School Sisters of St. Francis

Great employment opportunities are available at the site of our former Mount Assisi Convent. Come make a difference in the lives of our Sisters who are residents of Mt. Assisi Place.

As she celebrates her 70th religious jubilee this summer, Sister Marguerite Stewart reflects on her greatest lessons and influences.

Summer is the time when our community celebrates our Sisters’ milestones in religious life. Leading up to our Jubilee celebrations in July and August, we will introduce you to each of our 2021 jubilarians and share their special stories of faith and service. Today, learn how Sister Irene Novak has found inner peace, as she marks 70 years of religious life.

It’s Day 1 of our clearance event. Can’t make it this afternoon? Stop by after work or visit us tomorrow morning. Tons of great stuff cheap!

Summer is the time when our community celebrates our Sisters’ milestones in religious life. Over the coming weeks, we will introduce you to each of our 2021 jubilarians and share their special stories of faith and service. Today, get acquainted with the soft-spoken spirituality of Sister Marietta Bankos, as she marks 75 years of religious life.

This weekend, we were greatly blessed by great friends and extended family who helped us reach our goal of paying off my mom's headstone. From those who got the...ir hands dirty helping us get ready or staff the event, to those who donated items or funds, we extend a hearty and heart-filled thank you! We still have tons of great stuff in need of good homes, so we're inviting one and all to our encore event, a half-off sale this Friday and Saturday. If you couldn't stop by last weekend, come see us this weekend and take home some good stuff cheap!

We know them as Dad. Daddy, Pop and many other names. They are our fathers whether by birth or circumstance and they've had immeasurable impact on our lives and the people we've grown to be. As Joseph did for Jesus, they've given selflessly to provide for us and to set us on the right path. On this Father's Day 2021, we extend our blessings to fathers everywhere young and old for all they've done and all they do.

It is in the month of May that Catholics pay particularly prayerful tribute to the Blessed Mother, carrying on traditions dating back to the 17th Century and supported in more modern times by Popes Paul VI and Pius XII. Marian hymns, scripture readings, sermons and small ceremonies have traditionally been part of family, school and church life each May. Among these special devotions are the May crownings and altars participated in and prepared by many of our Sisters, both as students and later as teachers. https://www.schoolsistersosf.org/the-rites-of-may

Some say it’s inevitable that we eventually become our mothers. Slowly, over the course of decades, we begin to take on her mannerisms, her behaviors, her quirky habits that amuse us, and sometimes even her physical attributes. As much as we are mentored by our mothers, there are intangible things about her that we can never mimic, but that are etched in our memories forever. On this Mother’s Day, we introduce you to a few of our beloved mothers and the parts of them we can only hope to inherit.

The work of mothers and matriarchs is never done. Like their enduring influence, their spiritual hand-me-downs live on long after they’re gone. In remembering a simple, short conversation now decades old, Sister Anece Salay urges today’s mothers, aunts and grandmothers to seize upon life’s precious moments and, as the Lord tells us, to pass them on.

Alum Elaine Juhascik Oliver shares in prose and poetry the powerful inspiration she gained as a youngster by watching our Sisters, not just in the classroom, but in going about their daily lives. https://www.schoolsistersosf.org/then-now-elaine-oliver

Volunteers have played an indelible role in our work and our lives over the years, helping our ministries to thrive, lightening our load, and enriching our lives with their friendship and fellowship. We are forever grateful for both the obvious and intangible gifts that our volunteers bring. Here, Sisters M. Virginelle Makos and Marguerite Stewart explain a few of the debts of time and talent that we can never repay. https://www.schoolsistersosf.org/volunteers

At our very core, we are Franciscans, modeling our lives after Francis and Clare of Assisi. Their likenesses adorn our sacred spaces, and their lives have inspired us to live in intimate union with God while remaining true to our vows of poverty and ministering in service to the poor and otherwise needy. Still, there are other saints some from which we take our baptismal and religious names who inspire us, walk beside us and hold special places in our collective spirit. As today we observe All Saints’ Day, some of our Sisters share their personal connections with other special saints. https://www.schoolsistersosf.org/saints

Childhood memories of dressing up in costume and going door to door to collect candy still evoke youthful excitement among our Sisters. Come along for a walk down memory lane and enjoy some sweet and not-so-scary stories of Halloweens past. https://www.schoolsistersosf.org/hauntingly-familiar

Our country faces many trying issues as we head into the last 10 days of the 2020 General Election season. No matter where we stand on these issues, we all have the right and responsibility to make our voices heard by casting a vote whether in person or by mail. Click through to download a special election prayer and to see what our Sisters have to say about having faith in the power of participation.

Silent auction bidding ends at 5 p.m. tomorrow for the Monocacy Farm Food Festival online fundraiser. Check out some great packages, demo sessions and videos, all in support of our farming ministry in Bethlehem, Pa.

Sister Frances Marie Duncan, our provincial minister, cautiously traveled to Rome earlier this week to attend a series of congregational meetings. Just as is happening here at home and worldwide, Italy is again experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19. As the Sisters emerged from the Vatican following a socially-distanced memorial Mass for a Sister who died earlier this year, the sky was painted brilliant blue with hope in the form of this beautiful rainbow. As it was for our Sisters who witnessed it in person, may it too be for you a blessing and a glimmer of hope from God.

Looking for employment during these uncertain times? Our friends at Mt. Assisi Place are welcoming new members to their care team. A dozen of our Sisters live at Mt. Assisi Place and would be happy to see your smiling face.

With the Feast of St. Francis upon us today, our community conducts sacred rituals to honor the saint from which we draw our name and our way of gospel living. As we continue to endure a worldwide pandemic, this year and this particular October 4 are like no other. Our practices and prayers have been more private in these strange days, but Francis remains in our hearts. Read more about how a saint who cast away abundant riches to embrace the poor continues to influence and inspire our Sisters.

Blessings from us to all of you as, this weekend, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. Remember to shine your light.

As tomorrow we observe the United Nations International Day of Peace, the sentiments of our Sisters spotlight the stepping stones toward finding calm among the chaos of our times.

Why do Franciscans celebrate the stigmatization of Saint Francis? There's still time to join Sister Nancy Celaschi for a virtual visit to Mount La Verna, the place where Francis was marked with the wounds of Jesus. On that mountain of passion we will explore the meaning of this event for Francis and you. The virtual bus leaves at 7 p.m. on September 17.

For those of us lucky to have known them, our grandparents provide both a window into our heritage and the foundation of who we become as people. While many are known to spoil their grandchildren with trinkets or loose change, the intangible gifts they give us are the most precious. They teach us to cook, to sew, to work, to aspire and to pray. Learn a little more about what our grandparents taught us.