Donor Spotlight

Who are our partners in mission? Our collaborators in ministry? Our investors in the work of social justice, ecological advocacy, prayer and all we do to invite love and goodness in the world? They are FSPA donors.

We introduce you to just a few whose impact we are eternally grateful for and invite you to join them in supporting our global community.

Donors David and Donna share 'Very fond memories'

Born and raised in Arcadia, Wisconsin, David had “a couple of great-aunts” who were Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. He recalls his family having dinners with the sisters who were dressed in their full habits. “Sister Petronilda’s bonnet was so tight. I wondered how they ate, drank or even breathed!” Sister Angelora Grossman was a first cousin. And an FSPA, Sister Thaddea Sobotta, was David’s great-aunt.

David is an accordionist. One day in 2000, during a drive on Hwy 33, Donna told him about the Villa. He responded “Maybe I could entertain the sisters there.” David was already playing at local nursing homes on a monthly basis. Sister Georgia connected him with Sister Mary Eve Hytry, a “much-treasured friend over these years.” Together David and Donna, who married in 2001, visited the sisters at the Villa and provided accordion performances for them. It became a regular gig, “virtually every month,” says David. “It was such a pleasure to play for the sisters. We developed quite a relationship with them.” Some sisters were serious, he recalls, but others revealed distinctive personalities. Sister Pat Sheridan “was always just a tad late for his performances.” He would tell her to sit in front so he could “keep an eyeball on her,” and she would “burst out in laughter. I had to play ‘My Wild Irish Rose’ for her.” David also played for the sisters at St. Rose, where they met Sister Michon Desmond. Sister Ladonna Kassmeyer recruited David to play for the local National Night Out parties. Suffice it to say, David came to the conclusion that FSPA is “the fun order!”

Sister Georgia told Donna and David that Sister Helen Deppe, from Bellevue, would be coming to St. Rose. During one of David’s performance engagements, “we had the discussion about birthdays, and Donna realized that she and Sister Helen were junior primary classmates in Bellevue from 1946 to 47.” Years later, while David was playing at St. Rose, they connected with Sister Helen. In 2023, when Sister Helen was celebrating 60 years as an FSPA, Donna discovered that while she was a nursing school student at St. Francis, Sister Helen was ministering just across the street at St. Rose. “Small world, heh?” says David.

At one time, Sisters Marian Massman, Blanche Klein and Kathleen Kenkel were their neighbors. Sister Marian spoke about the FSPA Prayer Partner ministry with him. David and Donna became prayer partners in 2011. “Sisters Rita Jansen and Rose Therese McMullen had the prayer hour before us,” recalls David, “and we later enjoyed visiting them at the Villa. After our prayer hour, Sister Lucille would walk us to the reception desk and casually conquer the staircase without holding on to the handrail!” She was counting the days until her 100th birthday which was celebrated at the local Pizza Doctors.”

David and Donna became regular Mass attendees at Mary of the Angels Chapel at St. Rose. David would sit next to Sister Bernyne Stark. “I got to know her and just loved her.” And he’s felt “Sunday joy” to attend Mass with the community. “The hymn ‘All Are Welcome’ accurately describes the feeling one gets here at St. Rose.” Sister Bernyne invited them to join her for brunch after Mass. “Such very fond memories.”

With so many memories and relationships to treasure, David gives gratitude for the ministries the FSPA have upheld throughout history and continue to carry out around the world.

“By golly, they did it, and they are still doing it.”

Donor Giving Stories

Donors like you are sharing their inspiration for investing in FSPA ministries — their stories of giving to supporting our global community. What's your giving story? We invite you to share yours and make a donation today. With your permission, we will share your stories below and on our social channels to inspire others with your Franciscan goodness!

I have good memories and so much thanks for my exposure to Sister Marita Bos (Gerardine). When I was a sophomore at Marquette High School in Bellevue, Iowa, Sister Gerardine was my teacher for geometry. I was a remedial student and had some learning disability issues that very few people knew anything about at that time.

I had many ninth period (after school) sessions with Sister Gerardine. She got me up to speed in geometry with all of her extra effort. At the time, we thought she was very tough.

Now after more than 60 years, I look back and appreciate the tremendous change Sister Gerardine has made in my life. God has blessed me so much in my life with a good career in data processing. I believe that none of this would have been possible without Sister Gerardine's tough training to bring me along.

Over the last couple of years, I have come to realize the impact she has had on my life and I have been praying for her benefit. I met a sister who was a friend of Sister Gerardine when I lived in Texas. Her friend told me that she had died of pancreatic cancer. I've been led to believe that it is one of the toughest and most painful cancers. God Bless her.

I am so thankful for her work on my behalf. God bless you, Sister Gerardine.

Joe and Barb Kruse: Faithful Friends

"It is linked with our desire ... to be living our lives influenced by Franciscan values," says Joe Kruse in a conversation about Faithful Friends — the FSPA monthly giving program that he and his wife, Barb, invest in. "We are able to authentically embrace those values by collaboration with the Franciscan Sisters, and that feels really good to both of us."