ROME (05-09-2025) - Sister Mary Mercy Lee, FSE considered it a privilege to proclaim the First Reading at the newly-elected Holy Father's Mass for the Cardinal-electors today in the Sistine Chapel. Sister Mary Mercy serves in the English language section at a Vatican office. She professed perpetual vows in the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist community last year on May 26 and began ministering at the Holy See in August.
MERIDEN, CT (05-08-2025) - The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist world-wide offer heartfelt prayer and support for our new Shepherd of the Church, Pope Leo XVI. May the Lord bless him and keep him, show His face to him and give him peace.
MERIDEN, CT (05-08-2025) - The Chapel of St. John at the Franciscan Sisters' motherhouse saw an immediate change as the white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, signifying a new pope had been elected. Brother Leo Maneri, Franciscan Brother of the Eucharist (pictured on ladder), and Land Care Assistant Frank Critelli, with the help of Sister Monica Navalta, FSE were at the ready to change the bunting over the main entrance of the chapel from the black mourning cloth to a yellow and white papal drape. The black cloth, in honor of Pope Francis who died April 21, adorned the door during the period of mourning until a new Pope was elected, a tradition held by churches throughout the world. The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, the Franciscan Brothers of the Eucharist, lay associates and friends walked joyfully through the decorated chapel door to pray for Pope Leo XIV at today's Mass offered for the Holy Father by Reverend Eric Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. Paul VI Parish in Hamden, Connecticut.
MERIDEN, CT (04-21-2025) - The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist join millions of people around the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis. We pray the Blessing of St. Francis of Assisi that our Holy Father will be welcomed into the joy of eternal life after a faithful and loving life of service to the Church. May the Lord bless and protect you May the Lord shine his merciful eyes upon you May he show His countenance to you And give you peace. May the Lord bless you.
FALLS CHURCH, VA (03-04-2025) - Sister Judith Gebelein, FSE entered eternal life today at Virginia Hospital in Arlington, following an acute respiratory complication. Her Community of Sisters kept vigil in prayer with her as Sister Judith prepared to be welcomed into her eternal home. Sister Judith has lived at the FSE Falls Church center since 2006 when the Sisters first began ministering in the Diocese of Arlington at the invitation of the Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde. Prior to being assigned to Falls Church, Sister Judith was a member of the Franciscan center in Lowell, Michigan for 33 years. Sister Judith began her journey as a Franciscan religious woman in 1965 as she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, La Crosse, Wisconsin. She professed first vows in 1969. In 1973, she became a founding member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. She and six classmates celebrated their 50th jubilee of vows in 2019. Sister Judith, daughter of the late Roy and Shirley Gebelein, was born on December 10, 1946, and grew up in Stratford, Wisconsin, the oldest of seven children. As a child, Sister Judith (Judy) contracted polio. The effects of polio remained with her during her life and motivated her to overcome the handicaps imposed on her body from the disease, and to minister to others as a nurse. Sister Judith earned a B.A. degree in sociology from Viterbo College (now University), and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) from Grand Valley State University. From 1970 to 1976, she worked at St. Francis Hospital, La Crosse, Wisconsin; Cherry Creek Nursing Home in Lowell, and Grand Rapids Oncology Group. For 25 years, she was a [...]
ROME (02-15-2025) - Pope Francis announced today the appointment of Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE as President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State. We Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, as a Community dedicated to serving the Holy Father and the Church, offer Sister Raffaella our prayerful support as she assumes this new mission for the Church. The announcement published on Vatican News states: Pope Francis has appointed Sister Raffaella Petrini as the new President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State. A statement released by the Holy See Press Office on Saturday also said the appointment is effective March 1, 2025. Sister Petrini, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, has served as Secretary General of the Governorate since 2021. With this appointment, she becomes the first woman to hold the highest leadership position within the Vatican’s administrative structure. In her new role, she will oversee the governance of Vatican City, managing its daily operations and policies in accordance with the directives of the Holy See. The Governorate is responsible for various aspects of Vatican City's administration, including security, infrastructure, and cultural heritage. Sister Petrini’s predecessor, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, L.C., served as President since 2021. Sister Raffaella, a native of Rome, is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist.
WASHINGTON, DC (01-24-2025) - Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist from Meriden, Connecticut, Lewiston, Maine, Falls Church, Virginia, and Boynton Beach, Florida centers joined thousands of pro-life supporters for the National March for Life in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2025 March is "Life: Why We March." The Connecticut Sisters participated in the Archdiocese of Hartford's Respect Life Ministry pilgrimage to the nation's capitol to witness to the dignity of human life. The busload, comprised of priests, religious men and women, lay faithful adults and teens, left Thursday morning. The group attended the Opening Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at 5:00 P.M. The Most Reverend Paul Loverde, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Arlington, celebrated Mass for the group at their hotel, and was the guest speaker during the breakfast on Friday. The Archdiocese of Hartford's Respect Life Ministry activities are organized by Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Sister Suzanne Gross and Sister Amaris Salata. Sister Christianna Hamann and Sister Francesca Silver from Lewiston came with the Diocese of Portland pilgrims and met up with their fellow Sisters at the rally preceding the March to the Supreme Court. Sisters from the Falls Church center accompanied groups from parishes and schools as well as from The Catholic University of America. Sister Clare Hunter, from the faculty of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, led a group of seminarians to the March for Life.
JERUSALEM - Sister Maria David Magbanua, FSE, was highlighted in a recent National Catholic Reporter's Global Sisters Report for her service with the children of migrants and asylum seekers in Jerusalem. Sister Maria David has been the director of St. Rachel Center for the past three years, carrying out this ministry under the auspices of the Latin Patriarchate's Vicariate for Migrants and Asylum Seekers. St. Rachel Center provides services as a day care program, after school and youth programs, summer and school holiday camps, foster care program and volunteer program. The day care program ministers to up to 28 babies from four months to three years old during the day. The after-school program serves about 30 school age children, and the summer and holiday camps minister to about 60 children ages four to 17 years. The article describes the Church's response to the overwhelming need for this ministry as migrants and asylum seekers come to the Holy Land seeking a better life and future. Sister Maria David, herself an immigrant from the Philippines, arrived in Jerusalem as a young lay woman seeking work. It was there that she met the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and later became a member of the Congregation, professing perpetual vows in 2010. For more about Sister Maria David, see Featured Sister. Read the National Catholic Reporter's Global Sisters Report.
The entire Community of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist wishes you a joyful and blessed Christmas Season! As the Church opens the Jubilee Year of Hope, may our hearts be lifted up by the hope of the Incarnation, the miracle of the Body of Christ in our midst. We pray in gratitude and for the needs of our families, friends, collaborators and viewers. Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Motherhouse Community, Meriden, Connecticut Assisi, Italy Boynton Beach, Florida Bridal Veil, Oregon Burlington, Vermont Falls Church, Virginia Jerusalem Lewiston, Maine Lowell, Michigan Pocatello, Idaho Rome, Italy Vancouver, British Columbia
ROME (10-23-2024) - Sister Mary Mercy Lee, FSE who recently began to serve at the Vatican, was selected to read Pope Francis' message and blessing to the English-speaking pilgrims at the Holy Father's General Audience on October 23. Thousands of people from around the world gather each Wednesday in St. Peter's Square to see and listen to Pope Francis who customarily presents an instruction or reflection on a topic of his choice. Currently, he has been speaking on the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. The audience concludes with his greetings and blessing to people of various language groups which he says in Italian, and then a delegate of each language interprets his message for the crowd. Sister Mary Mercy presented the message in English, addressing those present from English-speaking countries. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-10/pope-at-general-audience-23-october-2024.html Sister Mary Mercy's part begins at 31:10 in the Vatican video.
