Venerable Maria Kaupas, S.S.C. Founder Born Kasimira Kaupas ( 1880-01-06 ) 6 January 1880 Ramygala, Panevėžys, Lithuania Died 17 April 1940 (1940-04-17) (aged 60) Chicago, Illinois, United States Venerated in Roman Catholic Church The Venerable Mother Maria Kaupas, S.S.C. , (January 6, 1880 – April 17, 1940) was an American Catholic Religious Sister who founded the Sisters of Saint Casimir. [1] She was born Casimira Kaupas in Ramygala, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire. At the age of 17 she emigrated to the United States, where she settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to work as a housekeeper for her brother, the Reverend Anthony Kaupas, who was pastor of St. Joseph Parish there. [1] While there she had her first contact with Religious Sisters and was attracted by their way of life. She also became aware of the struggle her countrymen had in the United States due to the language barrier, especially in their spiritual life. [1] Overcome by homesicknes...