Faithful Franciscans

05/06/2026

04/24/2026

Blessing the fields at Red Hill Farm for Earth Day!

04/07/2026

Christ is Risen! May we share the good news.

Christ is risen! Peace is possible.

Lent taught us to break down walls. Easter gives us the strength to build bridges. The risen Christ is the ultimate bridge — between heaven and earth, mercy and justice, death and life.

Saint Francis showed us what it looked like to be an instrument of peace and 800 years ago challenged his followers to do the same.

“Unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.” That’s our Easter calling. That’s our joy.

Peace and all good to you and yours! Wishing you abundant Easter blessings today and always.

04/02/2026

Sr. Ruth is 100 years young!!!

🎉 Happy 100th Birthday, Sr. Mary Ruth Thomas! 🎉

This Easter Sunday, we celebrate not only new life—but 100 years of it. 💛

For a century, Sr. Ruth has lived a life rooted in faith, service, and love—caring for others as a nurse and educator, forming generations of caregivers, and meeting people where they are.

Her wisdom is simple, yet powerful: “Love your brothers and sisters. That’s all you need to do. Just love them.”

You can read all about her story—from her childhood growing up on a farm in Alabama to her decades of ministry as a nurse, educator, and healthcare leader, forming generations of nurses in Pennsylvania and Maryland. You’ll also learn about her years in Philadelphia at St. Agnes Hospital and her work with the Medi-Call van in the 1970s, as well as her deep love for South Philadelphia, where she shared, that’s where “I became an honorary South Philly Italian.”

Join us in wishing her a very happy 100th birthday! 💛
https://osfphila.org/sister-mary-ruth-thomas/

04/01/2026

Congratulations to Sarah and to the first recipient of the Sarah O. Hanley scholarship, Alina T. of the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, PA. What a joy to celebrate two inspiring women!

We are proud to celebrate a very special moment for the Sisters of Saint Francis Foundation!

At this year’s Women in Philanthropy Award Ceremony, a scholarship was named in honor of our own Director of Mission Advancement, Sarah O. Hanley. The Sarah O. Hanley Scholarship for Young Philanthropists recognizes young leaders who embody a spirit of generosity, service, and commitment to making a difference—values Sarah models each and every day.

Congratulations to this year’s recipient, Alina T. of the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, PA. Your dedication to philanthropy and service is inspiring, and we are so proud to see you carry this mission forward.

Please join us in celebrating both Sarah’s incredible impact and Alina’s bright future!

(Sister Diane Tomkinson and Sarah pictured below.)

03/26/2026

How is God calling you to say "yes" today? For those considering religious life, the vocation ministers of the NRVC Delaware Valley Area invite you to our retreat weekend April 10-12, 2026. Registrations requested by this Friday, 3/27!

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation—the moment Mary said “yes” to God’s call, even without knowing what lay ahead.

That quiet, courageous yes changed everything.

Where might God be inviting you to say yes?

If you’ve been feeling a nudge, a stirring, or a sense that there’s something more—this could be your moment to listen a little more closely.

Our upcoming Vocations Retreat is a space to pause, reflect, and explore where God may be leading you.

Registration closes this Friday, March 27.
https://osfphila.org/events/discernment-retreat/

03/18/2026

Our "No Risk, No Gain" documentary screening is rescheduled to March 30th. Hope you can join us!

Out of an abundance of caution due to the threat of severe weather tonight, we are postponing the showing of our documentary.

The event has been rescheduled for two weeks from today, on Monday, March 30 at 6:30 P.M. (doors open at 6 P.M.).

Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize everyone’s safety. We look forward to welcoming you soon for a wonderful evening together! Stay safe tonight! 🌧️

Sign up today to join us on Monday, March 30 ... the event is free but registration is required: https://fscaston.org/events-retreats/337/no-risk-no-gain-movie-night/

03/18/2026

Welcome to Ms. Natalia Mistichelli '90 as the next President of The Catholic High School of Baltimore. "Let your light shine!"

The Catholic High School of Baltimore's Board of Trustees proudly announces the appointment of Ms. Natalia Mistichelli '90 as the next President of Catholic High! Following a comprehensive national search, Ms. Mistichelli emerged as the clear choice to lead our institution and she will officially begin her tenure on July 1, 2026.

Her selection marks a significant milestone in our school’s storied history of empowering young women in the Franciscan Tradition. Please join us in offering Ms. Mistichelli a warm welcome to our Catholic High community!

To read more about Ms. Mistichelli, visit https://www.thecatholichighschool.org/about-us/presidential-search.

03/16/2026

In case you missed this post during Catholic Sisters Week!

“I first discovered St. Francis as a teenager through the film ‘Brother Sun, Sister Moon.’ I was captivated and started reading everything I could about him, drawn to the idea of living the Gospel in a simple and radical way.”

Meet Sr. Diane Tomkinson — a theologian, educator, and now our Charism Engagement Minister. Her journey has taken her from Connecticut to Swarthmore College, from a pilgrimage to Assisi to parish ministry and teaching at several universities.

Today, Sr. Diane focuses on building relationships and inviting others—especially young adults—to explore what it means to live the Franciscan spirit in the world today. The Franciscan movement began when St. Francis of Assisi heard God’s call to “rebuild my house,” responding by recognizing the dignity of every person, the value of all creation, and the need for both religious and civic communities to continually renew themselves. Sr. Diane’s passion is to invite others to collaborate in that same mission today.

Her outlook is simple: hope. As she says, “I meet a lot of people with a lot of hope, and that gives me hope.”

In celebration of Catholic Sisters Week, we give thanks for generations of women who answered God’s call with resilience and love. If you know a sister, celebrate her. Thank her. Share her story. Let her know her witness matters—today and always.

03/16/2026

In case you missed this during Catholic Sisters Week !

As we wrap up Catholic Sisters Week on Pi Day (3.14), we’re celebrating one of our many incredible math teachers: Sr. Maureen Fox.

Inspired by her own teachers—Srs. Lois Weber, Frances Calhoun, and Virginia Spiegel—Sr. Maureen discovered a love for mathematics early on. Seeing women excel in math was simply normal to her, thanks to these strong role models. She later went on to earn a Math Endorsement from Portland State University at a time when the field was still largely male.

For more than 35 years, Sr. Maureen shared that passion in the classroom, most recently serving as the math specialist at Holy Redeemer for 15 years. She has always encouraged young women to recognize their gifts in math and to embrace the subject with confidence.

But for Sr. Maureen, teaching was always about more than numbers. As she says, “People think you teach a subject and that’s it, but teaching’s much more involved than that—it’s being involved in kids’ lives and noticing when someone might be struggling.”

In celebration of Catholic Sisters Week, we give thanks for generations of women who answered God’s call with resilience and love. If you know a sister, celebrate her. Thank her. Share her story. Let her know her witness matters—today and always.

🥧📐

11/20/2025

Pope Leo prayed at the tomb of St. Francis in Assisi today! May we be a pilgrim people, following in the footprints of Jesus in the spirit of St. Francis.

Today, Pope Leo XIV visited the tomb of our beloved St. Francis of Assisi, calling his witness especially important “at a time when the world is searching for signs of hope.”

In the quiet of the Lower Basilica—before the ancient stone walls that hold St. Francis’ body—the Holy Father paused in prayer, entrusting intentions for peace, the Church, and all the faithful of Umbria. As we prepare to mark the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s death, this moment reminds us how deeply the saint’s humility, simplicity, and joyful hope continue to speak to our world.

Despite cold rain, pilgrims gathered to greet the Pope as he honored the patron saint of Italy and one of the Church’s great lights. His visit invites all of us to draw nearer to St. Francis and to let his life inspire our own paths of peace, compassion, and renewal.

May this blessed moment in Assisi rekindle hope in each of our hearts.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-11/pope-visits-tomb-st-francis-in-assisi-poor-peace.html