MERIDEN, CT (03-10-2024) - "The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist are a blessing for the Archdiocese of Hartford engaged in so many diverse ministries. It seems fitting that as you have recently celebrated 50 years as a Pontifical Religious Order of Women that the Archdiocese of Hartford would also recognize this great milestone," wrote The Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, Archbishop of Hartford, in a letter to Mother Miriam Seiferman, FSE, Mother General, and to Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE, Co-foundress. The Archbishop continued, "I am pleased to inform you both that the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist have been chosen as one of the recipients of the Twenty-Third Annual Saint Joseph Archdiocesan Medal of Appreciation. This medal is presented in recognition of dedicated service to parishes of the Archdiocese of Hartford. However, this year I wish to present a medal to you, on behalf of your entire community, to recognize your outstanding service to the Archdiocese itself." The Saint Joseph Medal of Appreciation ceremony which included Daytime Prayer, Benediction and presentation of awards, was held March 10 at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Hartford. Filled to capacity, the Mother Church of the Archdiocese seated numerous priests, hundreds of parishioners, family members of award recipients, the Meriden Franciscan Community and the FSE General Council. Archbishop Blair presided with Coadjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne and Auxiliary Bishop Juan Miquel Betancourt in attendance. The Saint Joseph Medal of Appreciation was given to lay persons recommended by their pastors, representing 89 parishes. The Saint Joseph Archdiocesan Outstanding Service Award was presented to five lay professionals and Mother Miriam and Mother Shaun. In this year of celebration of [...]

MERIDEN, CT (02-12-2024) - Danah Agustin, daughter of Lorenza and Danilo Agustin of Vancouver, BC, entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist on Sunday, February 11, the traditional day commemorating Our Lady of Lourdes. On this day in 1858, the Blessed Virgin appeared for the first of 18 times to a 14-year old French girl, Bernadette Soubirous. In the private ceremony, Mother Miriam Seiferman, FSE, Mother General, received Danah's request for novitiate, responding with a strong affirmation of Danah's readiness for this next step in religious formation. Following Mother Miriam's blessing of the habit, veil and cincture, Danah, accompanied by Mother Barbara Johnson, FSE, Vicar General, was clothed in the garments that mark her as a Franciscan Sister. Upon Danah's return to the chapel, Mother Miriam presented her with her religious name, Sister Bernadette. She explained that there were many choices of names that would be fitting for Danah, but "Bernadette" seemed to capture the spirit of a faith-filled young woman who knew a major change in her life after encountering the Blessed Virgin in her appearances at Lourdes. The story of Bernadette is well-known in the Catholic Church, as she was the occasion for the Blessed Virgin to affirm the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. When Bernadette asked the woman in the vision what her name was, she replied, "I am the Immaculate Conception." Bernadette continued to be faithful to the messages that she received from the Blessed Virgin. The Church has known immense grace from the events at Lourdes and Bernadette was the instrument God chose to bring this about for the healing of the world. The [...]

LOWELL, MI  - Sister Darlene Wessling, FSE entered eternal life Sunday morning, January 28 as her Sisters of the Lowell Community and Mother Miriam Seiferman, Mother General, surrounded her with prayer and loving vigilance. Sister Darlene had lived valiantly with a serious heart condition for several years and was admitted to hospice care last week. With an upbeat and positive attitude, trusting in God's providence, she was an inspiration to her Sisters as she prepared to meet Christ, her Spouse, after a full life as a consecrated religious woman in community. Sister Darlene was a vibrant and stalwart member of the Lowell center for the past 44 years. An accomplished social worker specializing in gerontology, she served the needs of elderly persons through her work with agencies in west central Michigan. For seven years she worked directly with hospice patients to help them and their families prepare for their final journey. The past few years, Sister Darlene joined the pastoral team at St. Robert of Newminster Parish in nearby Ada, Michigan, where her social work skills and years of experience came to flowering within a faith context as she visited elderly members of the parish, often being at their side as they entered eternal life. A true Iowan at heart, Sister Darlene, daughter of Hugo and Hedwig Wessling, grew up on her family farms in Dedham and Westside, Iowa, with her siblings Roselyn, George and John. She graduated from Kuemper Catholic High School, Carroll, where she played percussion in the band and orchestra, specializing in snare drum. During her freshman year, with her mother's sudden death, she helped her father manage the tasks of the [...]

During 2023, Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist were featured in a variety of news articles by both secular and Catholic press outlets. Here are a few of the noteworthy items: Sister Catherine Mary Clarke, Dying a Natural Death, Catholic Transcript, July-August 2023, pp 12-15 "Sister Catherine Mary Clarke, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist, has comforted the dying for more than 17 years as a clinical social worker with Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care in Meriden." Sister Catherine Mary explains her work with hospice patients in light of the Catholic Church's teaching on dying. Sister Lucia Treanor, EWTN Life on the Rock, Interview about "Elwood, the Story of a Catholic WWII Hero" (Interview starts at 3:20) and EWTN Great Britain, A Hero's Tale: Remembering A Catholic Captain Who Gave All in World War II Sister Lucia talks about her recent book relaying the story of her cousin who died saving lives in the South Pacific during World War II. Sister Naomi Zimmermann, A Time for Healing, L'Osservatore Romano, August 25, 2023 and Holy Child Program: Serving children and families in Bethlehem, Vatican News, September 1, 2023 Sister Naomi writes about the healing mission of the Holy Child Program in Beit Sahour, Holy Land. "The mission of the Holy Child Program has always been to instill hope through healing. It is a safe place for those who manifest emotional behavioral problems resulting in difficulties at home, at school and in the community." Sister Mary Frances Traynor, Proclaim the Gospel of Creation: Assisi's Missionary Send-off of Laudato Si' Animators, Laudato Si Week 2023 Sister Mary Frances proclaimed a reading during the world-wide zoom [...]

MERIDEN, CT (12-01-2023) - Fifty years ago on December 2, 1973, the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist were established as a pontifical religious order of women by a decree of the Vatican's Sacred Congregation for Religious. The Sisters were formerly members of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The erection of the new Congregation on December 2, followed upon a meeting with the Sacred Congregation in Rome of the President and Vice President of the Franciscan Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration and three representatives of the group that was to become the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Standing on the steps of St. Peter Basilica, Rome, on November 5, 1973, are, from left, Mother Ann Marie Kerper, former Mother General of FSPA; Mother Rita Brunner, former Provincial of FSPA Southern Province; and Mother Rosemae Pender, of FSPA Provisional Province, former Council Member, formation director, and leader of the experiment in Religious Life that resulted in the formation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Mother Rosemae Pender, was appointed Superior General of the new Congregation by the Vatican. Her assistants were Mother Shaun Vergauwen, Mother Rita Brunner and Mother Mary Ann Schmitz. The new Community numbered 55 Sisters. Mother Rosemae Pender, FSE, (right), Superior General and Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE Mother Rita Brunner, FSE and Mother Mary Ann Schmitz, FSE Our Mothers General and Vicars General 1973-1981 Mother Rosemae and her three assistants, known as the Transformation Team, guided the Community during the founding years until the Constitutions were written and approved by the Vatican [...]

MERIDEN, CT (10-07-2023) - On the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist gathered in the Chapel of St. John for a private ceremony of reception into novitiate of Marie Tessier. During the past two years as a pre-postulant and a postulant, Marie has lived with the Community in the initial formation house in Meriden. Marie read her letter of request to enter novitiate to which Mother Miriam Seiferman, Mother General, responded with a joyful "Yes" and reflected on the beauty and humble spirit of Marie's request to be formed toward a spousal relationship with Christ within Community. After blessing the habit, veil and cincture, Mother Miriam presented them to Mother Barbara Johnson, Vicar General, to assist in clothing Marie. Upon re-entering the chapel, dressed in the new habit, Marie shared what the postulant medal meant to her during the past year. She experienced wearing the medal as a connection with the heritage of the Community and in particular, with Mother Shaun Vergauwen, Co-foundress. Marie expressed her desire to be a part of carrying forth the Community's Franciscan, Eucharistic heritage into the future. Mother Miriam then presented Marie with her new religious name, Sister Marie Emmanuel. "Emmanuel" meaning "God with us" will be a reminder to the new Sister of God's presence with her and as a religious, of her vocation to be a God-presence to others. Sister Marie Emmanuel received blessings from Mother Miriam, Mother Barbara and Mother Shaun, after which the FSE Community sang the Blessing of St. Francis for her. Sister Marie Emmanuel is the oldest of nine children of Carole and Robert Tessier of Warrenton, [...]

In preparation for perpetual vows on August 6, 2023, media-savvy Sister Jeanne d'Arc was asked to create a video of her vocation story. Enjoy and be inspired!

MERIDEN, CT (08-06-2023) - Sister Jeanne d'Arc Paquette professed perpetual vows during Mass on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the Chapel of St. John in the presence of clergy, family, friends and her Community of Franciscan Sisters and Brothers. Mother Miriam Seiferman, FSE, Mother General, received Sister's vows and welcomed her as a fully professed member of the Community. Celebrant for the solemn occasion was the Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, Archbishop of Hartford, whose homily highlighted the glorious experience of Christ's apostles as He was transfigured before them. The Archbishop spoke about the call of consecrated women and men to witness to the glorious life of faith in the Church and in the world. Following her profession of vows, Sister Jeanne d'Arc received blessings from Mother Miriam, Mother Barbara Johnson, Vicar General, and Mother Shaun Vergauwen, Co-foundress. Archbishop Blair bestowed the blessing of the Church on the newly professed Sister and the ring symbolizing her life commitment to Christ and the Church through the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Sister Jeanne d'Arc's parents, Michael and Patricia Paquette of Fredericksburg, Virginia, presented their daughter to the Community at the beginning of Mass. Her siblings, Adrienne, twin sister Anne Marie, Joseph and Grace and their families were also present. Patricia Paquette and Chaela Franck, on flute and harp respectively, filled the chapel with the musical beauty of Ave Maria as a communion meditation. Reverend Jeffrey Romans, pastor of St. Bridget of Sweden Parish, Cheshire, and Reverend Raymond Borkowski, OFM, Conv. of St. Paul Parish, Kensington, concelebrated. Deacon Donald Philip assisted. Reverend Michael Ruminski was the master of ceremonies. [...]

MERIDEN, CT (07-18-2023) - The General Chapter of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist announces the election of the Mother General, Vicar General and General Council to serve the Community for the next six years. The Chapter delegates gathered for the election the afternoon of July 17 following three days of prayerful retreat. Mother Miriam Seiferman was elected Mother General for a second term and Mother Barbara Johnson will serve as Vicar General, also for a second term. First Councilor is Sister Veronica Schueler; Second Councilor is Sister Mary Elizabeth Endee; Sister Raffaella Petrini and Sister Clare Hunter were elected as Third and Fourth Councilors, respectively. Mother Barbara, a licensed marriage and family therapist, is the Executive Director of the Franciscan Life Center, Meriden, and formator of novices and temporary professed Sisters. Sister Veronica, a member of the Bridal Veil, Oregon, center, and a lawyer by profession, is Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Portland. Sister Mary Elizabeth is Director and marriage and family therapist for the Franciscan Life Center as well as vocation director for the Community and director of pre-postulants. Sister Raffaella lives with the Rome Community and serves as the Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State. Sister Clare is Assistant Professor of Theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, Florida, where she lives in Community with her follow Franciscan Sisters who also work at the seminary.

MERIDEN, CT (06-16-2023) - The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart will be remembered by Cara Fusco as a special feast as she was received into the novitiate of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist on this day. In a private ceremony, Cara read her request to Mother Miriam Seiferman, Mother General, in the presence of the Franciscan Community, after which Mother Miriam's wise words of acceptance and affirmation echoed in the hearts of all present. The Reverend Christopher Murphy, Rector of Our Lady of Providence Seminary, Providence, Rhode Island, blessed the habit, veil and cincture with which Cara would be clothed. Mother Barbara Johnson, FSE, Vicar General, assisted Cara in exchanging her postulant tunic for the newly-blessed habit. Upon returning to the chapel, Mother Miriam announced that Cara would be given a religious name expressive of her openness to do God's will at every step of her formation. Her name is Sister Fiat Marie. "Fiat" was the response of the Virgin Mary to the angel's message that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of Christ: "Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum - let it be done to me according to your word." Mother Miriam pointed out that Sister Fiat Marie has shown this capacity of resilience and freedom in response to God's will, and with the Community's support, she will continue her formation in the same spirit. Sister Fiat Marie received blessings from Father Murphy, Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE Co-foundress, Mother Barbara and Mother Miriam. The Community sang the Blessing of Saint Francis as their affirmation. Sister Fiat Marie was raised in Foster, Rhode Island, on a small farm where she enjoyed [...]