Franciscan Sisters of Peace
The Franciscan Sisters of Peace is a
Introduction
Early in his ministry,
History of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace
In 1865, three Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart journeyed from Gemona del Friuli, Italy to New York City to minister and provide for the needs of Italian immigrants in the city. These women had a dedicated pioneering spirit that attracted vocations and gave impetus to diverse ministries, and also brought peace to others through their works of mercy and justice. In 1890, the sisters founded the American Province of St. Francis, within their European congregation. The Provincial motherhouse was established in Peekskill, New York.
In 1986, one hundred and twelve vowed women of the St. Francis province co-founded a new
Apostolate
The mission of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace is to proclaim and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the footsteps of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. Today, they continue to spread their mission of peacemaking in a variety of ways as teachers, social workers, administrators, parish associates, prison chaplains, retreat directors, day care workers and health care workers.[3]
Through the Minores Fund, the congregation awarded a grant in support of the Seafarers International House's annual "Christmas At Sea" Holiday Initiative.[4] Due to COVID protocols and extended contracts, many seafarers are confined to ships without shore leave. Through the program, port chaplains deliver satchels of gifts of clothing and snacks to crew members separated from family during the holidays.[5]
The congregation is a member of "U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking".[6]
The Franciscan Sisters of Peace are also one of five religious communities (along with the
Philosophy of the Congregation
According to the Mission Statement of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace, the community states the following philosophy as guiding their mission in the world:
- We believe in a God of Wisdom, Beauty, and Goodness, who is Creator of all things.
- We believe that all creation is in relationship in and through Jesus Christ.
- We believe that a simple, non-violent life originates in Jesus Christ and continues in the tradition of Clare and Francis of Assisi.
- We believe that the sacredness of each human person and of the earth leads logically to non-violent, mutually affirming relationships.
- We believe that the Third Millennium must be dedicated to simple, non-violent living.
- We believe that women, children, the economically poor, sand the earth suffer from the absence of a simple, non-violent way of life.
- We believe that non-violence is a Franciscan way of seizing the moral initiative, breaking the cycle of humiliation, exposing injustices of systems and cultures, and claiming the power of truth.
- We believe that simple, non-violent living requires creativity, humor, moral imagination, trust, gentleness, frugality, and a willingness to suffer rather than retaliate.
- We believe that the desire for peace as a way of life connects persons of different religious traditions and cultures toward a profound and powerful realization of the Reign of God for the Third Millennium.
- As Franciscan Sisters of Peace, we believe that we can stir and encourage the imagination and create the concrete responses to violence needed in our lives today.[9]
Mission of the Congregation
This is the Mission Statement of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace, as quoted from their website:
- We commit to educating toward a lifestyle characterized by the Christian and Franciscan perspective of simplicity and non-violence in a global community.
- Peacemaking is the charism of our Community. As our ongoing mission in this regard, we:
- continue the peacemaking features of the ministries of the Sisters and Associates in the Newsletter of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace;
- establish a regular column in the Newsletter for educating about simplicity and non-violence;
References
- ISBN 9781592763344
- ^ "History of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace," http://fspnet.org/heritage.htm Archived 2011-08-16 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 25, 2011.
- ^ "A History of the Five Orders: Franciscan Sisters of Peace," http://www.marianwoods.org/history.htm#peace Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 25, 2011.
- ^ Franciscan Sisters of Peace, Haverstraw, NY
- ^ "Christmas at Sea", Seafarers International House, NYC
- ^ U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking
- ^ "The Creation of Marian Woods," http://www.marianwoods.org/about.htm#index Archived 2010-12-02 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 25, 2011.
- ^ Marian Woods, Hartsdale, NY
- ^ "Philosophy of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace," http://fspnet.org/pinstitu.htm#philosophy Archived 2011-08-16 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 25, 2011.
- ^ "Mission of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace," http://fspnet.org/pinstitu.htm#mission Archived 2011-08-16 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 25, 2011.