita thought it was surprising that such a frail, small sister like Sr. M. Margaret Wiesli could hold out for twenty five years in that chicken house, going every day, rain or shine, ice or snow. It was at times very wet, and demanded wearing boots and getting clothes wet up to the knees in the long grass along the railroad track for their little wagon to bring food for the chickens. They baked cornbread and took potato peelings from kitchen and cooked them in a big kettle in the open. But after Sr. M. Margaret died in May 1924, Katharina no longer had the strength to keep up with the demands of this work and ill health sent her to the infirmary for a time.

She professed first vows August 30, 1924 as Sr. M. Zita, and perpetual vows September 1, 1929. After her years at the chicken house she helped in the milk house, workmen's house, kitchen, outdoors and refectory. In 1928 she was assigned to the Mundelein monastery where she lived for 36 years. Leaving for Mundelein was quite an experience. It was the first foundation and there were tears in abundance everywhere. They went by train to Chicago to the Forschners palace and had breakfast there in great style. They were shown the house and the room where Cardinal Faulhauber had said Mass. 

They all helped together until after midnight shoveling and carrying dirt from the basement and practicing for the opening Mass the next morning. She lived in Mundelein from 1928 until 1964 and during her first years there she worked in the kitchen, the bakery, the chapel, or helping with guests at times. No matter how busy she was she never neglected her prayer and reading. She was an avid reader and learned to do lectio even before such a term was used. Her eyes would fill with tears as she shared some insight into the mystery of God or the words of Jesus that she had read and meditated on that day.

Sr. M. Zita had a strong, clear singing voice and was also a chanter for many years. Altar bread work became her joy and loved ministry for 30 years, beginning in Mundelein and during most of her years in San Diego where she lived from 1964 until January 1992. When San Diego was closed and she had to transfer to St. Louis, this was a time of suffering for her. But the pain of this move once again challenged and deepened her trust in God's will. She once told a younger member, ” You will have no problem if you can just be obedient." And her words of wisdom to others were verified by her own faithful love. Another bit of wisdom she shared was "Don't fight anything, just accept it, and you 'll have fun."

Sr. M. Zita was an enthusiastic student in Carmela's class in the craft room. Already in San Diego she had expressed her creativity by making cards and doing some painting. It was a joy for her to paint cards for the Sisters’ name days and special occasions. Only a few days before her death she told Carmela that she would not be coming to the craft room anymore, saying, "I've got to start preparing for death."

Sr. M. Zita never lost her childlike sense of wonder, her interest in reading spiritual books, her enthusiasm, joy and excitement whenever she could read or talk to someone about God. Nor could any sacrifice or suffering ever weaken her trust in God. She would say with conviction that "this is the highest perfection, to accept anything that is the will of God, and praise Him for what He is, not for what he gives you." 

The final phase of her journey from this life into eternity was quick and unexpected. She awoke around 1:40 AM, having difficulty breathing. The night nurse called Sr. Gladys who made her comfortable with oxygen. When Sr. M. Zita was told she was dying she seemed to smile and her struggles for breath were interspersed with "Come, Lord Jesus, come!" With her contemplative heart she had always said that "a complete forgetting of self leads to a continual praise of God." Her final surrender came at 2:25 AM, on May 9, 1996.

Mass of Resurrection was celebrated in the St. Louis monastery chapel on Monday, May 13, with burial at Mt. Calvary cemetery at our Clyde monastery the following day.