Catholic women religious in service to the world that needs us, living our vocation in a variety of rewarding ministries. We respond to God's call to serve as Franciscan Sisters in Catholic Education, health care, parishes, urban and rural communities throughout the United States.
Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Anne Marie Lom answers the question: How can Franciscan Spirituality help someone who is discerning Religious Life?
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As Saint Francis of Assisi had special devotion to the mysteries of the Incarnation, the Eucharist and the Cross, so too, do Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity reflect this Holy Week on these realities. This photo from Saint Frances Cabrini Church, West Bend, Wisconsin is a moving depiction of the tremendous love of our God for us.
Fittingly, Franciscan Sister Sharon Paul and our Sisters of St. Benedict Convent, Cambridge, Ohio, received a vocation cross as a sign of a commitment to pray for vocations to the Church in a special way during Holy Week. Sister Sharon shares about what this means for the Sisters.
The parishioners at St. Benedict’s Church, Christ Our Light Parish, Cambridge, Ohio pray in a special way for Religious Vocations during the Season of Lent. Parishioners: single, married, families or Communities sign up at one of the four Masses to pray for a week for this intention. At the end of the week-end Masses, the priest celebrant has the person or persons come up to the front and receive a Vocation Cross with a booklet to use for prayer. The whole faith community joins their prayers during the week with that person or family.
One of the prayers asks: “Lord, enkindle in our communities a missionary zeal to send workers into your fields and to come and follow You.”
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity serving at St. Benedict’s, Cambridge, Ohio, offered to take the cross for Holy Week on Palm Sunday at the 8 A.M. Parish Mass and to pray in a special way for Religious Vocations.
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Community Director Sister Natalie Binversie reflects on the life of Sister Pavel Morin. Read the entire account here: Franciscan Sister Pavel Morin reflection
On June 26, 1951 Therese wrote the following letter:
Dear Mother Edna,
I’m very interested in your order and would like to join. Please send me the necessary papers so that I may apply for admittance. Thank you,
Therese Morin
On August 13, 1951 Therese’s pastor, Rev. Raymond J Garin, wrote the following letter:
To whom it may concern,
Therese Morin, a member of my Parish, has informed me of her wish to become a member of the Order of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity. I have known her for a number of years and I feel reasonably sure that she was in earnest when she told me of her desire. I have been very favorably impressed with her piety. She assists at Mass and receives Holy Communion practically daily. Furthermore, I feel practically certain that she is morally suited for the Convent. She impresses me as a good, clean-cut girl, of excellent character. And whatever I have heard others say concerning her was to her credit. Therefore, I feel justified in recommending Therese to the Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Raymond J. Garin
Administrator of St. John’s
Therese was accepted to enter Holy Family Convent on August. 23, 1951. On her Reception day, June 13, 1952, she received the name Sister Pavel. She attended Holy Family College earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree on July 28, 1965 with a Major in Education and a Minor in English. Sister Pavel was an excellent Primary Grade teacher for 38 years in Wisconsin, Arizona, Ohio and Michigan. She was very generous and caring.
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity are blessed to receive invitations to share our life with others through vocation visits. Throughout the country this happened recently near Catholic School Week. Sister Marlene Schwaller, Sister Mary Frances Maher, Sister Kay Klackner and Sister Elizabeth Benvie were generous in responding to Diocese of Green Bay elementary schools regarding presentations on consecrated life. Furthermore, in geographical areas around the Motherhouse, Sister Julie Ann Sheahan coordinated dates for visits of children with Franciscan Novices and Postulant Hilda whenever possible.
In January we were on the road to Appleton, Wisconsin, Xavier High School Junior Retreat day at Sacred Heart Parish. Novice Sister Cecilia Joy and Hilda shared about God’s call to them, entertained questions and distributed a simple bookmark or Pax button bracelet made by the Sisters.
Sister Rosalyn Muraski, serving at St. Thomas More School, Green Bay, WI, invited us to join her for a vocation talk with students. We traveled to the school and met with the girls in their school chapel.
High school students from Columbus Catholic Central High School, Marshfield, WI were our guests for an overnight Motherhouse visit. Students toured our Motherhouse, prayed with us, and had recreation with those in the initial steps of becoming Sisters. Chaplain Father Daniel Sedlacek and teacher Tammy Riegl planned some chapel reflection time for them before they stopped at Silver Lake College of the Holy Family for a tour on the way home.
Franciscan Sister Martinella Janz created a Franciscan Sister Vocation Activity Book to share with primary teachers for their students. It answers two questions: Sisters, who are they? What do they do? It is easily printed on 4 pages back to back.
The text includes a simple glossary of terms e.g. Sisters, Family and Convent. In addition to sharing information about Sisters, students are encouraged to reflect on questions like: What are you good at? What do you like doing? Who do you pray for?
One Catholic School teacher in the Platteville, WI area recently sent this message after sharing the book with her students.
“We loved doing the books today! All the girls were asking me how you become a Sister and how you know if that’s what God wants you to do. And the boys were all wanting to know if there was something cool like that they could do They also wanted me to ask you if you would pray for them. They thought that would be so cool. Yay! I was showing them pictures of the convent and the Mississippi school and the Sisters there today, too! They loved it!”
Download a pdf file of the activity book. Click here: Franciscan Sisters Coloring Book by Sister Martinella Janz. Comments are ever welcome.
Sister Kathleen Murphy reminds us of Pope Francis’ April prayer intention of Vocations, while Sister Natalie Binversie’s shares the call of Sister Florence Piotrzkowski. Sister Florence’s family is a model of prayerful support, the kind of family Pope Francis sees as tremendous blessing in our Church today.
April marked World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In that spirit, we pray with the Church, that young people may respond generously to their vocations and seriously consider offering themselves to God in the priesthood or consecrated life.
Prayer and sacrifice for the gift of vocations is nothing new to us as a community. We do it in some form every day, and God continues to bless us in His own time. This is a good month to increase our prayers and sacrifices in union with the whole Church. It is a good time to re-read the stories of the calls of Francis and Clare. It is a good time to reflect on the blessings of our own vocation.
This is a good time to consider the fact that no vocation comes out of a vacuum. As Pope Francis says, “Vocations are born within the Church. From the moment a vocation begins to become evident, it is necessary to have an adequate “sense” of the Church. No one is called exclusively for a particular region, or for a group or for an ecclesial movement, but rather for the Church and for the world. “A sure sign of the authenticity of a charism is its ecclesial character, its ability to be integrated harmoniously into the life of God’s holy and faithful people for the good of all.” In responding to God’s call, young people see their own ecclesial horizon expand; they are able to consider various charisms and to undertake a more objective discernment. In this way, the community becomes the home and the family where vocations are born. Candidates gratefully contemplate this mediation of the community as an essential element for their future. They learn to know and to love their brothers and sisters who pursue paths different from their own; and these bonds strengthen in everyone the communion which they share.”
Let us take some time to thank the Lord of the Harvest for our own vocation and for the ecclesial nature that St. Francis brought to our spirituality as he sought to have his little band blessed by the Church.
Read about Sister Florence’s call to be a Franciscan Sister: Franciscan Sister Florence Reflection
Franciscan Postulants Megan, Colleen and Tricia share the latest news in their lives as Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Postulants.
Is God calling you to be a Franciscan Sister? We invite you to consider our retreat and event offerings. Click here to learn more about the many options that are available to experience our Franciscan way of life. For more information call or text Sister Julie Ann at 920-323-9632.
With Pope Francis, we invite all of us to pray:
Behind and before every vocation to the priesthood or to the consecrated life there is always the strong and intense prayer of someone: a grandmother, a grandfather, a mother, a father, a community…. This is why Jesus said: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest,” that is, God the Father, “to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38). Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; and only through prayer can they persevere and bear fruit.
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity General Administration meets with Mark Kolter, Kolter Creative Counsel, Milwaukee, WI re: vocation research and initiatives
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity are open to planning with you a time for a visit to our Motherhouse in Manitowoc, WI. Consider this weekend April 17-19, 2015 for some personal prayer time, but even more so some moments with us to know if you feel at home among us. Click here to read more.
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity are open to planning with you a time for a visit to our Motherhouse in Manitowoc, WI. Consider this weekend February 27- March 1, 2015 for some personal prayer time, but even more so some moments with us to know if you feel at home among us. Click here to read more.
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Our Consecrated Life Vocation as Franciscan Sisters is service by following Saint Francis. We live our Franciscan charism in Catholic Education, Health Care, Education and parish outreach.