Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi

The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi is the oldest Franciscan congregation founded in the United States. Since arriving from Bavaria in 1849, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi have been a loving and powerful force for change. With trust in the Providence of God, our sisters have dedicated their lives in service to those in need.

We have worked tirelessly in the face of overwhelming challenges and played a variety of roles—from pastoral associates, chaplains and spiritual directors to social workers and educators—to meet the needs of the people of God. Through it all, our congregation has served with love, faith and compassion to keep this essential promise: To help others become the persons God created them to be.

In 2001, the Franciscan Sisters of Baltimore, who have provided ministries to people living in poverty since 1881, merged with the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. Today, our congregation sponsors ten independently incorporated ministries:

• Canticle Court and Juniper Court (St. Francis, WI) provide affordable housing for seniors.
• Cardinal Cushing Centers (Massachusetts) serve children and adults with developmental disabilities.
• Cardinal Stritch University (Milwaukee) is a co-ed university serving students of all faiths and ages with 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
• Franciscan Center (Baltimore, MD) provides emergency assistance to economically disadvantaged persons.
• St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care Centers (Milwaukee) serves infants through seniors, including persons with disabilities, regardless of faith, culture or ability to pay.
• St. Coletta of Wisconsin (Jefferson, WI), one of the oldest Catholic service organizations in the nation, provides services for adults with developmental disabilities.
• St. Coletta’s of Illinois provides educational, vocational, and residential services for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
• St. Elizabeth School (Baltimore, MD) provides multi-disciplinary education for students, ages 5 through 21,with developmental disabilities
• St. Francis Convent (St. Francis, WI) provides memory care and assisted living for elder sisters and, over time, seniors from the wider community.

Three of our sisters founded and minister, Aisling Retreat House (Manchester, MD), a sacred, welcoming space that offers a healing, transformative presence in which to listen, reflect, hope and pray.

One of our sisters founded and ministers, Proyecto Santo Nino de Atocha – (on the border McAllen, Texas) providing training, spiritual support and comprehensive assistance to immigrants.

In the summer of 2019, our new convent opened. Located on the site of the former St. Mary’s Academy, the two-story building overlooking the shores of Lake Michigan incorporates best practices in memory care and assisted living and is now home to 80 of our elder sisters (ages 71 to 102).

Our congregation is now embarking on the next phase of our long-range campus plans, including preparing our motherhouse campus for service to the aging community at large. With support from the community, we are working to ensure our legacy of service remains a beacon of light well into the future—and will continue to make a profound difference in the lives of others while helping transform our world.