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Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Archbishop of St. Louis releases statement on Trump’s executive order on refugees and migrants

As Catholic women committed to equality and social justice, we support this statement by the Archdiocese of St. Louis on Refugees and Migrants and Refugees. 

The recent executive order to turn away refugees and to narrow or close our nation’s doors to our migrant sisters and brothers who are fleeing  hunger, hardships, violence and persecution does not represent the best of our Catholic and American values and ideals. As Catholics, we appreciate the sensitivity shown to Christians who are fleeing persecution, but we are disheartened and alarmed by actions that target and profile others because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, the religion they profess and the land they call home.
The notion that a thriving society would benefit from biased policies and practices… CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STATEMENT

Past News

Celebrating the Life of Sister Joan Phyllis Dyreks, OSF

Jul 24, 2023

. SISTER JOAN PHYLLIS DYREKS Feb 23, 1938 -- July 16, 2023 . “What you hold, may you always hold. What you do, may you always do and never abandon.” — Letter of St. Clare to Agnes of Prague, 1237 This letter could easily have been written to our Sister Joan Phyllis...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Elaine Urbanek, OSF

Dec 29, 2022

SISTER ELAINE URBANEK September 1, 1923 – December 27, 2022 “It should be obvious that they are joyful, good-humored and happy in the Lord.” Third Order Regular Rule V,20 Indeed, Sister Elaine was joyful and happy in the Lord. Even as her slight body waited upon the...

In Praise of Regifting

Dec 19, 2022

Regifting gets a bad “wrap”—sorry for the terrible pun! During this season when we spend a lot of time and energy thinking about, shopping for, and purchasing presents, I think this practice deserves to be reconsidered. Sure, regifting can be a cheap and relatively...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Rose Marie Przybylowicz, OSF

Sep 13, 2022

SISTER ROSE MARIE PRZYBYLOWICZ, OSF October 6, 1939 -- September 9, 2022 A dear friend whom Sister Rose Marie accompanied through death often prayed “God, when you are ready call me; when you call me, let me be ready.” This prayer became her prayer the last two weeks...

FSOLPH Leadership attends 2022 LCWR Assembly

Aug 15, 2022

Our Leadership Team of Sisters Renita Brummer, Rosalie Wisniewski, and Ellen Horn took part in the annual conference of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious held August 9-12, 2022. The theme of the event, which Sister Renita described as an "incredible...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Carolyn Mruz, OSF

Jul 21, 2022

SISTER CAROLYN MRUZ August 15, 1930 – July 18, 2022 The manifestation of the Holy Spirit is given for the common good. — I Cor 12:7 Our dear Sister Carolyn Mruz, who made her journey home on July 18, 2022, was filled with the zeal of the Lord. She was a spirited woman...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Angelita Laws, OSF

Jul 11, 2022

SISTER ANGELITA LAWS, OSF September 9, 1941 – July 1, 2022 “Let them be concerned to serve, love, adore and honor God, as best they can, with a single heart and a pure mind.” -- Third Order Rule 7 Sister Angelita Laws, as best she could, embodied these words of our...

Collaboration: God’s Gift

May 23, 2022

Here in southwest Wisconsin, spring has finally arrived. It took a while to get out into the garden due to rain falling every other day or so for weeks, but we were finally blessed with a dry stretch that made it possible to prepare the soil. As soon as I could, I...

Violence and White Supremacy Cannot Stand

May 18, 2022

Violence and White Supremacy Cannot Stand Wed, 2022-05-18 07:49 by asanders Our hearts are breaking as we once again come face to face with the racial hatred and gun violence that infect our land. The members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious extend...

Sr Amy & IVC, cont’d

Mar 8, 2022

The Ignatian Volunteer Corps is a lay organization formed in the context of Jesuit spirituality to give retired and semi-retired adults the opportunity to provide direct service. Individuals are matched with partner agencies in need of their specific experience or...

Trying Tenderness

Feb 22, 2022

What does the word “tenderness” bring to mind? Is it a young mother gently brushing the hair aside from her sleeping infant’s forehead? The nurse speaking words of reassurance to a scared patient? The gray-haired man spoon-feeding his wife who no longer remembers his...

Wonder-full Love

Jan 13, 2022

When we love someone and want to grow closer to them, we try to get to know them better. We wonder about their lives. We observe how they speak; how they act and react. We ask about their families, their occupations. We consider their thoughts, feelings, preferences,...

Laudato Si’ Action Platform

Dec 21, 2021

In 2015 Pope Francis issued the encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. The encyclical called for a common plan throughout the world to effect systemic change. That plan is the Laudato Si’ Action Platform calling seven sectors of society, such as...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Gale Bednarek, 1943-2021

Oct 28, 2021

On October 27, 2021, Sister Gale Bednarek, our resident Scripture scholar, left us for the fullness of God’s light and love. Sister Gale was baptized Lucille Michaeline, the name given by her parents Victoria and Lucian Bednarek, at St. Joseph's Church in Chicago...

The heavens are telling…

Aug 30, 2021

God is always with us. When the troubles of this world seem so very heavy, I, like many, look to God’s Creation for assurance, to find refuge and to seek balance. “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” -- Psalm 19 How...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Victoria Munoz, 1941 to 2021

Jul 27, 2021

Our dear Sister Victoria took flight and went home to the Lord on Sunday, July 4, 2021. She had waited a long time for this homecoming often asking what was taking the Lord so long. Then in a flash of light on Independence Day, she was set free. Sister Victoria, born...

Submit & Be Fruitful

Jul 27, 2021

Have you ever thought about the word “yield?” If you’re a farmer or you watch the stock market, you’re certainly familiar with the concept of yield as in to produce, or “to give in return for labor or as profit” (see https://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/yield.html)....

We rejoice in the Spirit.

Jul 1, 2021

Today, July 1, 2021, the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help discerned and elected (left to right) Sister Renita Brummer, Sister Rosalie Wisniewski and Sister Ellen Horn as their Congregational Leadership Team. These Sisters will lead the members in...

Love Letter to the Sisters

Jun 27, 2021

“You shall know them by their fruits. Every good tree brings forth good fruit.” MT 7:16a & 17a Until a few short years ago, I had never heard the names Solana, Ernestine and Hilaria. The foundresses courageously followed God’s call to form the Franciscan Sisters...

Celebrating the Life of Sister Charlotte Struckhoff, OSF 1939-2021

Jun 10, 2021

SISTER CHARLOTTE STRUCKHOFF, OSF, 1939-2021 Sing to the Lord a New Song! Our dear Sister (Joan) Charlotte Struckhoff left this world peacefully on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. She was born July 23, 1939 to Bede and Agnes Struckhoff in the beautiful rolling hills of...

Stay Open to Being Surprised by God

Apr 6, 2021

God’s universe is not structured the way we often think it is or how we think it should be. Why all this pain and suffering? But thank God that creation follows God’s pattern and plan and not ours! Like the women in chapter 16 of Mark’s Gospel, our intentions are...

Moving Beyond

Mar 8, 2021

One of the traditions of the Catholic faith that I treasure most is the observance of the Lent. Discipline is not a very popular concept these days, but I think our forebears in the faith, including Clare and Francis, the Desert Mothers and Fathers and many saints,...