Sister Francesca Silver, FSE

Sister Francesca often can be seen with her camera capturing the fine veins of a leaf that serve as a highway for a little tiny insect making its way to somewhere. She also delights in panoramic orange and purple sunsets as background to flocks of wild turkeys launching into their tree homes for the night. Even more, her joy is in seeing others awaken to the beauty of creation. In likeness to her patron, St. Francis of Assisi, she sees the glory of God everywhere in creation. She generously shares her encyclopedic knowledge of creatures coupled with her lived experience with students, workshop attendees, and her fellow Sisters.

Professing perpetual vows in 2021 sealed her commitment to consecrated religious life as a Franciscan Eucharistic woman. As much as shares with others God’s amazing creation, Sister Francesca promotes by her witness and teaching, “Eucharistic amazement,”** – the miraculous wonder of Christ’s presence in what appears as bread. As campus minister for St. Dominic Academy in Auburn, Maine, Sister Francesca encourages adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and works with the students to plan the school Masses.

In addition, she teaches theology to the elementary students, runs yearly retreats for all grades, leads the choir, runs the garden program, directs the annual Christmas pageant, leads a school prayer assembly each morning, does service projects, prepares students to receive the Sacraments, and has seasonal prayers such as Stations of the Cross on Fridays in Lent and a May Crowning.

Sometimes she takes the students on trips; for example this Holy Week she took a group to Portland for the Chrism Mass and in the Spring she brings the choir to the diocesan School Choir festival. For three summers she has worked with other Sisters to run a “St. Francis Camp” on school grounds. Besides school, she helps out with campus ministry at Bates College, with catechesis and the women’s group at Prince of Peace parish, and gives talks and retreats throughout the diocese.

Sister Francesca brings a delightful, creative presence to her Sisters in Community and generously offers help to anyone who needs a hand. She has truly found a treasure in living community life as a vibrant religious woman.