Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph
Called by God into the Fraternity of Francis, we live in Simplicity, Servanthood, and Joy, renewing the spirit of Mother Colette Hilbert, "In all things Charity."
Current News
The continuation of our FSSJ Legacy in print …
Colette Hilbert, a model pray-er . . .
Prayer based on self-knowledge, scriptural texts, meditation, and contemplation help one discern the direction of one’s relationship with God. They inspire or facilitate conversion and transformation. They foster one’s inner growth and support one’s understanding of other persons. Mother Colette described inner growth in her conferences: ”Be spiritually well developed in the interior life…the life in and for Christ…live in His Spirit and absorb His teaching and principles. Reflect on what kind of Franciscan you are…under the direction of Jesus. In the mirror which He hands (you), accurately see the interior of (your) soul.”
In addition to inner growth practices, devotional prayer serves as a helpful, comforting framework because it provides a disciplined, repetitive, and treasured means of keeping one mindful of divine presence and of the intercession of the saints. What’s more, in her writings, Mother Colette validated devotional prayers. ‘You are not in a contemplative order, occupied chiefly with God and yourself, in constant adoration of the Blessed Sacrament but in a (religious) community which requires your involvement with the world.” Evidence of the practice of multiple devotions was published in a communal book of prayer that each Sister would recite with others or in private.
Inner growth practices enable one to be responsibly open to God’s will in a given situation. The attitude that “prayer changes me; God, do something through me” assumes a communal dimension because my inner growth in holiness affects others. It seeks life at the center of the person in its unity of the sacred and the secular. The holiness of all persons, places, and times mean that “life as it is” is God’s revelatory action calling forth reflection upon ordinary and extraordinary events.
“All of Mother Colette’s conferences reveal her hunger and yearning for the life-giving power of the Gospel…importance of the annual retreat… to know yourselves, to peer into your heart as into a mirror and contemplate the image reflected therein. In whose likeness are we shaped?” (excerpts from a biography of Mother Colette)
Devotional prayer’s worth could be summed up in Mother Colette’s words: “You, O Jesus, give your grace and inspire me with a way to a holy life…” However, devotions alone must not mean we “lose our interior freedom” nor cause one “not to know the ABC’s of spiritual life and particularly interior life.”
Therefore, to maintain interior freedom, we must be careful not to be overly concerned with the quantity and quality of devotional prayer as if these justify it. Devotions are not obligatory nor prescribed in canon law, but they are treasured and fervently practiced.
REFLECTION
One could ask:
How am I as a pray-er?
How does my relationship with God and others witness to my life of prayer?
Am I free or fearful as a pray-er?
How did St. Francis and St. Clare pray? How could I be inspired by their ways of prayer?
(Remember that as 13th century Christians, they looked for God’s presence and support through the liturgical scriptures, sacraments, use of icons and hymns; dream meditation and sharing; praise through the psalms; and the poverty of self-emptying, i.e. Capax Dei, the capacity in one’s self for God. Devotions familiar to us- such as the rosary, litanies, novenas – were yet to be developed in Christian prayer.)
Sister Carol Clare Czyzewski, FSSJ
Picture taken by Sister Carol Clare Czyzewski, FSSJ
Our Leadership Team
Sr. Jean Cherry, Councilor, Sr. Marcia Ann Fiutko, General Minister,
Sr. Andrea Ciszewski, Councilor
FSSJ 2022 Chapter
General Chapter Direction Statement
In these transformative times of change, challenge and collaboration, we, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, embrace our call to Widen the Tent of our Hearts for the common good of God’s people and our common home, Mother Earth.
We willingly extend our hearts and hands to:
– Accept into our lives all persons as our sisters and brothers and to join efforts to bring an end to racism;
– Continue our efforts to minimize climate change and its effects on the life of our planet; and
– Collaborate with lay and religious partners to develop sustainable services and governance for our Congregation.
In the midst of our Holy Aging, we freely offer our gift of a Franciscan ministry of presence.
We began our Chapter with a day of retreat lead by Sr. Margaret Carney, OSF – – pictured on the left. The picture on the right shows Sr. Alexine and Sr. Ann Marie sharing their Franciscan stories of faith and hope.
The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph spent some of their second day in Chapter widening the tent of our hearts by listening to Dr. Deidre DeBose (left), Vice President of Mission and Equity at Hilbert College. She shared her story of the blessings of faith, honesty, and courage as she faced racism in her life.
The Sisters shared their faith and support of Dr. DeBose by giving her a blessing as she continues her work at Hilbert.
A particularly pertinent quote Dr. DeBose shared with us was,
“Privilege is not about what you’ve gone through,
it is about what you haven’t gone through.”
Janaya Khan
This tent, created by Sr. Ann Lyons, FSSJ and Sr. Lynne Anne Schimminger, FSSJ, was in the Chapter room, reminding us all of our call to widen the tent of our hearts.
Sr. Lynne Anne Schimminger, FSSJ was asked to create a logo for our 2022 Chapter with the theme Widen the Tent of Our Hearts. She drew a Bedouin tent which would ordinarily have a closed back side. However, the back of this tent is open. It beckons us to move out into the future where God is leading us. You’ll notice that the landscape has mountains and hills and is somewhat hazy. Our destination will become more defined as we engage in prayer and contemplative dialogue during the coming year.
The tent flaps are flowing with the breath of the Spirit, allowing for flexibility; the tent pegs are strong and durable to ground us in our Franciscan charism and the Gospel.
The striped colors of the tent signify our diversity since each Sister will be called to widen the tent of her heart in a unique, personal way. As we pray with this logo we are invited to sit awhile in the tent, enjoying the warmth and hospitality of God’s presence—and, then, to open wide the tent of our hearts bringing Christ to the world beyond ourselves.
Feel free to join with us in praying our Chapter Prayer below.
Prayer for Widening the Tents of Our Hearts
Gracious God, we are challenged by the prophet Isaiah to enlarge the tent of our hearts, open wide our tent curtains, lengthen our ropes and strengthen our stakes.
May we not hold back, but stretch our hearts to the limit, embracing all persons as our sisters and brothers.
May our tent stakes go deep to keep us rooted in Christ and
our Franciscan charism.
May we spread our tent flaps unsparingly, clearing out our biases and making room for more compassion.
May we keep our tent cloths supple enough to allow for flexibility, risk, and abundant blessing.
God of Extravagant Love, may we see your beauty reflected in all the faces of humanity that You so love. Amen
FSSJ Celebrate 125th Anniversary at
St. Francis Parish, Athol Springs, NY
Ambiance honoring Mother Colette Hilbert, our Foundress
Providing inspirational music and song:
Sr. Lucille Ann, Cantor
Sr. Andrea, Organist
Sr. Deborah Marie, Liturgy Coordinator
Fr. Ross Syracuse, Pastor at St. Francis Parish, gives the welcome to all at our celebration
Franciscan Friars who celebrated with us:
Fr. Ross Syracuse, OFM Conv., Fr. Michael Zielke, OFM Conv., Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv., Fr. Charles, OFM Conventual, Fr. Mark David Skura, OFM Conv.
Sisters singing their Charism song, Called by God. This song was composed by Sister Deborah Marie Ciolek, FSSJ
Sister Marcia Fiutko, FSSJ, General Minister of our Order, invites the Sisters to renew their vows of Poverty, Celibate Chastity and Obedience.
Group picture!
Sister Marvina and friends!
Those who taught or ministered at St. Columba:
Sr. Deborah, Sr. Lucille Ann, Carmen Rivera (FSSJ Associate), Sr. Karen, Susan Odle.
Sr. Andrea and the Franciscan Friars
Sr. Ann Lyons and Sr. Lynne Anne Schimminger with friends
Friends from Catholic Health
Joyce Markiewicz, Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer at Catholic Health, and Jill Hirczak, Life Enhancement Director at St. Francis Park.
Dr. Brophy, President of Hilbert College, founded by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, presents a citation from the Hilbert Board of Trustees, staff and students in honor of our 125th Anniversary.
Sr. Jean Marie Cherry with friends from the Franciscan Sisters of Allegheny and the Sisters of Social Service in Buffalo.
The Sisters started the day with the Sisters in Leadership pinning on corsages on each Sister. Sister Marcia Ann, General Minister, pins a corsage on Sister Angelis. The corsages were made by Sr. Benedicta.
Immaculata Academy has New Life as The Oaks at South Park
For 88 years the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph served God’s people by educating young women at Immaculata Academy in Hamburg, NY. They are grateful that the new enterprise, The Oaks at South Park, pays homage to the history of the property while offering beautiful, private “carriage house style” luxury apartments that will provide safe housing. For more information on The Oaks go to Home
The picture on the right is the cornerstone of Immaculata Academy with some of the articles found in it.
Hilbert College announced that a new baseball field and a new softball field has been named the FSSJ Field Complex, in recognition of the College’s founding congregation, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph (FSSJ). The FSSJ Field Complex, which is slated to be completed for the Spring 2021 season, recognizes the generosity of the Sisters, whose sale of the property adjacent to Hilbert’s campus specified that the fields would be made available for Hilbert’s exclusive use.
Prayer
Each Franciscan Sister of St. Joseph is praying together or privately for our world at this time. Some pray in Chapel, some in parlors. Where or however we pray, God is with us. Know that you and your families have us holding you tenderly in our hearts.
As St. Francis taught us by example, we not only pray when we pray together but our hope and our call is to “become a prayer.” It is something all followers of Jesus are called to do.
Becoming St. Francis Park
The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph have always been open to the Spirit of God and what God is asking of us at each time in history. In the 2000s the Sisters became more aware that we were being called to create a legacy of a new home – one that would be constructed in the Spirit of St. Francis’s love of creation and one that would allow us to open our home, our spirituality and our hope for the future to others. In 2010 the new Immaculate Conception Convent was built (LEED Platinum) at 5229 South Park Avenue, Hamburg, NY.
In 2018, Catholic Health purchased Immaculate Conception Convent and helped the Sisters’ vision become a reality with the opening of St. Francis Park, an independent living facility for seniors from all walks of life. We invite you to spend some time on this site to learn more.
5229 South Park Avenue, Hamburg, NY 14075
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