“One hundred and seventy-five years of faith represented in your unshakable belief that Jesus is Lord; 175 years FSPA has turned their eyes to Jesus in the mission of love,” offered Bishop Battersby in his homily at our public 175th celebration on June 8 in Mary of the Angels Chapel. Sisters—including FSPA, FSE, OSF and TSSF—donors, affiliates and pilgrims traveling along the Marion Route, the northern branch of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, joined us in celebration. For the Eucharistic Rally pilgrims, their time at St. Rose included a chapel tour, time in adoration and an introduction to Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman shared by Sister Laura Nettles.
Pilgrims included two seminarians, Blasé Gebs from the Diocese of Rapid City and Mason Bailey from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend; three Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Father John Mary Johannssen, Brother Emmanuel Bentler and Brother Jonah Farace; and six lay pilgrims, Danielle Schmitz, from Santa Clara, California (a junior at Catholic University of America in Washington D.C.), Jennifer Torres, originally from Mexico City, Mexico, currently living in Denver (serving in various apostolates), Kai Weiss, originally from Regensburg, Germany, currently lives in Washington D.C. (a graduate student), Matthew Heidenreich, a second-year student at the University of Alabama, Megan Zaleski, living in Illinois (a personal trainer but spent years in various apostolates) and Sarah Cahill, originally from Alexandria, Virginia, now living in Philadelphia (working as a housing specialist).
The special Mass included the sounds of a brass quintet, the joyful opening hymn “All Are Welcome,” and Celtic Alleluia and gift bearers presenting a lard light, candles representing what are now the three communities that emerged from the 1849 founding—Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. As the worship aid declared, “Today, we stand as a vibrant Eucharistic community of religious women, along with our sister communities, all willing to continue the journey and embrace our unknown future in the twenty-first century.”
Bishop Battersby concluded his homily offering, “God has a plan. To move forward as instruments of God’s peace, we have to let go of things that keep us from soaring. It’s not about me. It’s not about us. It’s about following the example of Mary and the sisters who have tended this vineyard for 175 years. It’s about Jesus, our companion on this journey. When we allow Jesus to be the forefront in our lives, we’ll be free.”
the Answer Eucharistic Rally
Our public celebration opened Friday, June 7, where the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration co-sponsored “the Answer Eucharistic Rally” at the La Crosse Center. The rally opened with a procession of the Eucharist across the Cameron Street Bridge.
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WKBT News 8000 Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrate 175 years of service
Photo Gallery
View this photo gallery, courtesy of the Diocese of La Crosse
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Catholic Life features FSPA in "Prayer, Witness and Service"