History

Click here to view the FSPA timeline with graphics.

Community
1849	A pastor and his assistant led a group of 12 women and men, Third Order Secular Franciscans, from their parish in Ettenbeuren, Bavaria, to Milwaukee, Wis. Arriving at the diocese on May 18, 1849, the six women in the group, with Mother Aemiliana Dirr as their leader, committed themselves to founding a religious community to spread the gospel among German immigrants, especially through educating children, caring for the disadvantaged, and, when possible, establishing perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
1860	Diverted from education to household duties at the newly built diocesan seminary in 1856, overwhelmed with physical labor, and finding themselves unable to develop a truly religious life, the founders left the community.
1864	The sisters and their newly elected leader, Mother Antonia Herb, moved the motherhouse to Jefferson, Wis.  There, at St. Coletta Convent, the sisters renewed their aspirations to teach and establish perpetual adoration.
1869	The Rev. Michael Heiss, bishop of the newly formed Diocese of La Crosse, requested Mother Antonia move the motherhouse to La Crosse, Wis.
1871	The sisters moved to La Crosse and into the new motherhouse, St. Rose of Viterbo Convent.
1873	Thirty-seven sisters and one postulant formed a new community in Milwaukee.  Sixty-five sisters, 12 novices, and 12 postulants continued in La Crosse.
1874	The first Maria Angelorum Chapel was dedicated on August 2.
1878	The sisters realized their goal to begin perpetual adoration on August 1.  The adoration has continued without interruption ever since.
1882	Mother Antonia died and was succeeded by Mother Ludovica Keller, who led the community until 1928.
1895	FSPA purchased a farm near La Crosse to provide food for both the convent and hospital.  Ultimately the property became the site for Villa St. Joseph, a center for retired and ill sisters.
1906	The new Maria Angelorum Chapel was completed, replacing the first community chapel and the second Chapel of Adoration.
1914	Construction of St. Rose Convent building was completed.
1923	Fire destroyed the original St. Rose Convent building.
1925	Restoration of St. Rose Convent’s original building was completed.
1973	Fifty-five FSPA left to form a new community — the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist.
1970s-80s	FSPA worked to adapt its Constitutions based on Vatican II documents, the advice of theologian and canon law consultants, and the discernment of the sisters.
1982	In July 1982 the FSPA officially accepted the first affiliate. Affiliates are Christian women and men who share in the FSPA mission and Franciscan values. Today there are more than 200 affiliates who are committed to deepening their prayer life and supporting one another as they respond to the needs of society.
1989	Pope John Paul II approved the new Constitutions, and its revision in 1999.
1997	In December the FSPA welcomed their first partners in the ministry of Perpetual Adoration. Currently there are more than 100 prayer partners, men and women, who commit to pray one hour each week before the Blessed Sacrament.
2003	FSPA celebrate 125 years of perpetual adoration.
2006	FSPA celebrate Mary of the Angels Chapel centennial
2007	Sister Lucy Slinger is named FSPA ecological advocate. She serves as a resource for FSPA congregational facilities, networks with other environmental groups and coordinates the organic garden at Villa St. Joseph.
Development of Ministries
Care of Orphans
1855	The sisters assumed care and education of orphaned boys at St. Aemilian’s Orphanage for Boys, built by the Milwaukee diocese near the motherhouse.
1875	In the La Crosse diocese, care of orphans began with St. Michael’s for girls; it eventually developed into a single St. Michael’s Home for boys and girls in 1911.
1982	As the number of orphaned children lessened throughout the 20th century, St. Michael’s became a home for emotionally disturbed children.  Various circumstances, including the withdrawal of state funds, forced its closure in 1982.
Education in Parochial and Diocesan Schools
1864	The sisters began staffing four elementary parochial schools, two in Jefferson and one in Cross Plains, Wis.
1870	By 1870, 12 more schools had opened in Wisconsin, and one each in Ohio and Iowa. The number continued to increase over the years until 1962 when the total number of students reached 22,628 in 90 elementary schools.
1871	FSPA became involved in secondary schools.  Unlike the majority of their schools, the sisters themselves built, owned, and operated St. Rose High School, La Crosse, St. Mary’s Domestic School in Sparta, Wis., and St. Angela’s Domestic Academy in Carroll, Iowa.
1915	FSPA’s educational ministry expanded beyond Wisconsin and Iowa into the Diocese of Spokane, Wash., and, later, into Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Mississippi, and Utah where they staffed parish elementary and diocesan secondary schools.
1964	By 1964, the number of high schools peaked at 20 with enrollment of 6,847 students.
Health care
1883	The sisters built and operated St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse, their first venture into health care and western Wisconsin’s first private hospital.
1901	FSPA opened St. Francis School of Nursing.
1905	The sisters built St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll, Iowa, at the request of the Rev. Joseph Kuemper.  The St. Anthony School of Nursing soon followed.
1916	St. Mary’s Hospital was built in Sparta, Wis., with a School of Nursing added in 1921.
1926	The sisters staffed St. Joseph Home for the Aged which was built by the Diocese of La Crosse.
1941	Sisters assumed ownership and staffing of Sacred Heart Hospital, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and managed Lost Rivers Hospital, Arco, Idaho, for the county.
1956	FSPA assumed ownership and staffing of St. Joseph Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home in Hillsboro, Wis.
1982	St. Francis Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and related health corporations formed the Franciscan Health System.
1983	St. Joseph Hospital, Arcadia, Wis., was incorporated into the system.
1995	The Franciscan Health System merged with Skemp Clinic, becoming the Franciscan Skemp Healthcare System and part of the Mayo Health System.
Home and Foreign Missions
1883	The sisters built and administered their first home mission, St. Mary’s Boarding School, on the Chippewa Indian Reservation, Odanah, Wis.  The mission closed in 1969.
1928	FSPA established its first foreign mission, St. Rose on the Yangtse in China, with a catechumenate and clinic.  The Communist takeover in 1949 forced the sisters’ return to the United States.
1948	The sisters accepted their second home mission at an elementary school in Holy Child Jesus Parish for Blacks in Canton, Miss., administered by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity.  The mission expanded to include a secondary school in the parish in 1950. Although the sisters withdrew in 1988, several sisters served in Camden, Miss., until 1998.
1962	The sisters staffed a clinic and school in Madre del Salvador Parish in Santa Ana, El Salvador, Central America.  They continued working at various sites in the country until 1981.
Today	Sisters continue to serve in foreign ministries including: Guam, Mexico, Canada, El Salvador and Zimbabwe
Higher Education
1890	The St. Rose Normal School, which educated members of the community to become teachers, received accreditation.
1934	St. Rose Normal School was accredited by the University of Wisconsin as St. Rose Junior College.
1937	St. Rose Junior College changed its name to Viterbo College.
1939	Viterbo College was accredited by the University of Wisconsin to award a bachelor of science degree.
1943	Viterbo College expanded to admit lay women.
1944	The St. Rose College of Music became a department of Viterbo College.
1954	Viterbo College was fully accredited by the North Central Association, National Association of Schools of Music, and the National Council for the Accrediting of Teacher Education.
1971	Viterbo College became co-educational.
2000	Viterbo College attained university status and became Viterbo University.

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