MERIDEN, CT (08-23-2022) - Swiss Guard Lt. Urs Breitenmoser, himself a basketball player, was enthused when he met the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist at the Vatican and found out that their motherhouse is in Connecticut USA, the "Home of the Huskies." He is an ardent follower of UConn Coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies team. Mother Shaun Vergauwen, Mother General at the time, and a good friend of the coach, shared Urs' interest with the coach, so on her next visit to Rome, she met with Urs and presented him a UConn jersey as a gift from Coach Calhoun. The Swiss Guard, in turn, sent a jersey of the Swiss Guards Basketball team back for Coach Calhoun. Urs faithfully followed the Huskies and watched as many games as he could through the seasons. This summer, Urs' hope of one day meeting the famous Connecticut coach, was fulfilled - again, through the friendship of Mother Shaun. "Jim was very happy to drive back to West Hartford from his vacation in Rhode Island early one day to meet Urs," Mother Shaun shared. They spent about an hour together, joined by Mother Shaun, Mother Miriam Seiferman and Sister Judith Zoebelein. The coach toured the group through the sports facilities and his office at the University of St. Joseph, West Hartford, where he is the men's head basketball coach. Mother Shaun and Urs holding their signed basketballs from Coach Jim Calhoun. The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist welcomed Urs, his wife Roseangela and daughters Sara and Matina to the motherhouse to meet the Community and to share an All-American dinner of hamburgers and hotdogs. "Our time together was very [...]

ROME (07-13-2022) - Pope Francis announced today his appointment of Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE to the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, along with Sister Yvonne Reungoat, F.M.A., former Superior General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and Dr. Maria Lia Zervino, President of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations. Sister Raffaella serves as the Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, appointed by Pope Francis on November 4, 2021. These three appointees are the first women to be named to the Dicastery of Bishops who assist the Holy Father in selecting bishops. The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Community prayerfully supports Sister Raffaella in this new mission to serve the Church at the request of the Holy Father. Sister Raffaella is a member of the FSE Rome Center.

ROME (06-30-2022) - Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE and Sister Damien Marie Savino, FSE were invited experts at the tenth international colloquium of the International Association of Catholic Bioethics in Rome June 26-29, 2022. The Sisters' topic was "a Christian understanding of ecology and health: overcoming oversights and incorporating new insights." Their approach was to bring the medical model of One Health, the ecological model of Social-Ecological Systems theory, and Catholic social teaching into conversation in order to envision new bioethical frameworks for responding to global pandemics and other health crises. The IACB's stated goal for the gathering was "to discuss developing a Christian understanding of creation and integral ecology and an ethical framework to guide clinical care and public health." Topics included health effects of climate change as a global public health issue, reducing ecological harm of health care, "one health" approaches to health promotion, and health and sustainable food production, distribution and consumption. The list of invited experts included John Berkman (theologian), Henk ten Have (physician and bioethicist), Santiago Henao Villegas (vet, public health scientist, bioethicist), Christine Jamieson (theologian), Fr Joshtrom Kureethadam SDB (philosopher), Sr Rafaella Petrini FSE (political scientist), Cristina Richie (bioethicist), Tony Snow (Canadian indigenous knowledge keeper, theologian), Sr Damien Marie Savino FSE (environmental engineer), and Fr Gerald Whelan SJ (theologian). Sister Raffaella Petrini (far right) and Sister Damien Marie Savino (second from right) spend time with their Sisters in Rome, from left, Sister Grace Marie Horan and Sister Gabriella Pettirossi.

MERIDEN, CT (06-24-2022) - Sister Mary Rose Irvine professed first vows in the presence of the Franciscan Community at the Chapel of Saint John on the feast day of the birth of Saint John the Baptist. Sister Mary Rose now moves on to the next step in formation and will share community life with her Sisters in temporary vows. Mother Miriam Seiferman, FSE, Mother General, received Sister Mary Rose's vows and affirmed her drive to be a vital part of the mission of the Community. Sister Patricia Glass and Sister Renee Marek were witnesses to the vows. The Reverend Jeffrey Romans, pastor of St. Bridget of Sweden, Cheshire, and the Reverend Piotr Buczek, Parochial Vicar gave Sister their priestly blessings. Sister Mary Rose is pastoral associate at the parish. Click on photos to enlarge.

LOWELL, MICHIGAN – The cover story of the April 2022 edition of the Grand Rapids Diocese “Faith” magazine featured Sister Damien Marie Savino, FSE. Titled “For the love of creation, Sister Damien Marie shares her passion for theology and ecology,” the article presents Sister Damien Marie in her role as a scientist who integrates the Catholic Church’s teaching on the environment with science. She guides persons in respect for creation and in respect for one another. She participates in the recently-published Vatican-based web platform, Laudato Si’ Action Platform, where individuals and groups around the world share projects, insights and reflections on Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato si’, On Care for Our Common Home. Sister Damien Marie is the Dean of Science and Sustainability at Aquinas College, Grand Rapids. Click here to read the article in “Faith” magazine. Click to read “Faith” magazine.

MERIDEN, CT (05-31-2022) - The motherhouse community of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist welcomed His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle for a visit from May 29 to May 31. Cardinal Tagle is the Prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and the former Archbishop of Manila. The Sisters, Brothers and Franciscan Apprentices, both local and around the world, appreciated Cardinal Tagle's inspiring two-hour presentation and discussion on "Evangelization and Synodality" which was live-streamed from the Chapel of St. John. Mother Miriam Seiferman, FSE, Mother General, extended the Community's gratitude to Cardinal Tagle for his presence and asked Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE to introduce him. Sister Raffaella, now the Secretary General of the Governance of Vatican City State, had worked closely as an Official with Cardinal Tagle at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Cardinal Tagle offered Masses for the Community during his visit and joined the Franciscan Sisters and Brothers for prayer and meals. Needless to say, the Sisters from the Philippines were delighted to meet "their" Cardinal. Click on photos to enlarge and see captions.

FALLS CHURCH, VA (05-16-2022) - Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist of the Falls Church center attended the commencement for nearly 1,500 students at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C. on Saturday, May 14. The ceremony was held outdoors on University Lawn, and was the first on-campus commencement since 2019. The Sisters honored Sister Grace Marie Horan, FSE who received a Doctor of Ministry degree at the event. See related story. In the photo, Sister Grace Marie proudly holds her diploma. She is joined by (from left) Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, FSE, currently a student at The Catholic University of America; Sister Lucia Treanor, FSE, a Lecturer in the English Department at the University, and Sister Mary Kolbe Heffern, FSE. Sister Grace Marie follows Sister Damien Marie Savino, FSE who earned a doctoral degree in civil engineering from the University a few years ago. Her dissertation focused on the social implications of an eco-restoration project of the Anacostia River watershed. Mother Rosemae Pender, FSE, Mother Foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, received the degree of Master of Art in English in the 1950's prior to her founding of the FSE Community. At present, two other Franciscan Sisters are enrolled in distance programs at the University. Sister Grace Marie (center) is flanked by Reverend Monsignor Michael Clay, D. Min, Sister's Treatise Director, and Dr. Jemima A. Rosario Sullivan, Ph.D. who was a reader in Sister's treatise defense.

JERUSALEM (05-10-2022) - Today the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, made his solemn entrance into the Holy Sepulchre. This event had been postponed several times due to the global pandemic. It is customary for a newly appointed Grand Master to initiate his office by a solemn procession to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre accompanied by episcopal dignitaries. Cardinal Filoni requested Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE, Co-foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, and Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE, Secretary General of Vatican City State, to be two of five in his delegation. Cardinal Filoni received Mother Shaun into the Order of the Holy Sepulchre as a Religious Dame on September 19, 2021. Mother Shaun and Sister Raffaella will travel with Cardinal Filoni during the entire Holy Land journey which includes visits to Bethlehem, Beit Sahur, Nazareth and Jordan. Click on photos to enlarge and see captions. Photos courtesy of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Sister Naomi Zimmermann, FSE.

MERIDEN, CT (05-07-2022) – Sister Mary Anne Linder, FSE was honored by Holy Apostles College and Seminary at the Sixty-fourth Commencement Exercises held at the college campus in Cromwell, Connecticut, as she received the Service Award for her 24 years as a faculty member. In absentia, Sister Mary Elizabeth Endee, FSE, received the Service Award plaque for Sister Mary Anne. The citation from Holy Apostles College and Seminary was read as follows: Sister Mary Anne Linder, F.S.E. Born in Iowa to the late George and Louise Linder, Sister Mary Anne Linder is the oldest child of 7 siblings. Growing up on a large farm, she became accustomed to sharing in the family chores of both gardening and animal husbandry. All of these skills would become quite valuable as she entered the Pontifical religious order of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist (F.S.E.); she continues to live the F.S.E. mission “to restore the sense of the sacred” in their community in Meriden, CT. Sr. Mary Anne is currently pledged with supporting the education of the F.S.E. novices and postulants. Sr. Mary Anne earned her B.A. degree from Mundelein College. She furthered her education with earning her M.Ed. from Wayne State University and an M.T.S. from the John Paul II Institute, Washington, DC. As a life-long learner, she continued to pursue additional theology courses at Holy Apostles College and Seminary (HACS). Prior to joining the faculty at Holy Apostles, Sr. Mary Anne was the Director of the Curtis Home for the Aged and had various roles in health care, as a Certified Home Health Aide for the aged, including with Franciscan Home Care and West Hill Convalescent Home. Sr. Mary [...]

Sister Grace Marie Horan, FSE on the day of her final vows in 2017. ROME (04-20-2022) - Sister Grace Marie Horan, FSE, of the FSE Rome center, joyfully received the announcement that she successfully passed her oral defense of her doctoral treatise and is granted the degree of Doctor of Ministry from The Catholic University of America. The defense was held via teleconference  with several Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist around the world attending. Sister Grace Marie has been an official of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue since February 2021. Prior to living in Rome, she was missioned to the FSE center in Bridal Veil, Oregon. Her doctoral treatise, Incorporating Dr. Montessori's Catholic Vision within a Religiously Diverse Catholic School, was based on a project in ministry, a faith formation program for staff at the Franciscan Montessori Earth School in Portland. The program sought to demonstrate the deep connection between Montessori pedagogy and the Catholic faith, and how this connection can inform a school's Catholic identity in a context of dialogue with non-Catholics. Explaining the significance of her work, Sister Grace Marie commented, "The topic is significant for Catholic schools because it addresses a burning issue of re-vitalizing Catholic identity as our society becomes more plural and less religious. Our society needs Catholic schools to keep alive our vision of the transcendent dimension of human nature, and the love that God shares with us through his Son Jesus Christ, while engaging in relationships of dialogue and esteem with those of other or no religious traditions. Many of the project's themes are also found in the recent document from the Vatican, 'The Identity of [...]