God’s call 150 years ago led three young German women -- Mother Alexia, Mother Alfons, and Sister Clara – to sail across an ocean to America, where they founded a new religious community dedicated to educating other new immigrants.
On April 28, the School Sisters of St. Francis celebrated the 150th anniversary of our founding and rejoiced in the remarkable vision of our foundresses. Their journey was set forth to change lives across the globe by providing education, healing for the sick and elderly, social work, pastoral ministries and responding to needs of the time. That dream has become a reality, and the work our foundresses began continues today, in ways and in places they could scarcely have imagined.
WE INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE with us and give hope by generously supporting our ministries. Working together in our faithful ways You have given us the support we need to change lives around the globe and bring hope to the future.
While our ministries have evolved through a century and a half, we are steadfast in upholding the same Franciscan values that inspired our foundresses. Our lives are shaped by daily prayer, a spirit of hospitality, and a commitment to peacemaking. These values are intended to inform a way of life, a view of the world, and a definition of our relationship to our Creator that is more relevant today than ever before.
Your generous support enables our sisters to give hope to people in need and shine the light of Christ’s love wherever we serve.
PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES at the Alternative Programs Center in Santa Apolonia, Guatemala. The center offers vocational training, personal development opportunities, and family nutrition education for woman and girls, and facilitates scholarships for economically, disadvantaged students. Your support will help keep scholarship holders active and faithful in their studies, provide resources to sustain the center and respond to the demands of the nutrition programs.
FEEDING THE HUNGRY on the southwest border. Casa Alexia, our across-the-border food sharing program, distributes monthly packages of food staples to families and elderly residents in Juarez, Mexico. Your support will provide these essentials, which are a lifeline for people whose lives are impacted daily by extreme poverty and violence.
OFFERING HOPE FOR ABANDONED WOMEN at Asha Bhavan (“House of Hope”) in Bangalore, India. Our sisters provide safe shelter, care, and renew dignity for elderly women who have been abandoned by their families. These women can rely upon our sisters to provide lifetime care for all aspects of their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Your support will enable our sisters to continue their ministry with these women and restore their self-worth, self-respect, and inner peace.
HEALING THE SICK AND ELDERLY AROUND THE WORLD Healing the sick and elderly around the world. Our sisters provide hope for those that are challenged by receiving routine medical care. They strive to promote the health of the whole person, enhancing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness at every life stage. Your generous support makes treatments accessible to villagers in India who walk great distances for medical treatment, and affordable health services to people who live in impoverished rural and urban areas throughout Latin America.
CARING FOR OUR RETIRED SISTERS Caring for our retired sisters after decades of faithful ministry. Our retired sisters continue to shine their light by serving our community, the Church and the world through their prayers, hospitality, and volunteer service ministry. Your support ensures our congregation can give the retired sisters quality medical care, housing, memory care services and the transportation they deserve.
NURTURING AND PRESERVING ALL OF GOD'S CREATION through our ministries of care. Our sisters work for a brighter future through their ministries that alleviate suffering, change unjust systems, and restore our ecosystem. Your support helps our sisters extend hope for the future and keep the light of Christ’s love shining.
We are blessed to have foundresses who led by prayerful example. Together let us honor the sisters who for decades have had a positive impact around the world. Your gift will help us to fulfill the vision our foundresses began150 years ago.
Blessings,
Sister Deborah Fumagalli Amanda Ferguson
President Director of Mission Advancement