Franciscan Sisters Living the Gospel ~
"Women of faith touching a world in need."

Our Logo The Tau dates back to St. Francis, as it is found after his signature on several documents.  It "belongs" to Franciscans all over the world.  The Steeple is a replica of the one atop St. Francis Chapel at our Motherhouse.  The Wave in the foreground represents our location on the shores of Lake Michigan, where the congregation was founded in 1849, and where the Motherhouse is still located.

As Sisters of St Francis of Assisi, we are called together to witness our Franciscan commitment by living the Gospel message.  This call is expressed in living in community with one another and going out to being with those in need.

Today, we are a smaller community, with, however, an even greater vision. In the late 1960's, Vatican II encouraged us to look at new ways of being "present in the world". Sisters moved out of large convents and began living together in small groups, enabling us to develop stronger ties with one another and those with whom we minister. Most of us choose to dress in a more current manner as opposed to the "habits" of the past. Our identifying object is a gold ring with the insignia IHS, a monogram of the name of Jesus, reminding us, that like Francis, Christ remains our center.

Living together in community and deepening our relationships with one another, furthers our Franciscan charism of ‘being with’ more than ‘doing for,’ thus giving us a ‘living foundation’ for the ministries in which we engage. Community life provides us with the time for personal and communal prayer (a dream of our founding members), nourishing our relationship with God and one another.  Together we strive to find the living Christ in the spaces within and between us.  From this experience flows our ministry, as we strive to be "Women of faith touching a world in need."