Stories

A number of holy people in our church tradition showed us how to not be afraid to express ourselves and bring joy to the world. One of them was St. Francis of Assisi.

As the Church marks the Year of St. Francis, three Franciscan sister communities—companions in Franciscan Solidarity—the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (St. Francis, Wisconsin), the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (La Crosse, Wisconsin) and the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis (Italy, Africa, Bolivia, Austria) are answering those questions with lived commitment.

In the thirteenth century, a Franciscan named Duns Scotus put forth an alternate theory as to why Jesus died on the cross ... Jesus was killed because he was a force for good, and the powers of the world couldn’t let him win.

Servant of God Thea Bowman’s journey to sainthood reached a major milestone recently as the diocesan phase of her canonization cause came to an end.

If we focus on the goodness in every situation, we will tap into the energy of the Spirit, and that energy is powerful. During Lent, it will be good for us to explore all the ways that Jesus healed us and made us his disciples.

Sister Karen describes her purpose in writing these reflections for Lent as an offer a resource written by a woman which hopefully sheds a new light on Lent and all that surrounds it.

Sister Betty chooses to see and embrace the beauty and goodness in the world. “Every day I pray to live in Jesus’ love and to be Jesus’ love to others. That is our call.” She advises all of us: “Stay centered in God, who is always with us.”

Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Thea Bowman honored with pilgrimage.

Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Kristin Peters shares reflection, calls us to action for the Women & Water Coming Together movement.

Sister Arlene Melder was born on a farm in central Wisconsin, the oldest child, with her brother following four years later. With such a small family, everyone had to pitch in and work together. Sister Arlene remembers milking cows, mowing the lawn, driving the horses for haying, helping in the garden and around the house. It was a lot of work, prompting her to say at the time, “I’ll never marry a farmer.” But in the midst of it all, she remembers having fun.

“Rather than viewing these issues as insurmountable obstacles,” said Sister Karen, “we explored deepening spiritual maturity and cultivating a more nuanced and inclusive theology.”

Sister Sue Ernster joined this panel presentation, "Building an Economy for the Common Good," hosted by Georgetown University, exploring how impact investing can help people use their financial resources to address specific social and environmental challenges while ensuring the longevity and sustainability of their investments.