Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, Michele Pettit, was recently featured in a blog post by the Dubuque Area Vocation Association, where she shares her journey to becoming an FSPA.
Sister Michele grew up in Edina, Missouri, where her Catholic faith stemmed through her family and the Catholic elementary school she attended. In 2009, she moved to Wisconsin in search of a faith community that resonated with her spiritual needs.
Recalling her discovery of FSPA, Sister Michele shares, “One summer, I searched for retreat opportunities in the area. To my surprise, I discovered a retreat center in my backyard. The Franciscan Spirituality Center (FSC) in La Crosse, a sponsored ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA), offers a variety of programming opportunities which includes spiritual direction.”
At an FSC conference, the keynote speaker left her with many questions. She then met with an FSPA sister who recommended seeking spiritual direction, a new practice for her at the time. This experience led her to start the affiliation process. When asked if she had considered becoming an FSPA, Sister Michele responded, “While I appreciated the idea of becoming an FSPA affiliate, I wanted more. Specifically, I had a desire for a deeper relationship with God.”
During her discernment process, her spiritual director asked what God was calling her to do. She shares, “Through prayer, continued discernment, interaction with the sisters, and attentiveness to the Spirit, I came to recognize that God was inviting me to become a sister.” Sister Michele began her journey to becoming an FSPA in March 2017. She hopes to make her final vows in the summer of 2026. For now, she will continue her ministry as an Associate Professor of Public Health and Community Health Education.
Read more at Dubuque Area Vocation Association.