Welcome

As Sisters of St. Francis, we embrace the Gospel way of life. We accept the challenge Jesus first gave Francis of Assisi, “Go, rebuild my Church.” Under the patronage of Mary Immaculate, we open ourselves to the Spirit of God at work within us. Following the example of our foundress, Mother Alfred Moes, we are women religious who take risks, assume new tasks and devote new energies as we seek out those in need and share our lives with them.

We have entered into our 156th year and look forward to our unfolding history. We continue to serve where God sends us and hold fast to the words, “Where one of us is, all of us are.”

Below is our Mission Statement.

Please browse our site and learn more about our community, ministry and latest news.

Leadership Team

We joyfully announce the members of the 2024-2025 Leadership Team

Bottom Row: Sr. René Simonelic, OSF – General Secretary, Sr. Jeanne Bessette, OSF – President, Sr. Roberta Naegele, OSF – Councilor
Top Row: Sr. MJ Griffin – General Treasurer, Sr. Barb Kwiatkowski, OSF – Councilor, Sr. Peggy Quinn, OSF – Vice President/Councilor

Care for the Earth

Reverence for the Earth and all its people is one of our Corporate Stances. We realize in these past few years that we are not just caregivers of the earth as if it is ours to use or abuse as we see fit but we are part of the earth, we are one with the Earth. As St. Francis expressed, we are brothers and sisters and we are called to reverence the gift that each part of creation is for us all and for each other.

To learn more about our stances, please click here:  Corporate Stances

The call from Pope Francis to the world is to come together in numerous ways to help heal the earth and live in a way that address our climate crisis which is evident in so many ways… heating the Earth, destroying the planet’s biodiversity, flooding islands, melting glaciers, polluting the air and water as well as causing great suffering and disparity for the poor and marginalized of our society. We have active committees trying to make our own congregation commitments to transformation of our hearts and habits to bring about the change needed.

Laudato Si’ Goals

1. Response to the Cry of the Earth
(Greater use of clean renewable energy and reducing fossil fuels in order to achieve carbon neutrality, efforts to protect and promote biodiversity, guaranteeing access to clean water for all, etc.)

2. Response to the Cry of the Poor
(Defense of human life from conception to death and all forms of life on Earth, with special attention to vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities, migrants, children at risk through slavery, etc.)

3. Ecological Economics
(Sustainable production, Fair-trade, ethical consumption, ethical investments, divestment from fossil fuels and any economic activity harmful to the planet and the people, investment in renewable energy, etc.)

4. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles
(Sobriety in the use of resources and energy, avoid single-use plastic, adopt a more plant-based diet and reduce meat consumption, greater use of public transport and avoid polluting modes of transportation, etc.)

5. Ecological Education
(Re-think and re-design educational curricula and educational institution reform in the spirit of integral ecology to create ecological awareness and action, promoting the ecological vocation of young people, teachers and leaders of education etc.)

6. Ecological Spirituality
(Recover a religious vision of God’s creation, encourage greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise, joy and gratitude, promote creation-centred liturgical celebrations, develop ecological catechesis, prayer, retreats, formation, etc.)

7. Emphasis on Community involvement and participatory action
(Promote advocacy and people’s campaigns, encourage rootedness in local territory and neighborhood ecosystems, etc.)

As part of our “Our Earth” campaign, we ran six digital ads from June through November 2021 on billboards around the Joliet area sharing our commitment to care of the Earth.

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