FSPA Partnerships

 

As Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have moved together with others in many collaborative efforts, our mission and values—derived from our Franciscan and Catholic heritage—have been extended to others. Our network extends from the neighborhood that surrounds our motherhouse throughout the United States and across the ocean to Bavaria and Africa.

 

Leadership Conference of Women Religious

The Leadership Conference of Women Religion (LCWR) is a resource and support for congregational leaders. Its mission is to develop leadership and to empower leaders to be hope-filled women in transforming religious life.

FSPA-elected leaders are members of LCWR at the national and regional level. The leadership team members regularly attend the annual national meeting in August and twice-yearly regional meetings in their respective areas. In collaboration with leaders of other religious congregations, they strive to work for a just world order, be effective leaders, and foster a transformed religious life.

Individual FSPA members have served on the national board and provided regional leadership.

 

Franciscan Federation

The Mission of the Franciscan Federation is to promote exploration and study of Franciscan Evangelical life and its implications for these times and this society. The Federation provides national and regional opportunities to collaborate, gather and celebrate so that the brothers and sisters can better live the Third Order Regular call to conversion, contemplation, poverty and humility.

FSPA-elected leaders are members of Franciscan Federation. FSPA leadership and members attend the annual conference in August and serve on national committees.

 

Midwest Franciscans

Fifteen Franciscan congregations of women religious in the Upper Midwest of the United States interrelate frequently, and their leadership teams meet at least semiannually to share ways of strengthening the Franciscan family's presence in the Midwest and to refine their long-range vision. The common Franciscan spirituality found among these congregations provides a strong base for dialogue, support, and collaborative endeavors.

The Midwest Common Franciscan Novitiate, started in 1996, is a result of this group's collaboration. Located at the Guardian Angels in Joliet, Ill., the 15 congregations now jointly sponsor this novitiate for women entering their communities. These congregations also sponsor a biannual gathering of all their members who have entered religious life since Vatican II for peer networking.

 

Sisters United News

Sisters United News (SUN) comprises communicators of 12 religious congregations of the Upper Mississippi Valley, including FSPA. Collaborating for maximum impact and mutual support, SUN is dedicated to promoting and publicizing the values of Catholic Sisters living the Gospel in today's world. SUN represents sisters who live the gospel and whose values include: seeking God together in prayer and spirituality; embracing community; living in right relationship with all of creation; working for peace through justice.

Neighborhood

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration initiated a La Crosse area networking effort in 1996 for the purpose of making our neighborhood a better place to live and work.

Called the Neighborhood Group, administrators and other representatives of five neighborhood organizations—Aquinas Schools, Chileda Institute, Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, St. Rose Convent and Viterbo University—meet periodically to address issues and concerns of the neighborhood and to help each other in building up the neighborhood.

The Neighborhood Group collaborates on two projects annually to reach out to the residents of the neighborhood. In early summer, our neighborhood residents are invited to a picnic. In October, on the weekend close to St. Francis Day, faculty, staff and students from the Neighborhood Group share our Franciscan spirit by bringing a simple gift, a loaf of bread, to the home of each of our neighborhood residents.

 

For additional partnership information, please see

Ecological Advocacy

Justice and Peace