Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

The Most Rev. Donald Reece, Archbishop Emeritus of Kingston, in his homily on May 3 May 3rd, at the Immaculate Conception Convent, said the Resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith. We are to rejoice in the Resurrection of Jesus and to evangelize and proclaim that Jesus rose from the dead. 

He reminded us that the Apostles went through trials and tribulations, with the knowledge that Jesus rose from the dead. They had the passion to proclaim the Good News. “Where is that passion now?” he asked. “Do we now have that passion/zeal in our lives?”

The occasion was the Commitment ceremony for the Associates of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. They desired to recapture their passion for the love of the Risen Lord by promising to live their lives based on the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi. The Franciscan spirituality is deeply rooted in the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Associates embrace the Gospel Way of Life within the framework of the charisms of humility, simplicity and joy of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany.

After the homily, Dr. Debra O’Connor made her first Commitment. Sr. Odette Haddad, OSF, presented her with the Associates’ medal. Then, her aunt and Associate, Theresa Mendes, presented her with the Franciscan Tau cross.  The other Associates who renewed their Commitment, are Dr. Michelle Robinson, Tenicea Hewitt, Jacqueline Porter and Hermine Huie.

This was followed by the singing of the Blessing of St. Francis. After the liturgy, the Sisters and the Associates continued their fellowship in the Dining Room, subsequent to the singing of the verse, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.”   

St. Elizabeth Mission Society Grant

By: Laura Whitford, President

St. Elizabeth Mission Society is pleased to accept applications for its 2025 grant cycle (due July 1, 2025) for projects in which the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and their Associates are actively engaged and provide services to those who are experiencing poverty at in the U.S. and other countries. 

All applications are due July 1, 2025, complete with signatures of BOTH: an actively engaged Sister or Associate AND a Leadership Contact. 

For ANY questions, please contact: Laura Whitford, Mission Society President,

at (716) 373-1130 or LWhitford@FSAllegany.org.

The application is available in Word and PDF format. 

Sisters Pamela Gellineau and Carol Kenyon participated in the annual Moving Day, A Walk for Parkinson’s. 

Moving Day is a nationwide fundraising event that raises money for the Parkinson’s Foundation. Sister Mary Lou Lafferty helped Sisters Pamela and Carol, along with Father David Hyman, raise more than $300 for the Olean Parkinson’s Support Group, of which the three are members.

Physical therapist Sheri Droney (and her mom) and Robin Frederick, who works at the St. Elizabeth Motherhouse reception desk, also participated in the walk.

As promised, here are pictures of the Jubilarians who were celebrated earlier this month. 

After Mass, they enjoyed a special dinner.

FSA Associates 2nd Annual Mary's Shower

By: Cheryl Maggio, Associate

In honor of the Blessed Mother, the Tampa Bay Associates and The Franciscan Center once again joined forces to support moms and babies in the Tampa Bay Area with their second annual “Mary’s Shower.”  

Following the lead of our Sisters at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse who have positively impacted so many in the Allegany / Olean, NY area for years now, the TB Associates successfully initiated the first annual “Mary’s Shower” in December 2023. However, after two major hurricanes tragically impacted the Bay Area in the Fall of 2024, they chose to instead support recovery efforts for victims in November and December 2024 and postpone the annual project to May 2025. 

Working hand in hand with The Franciscan Center, and with the technological assistance of Associate Inquirer Frances Siracusa, they created and posted an advertisement that included a QR code and link for purchasing and donating needed items to support moms and babies. As a hybrid Associate Community, joining forces with the many supporters of The Franciscan Center, we were excited to receive items from across the United States, Jamaica and Canada to support this altruistic effort. Through the generosity of so many, both locally and those sending items directly to The Franciscan Center via Amazon, once again the TB Associates were able to fill two carloads to overflowing with diapers, clothing, baby bottles, hygiene needs and more to support both the moms and children served by the Mission Department at St. Joseph’s BayCare Women’s Hospital and those served by ALPHA House of Pinellas County.  

We look forward to following in the footsteps of our Franciscan Sisters of Allegany by continuing this worthy project annually for many more years to come.

Mission Coordinator Frances Siracusa and Yanni Mensah, Care Coordination at St Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, happily accept diaper donations from Mary’s Shower facilitated by the Tampa Bay Associates to be gifted to new mothers in need at SJWH. 

Many Sisters, along with BayCare executives, celebrated the announcement of the gift during a dinner at St. Elizabeth’s Convent in Tampa earlier this month.

Special guests for the evening were Meghan and Ray Miller and their sons Easton, 9; Maverick, 7; Brooks, 5; and Knox, 3. Meghan spoke about why the current chapel was important to their family as they went through years of health challenges.

These are some of the remarks Meghan Miller gave during the event:

I was pregnant with our third son in January of 2019 and went in for a level 2 ultrasound because I was “old age pregnancy” as they say. During that scan the nurse would check the heart and then check another part, then the heart again and then another part, then the heart and then another part. Having this level 2 scan at this pregnancy was no mistake on God’s part. If Brooks had been my first or second son we may not have caught the heart defect. This was all led by the Lord.

Many scans revealed a heart defect of HLHS. My other two boys had no heart issues, so this was new. We went to countless appointments all through the final 20 weeks of my pregnancy. The days were long, they were hard, they were uncertain. They didn’t always look bright, but our hope in the Lord held us. 

Finally, we met with the world’s leading fetal echo doctor right here at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital and then we met with the world’s leading surgeon for this congenital heart defect, right here at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. Then, we met with one of the leading interventional cardiologists for his skill and precision and ingenuity in the heart cath lab also here at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. He holds patents for his procedures. They come to him to innovate new things!

Brooks would end up needing four open heart surgeries over the first few years of his life. Brooks’ first open heart surgery happened eight days after he was born and lasted a little over eight hours. He spent 30 days in the hospital after birth. The type of defect Brooks has required multiple surgeries and lifelong care that created a lot of stress on his little body and on our family life. We spent so much time at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and much of the team now feels like family. The chaplain, Lyle, visited daily bringing us hope and encouragement from the Lord.

There are aspects of our story that showcase why we want the best children’s hospital in our community. 

First, illness doesn’t just happen to the child. It happens to the family. Our lives were turned upside down. The diagnosis and treatment plan of this heart defect didn’t just happen to Brooks. It happened to me, my husband, my two oldest boys and even happened to our baby boy since we still deal with appointments and limitations.

Second, you need to have all the best care in your community, where your support system is close. I can’t imagine what would have happened if Brooks and I had to leave Tampa Bay and our support system and had to travel and clinically start over. I’m not sure we could’ve have handled that – emotionally, mentally or financially.

And my last point is my most important. Kate told me the name of the campaign is Empower Tomorrows. I love that because that is exactly what incredible pediatric care does, it empowers tomorrow not only for the patient but for the family, too. 

Brooks is finishing Kindergarten, exceeding expectations in academics and socially at the same school as his older brothers. Brooks can do fun things every almost 6-year-old wants to do like learn Taekwondo, build Legos, ride a bike, and play piano. He also loves tigers and dolphins. He even rocks the mohawk, just like every super cute little boy does. Oh, and lots of Dunkin’ Donuts and Chick Fil A, because what 6-year-old doesn’t thrive on nuggets and donuts? Brooks enjoys Disney, camping, fishing, family dinners, dance parties and story time at bed. And just six months ago he got cleared by his doctor to ride all the roller coasters he wants and play all the sports he wants to play. He plays the final game of his first soccer season on Saturday, and you can bet this super proud mom is the loudest fan there!

This is a strand of beads representing Brooks’ inpatient procedures, pokes, scans, test, surgeries, appointments, admissions, discharges, and more. It is more than 14 feet long. Brooks has been through so much, but he has a big bright future ahead of him. He actually wants to be a doctor.

This is what your campaign is about – giving more tomorrows to kids like Brooks and families like mine. I stand here today as a mom – and also as the chair of the patient and family advisory council at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital – to thank you on behalf of the thousands of families who will need lifesaving care from St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in the many years and decades to come. Thank you for being fearless and bold to create the best children’s hospital possible, with the most talented clinical team and world-class medical programs. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for investing in our tomorrow. 

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany are deeply woven into the fabric of St. Joseph’s Hospital’s legacy. They brought their healing ministry to Tampa in 1934, establishing the original 40-bed hospital during the depths of the Great Depression. That bold and compassionate act sparked what would become a network of five St. Joseph’s Hospitals across West Central Florida—renowned for delivering award-winning care grounded in compassion and innovation.

Their mission, however, began decades earlier. Founded in 1859, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany began as a teaching congregation and quickly grew to include health care, pastoral work, homes for the vulnerable, and other vital services in Jamaica, West Indies, Bolivia, Brazil, Mozambique and the United States—always rooted in the Franciscan values of respect, hospitality, and compassion for all, regardless of faith. 

“The new chapel in the children’s hospital will be a sacred place,” said Sister Pat Shirley of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. “A place where parents and children can gather before their God and ask for healing. A place where they can pray in thanksgiving for the healing work that has happened. A place of quiet in times of turmoil and fear. And a place where joy and relief can be shared in the presence of their God.”

Sister Pat is on the BayCare boards for St. Joseph and St. Anthony hospitals. She is also the Chair of the Monitoring Committee for Catholic Identity. Other sisters also serve on BayCare hospital and foundation boards. Sr. Cathy Cahill is on the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation Board. Sr. Avril Chin Fatt is on the board for St. Joseph and St. Anthony hospitals. Sr. Mary McNally serves on a board committee for St. Anthony Hospital.

The chapel will be located at the back of the main lobby on the hospital’s main floor and, although completely indoors, will be intentionally designed as a circular space situated within the healing garden. This thoughtful placement will allow abundant natural light to pour in, creating a warm, welcoming environment that is easily visible from both the garden and the main floor. The new, dedicated spiritual environment will serve as a quiet haven for patients, families, and care teams to pause, reflect and reconnect. 

“The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany laid the foundation for the compassionate care that defines St. Joseph’s today,” said Kate Sawa, president of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Their extraordinary gift ensures that this legacy lives on in a space created for reflection, faith, and healing. This chapel will be a sanctuary for families during their most vulnerable moments—a powerful symbol of the Sisters’ enduring commitment to care for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.”

When Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s opens in 2030, it will be a premier destination for pediatric health care throughout West Central Florida—uniting top medical specialists, cutting-edge clinical research, and compassionate, family-centered care in one state-of-the-art facility thoughtfully designed for children and their families.

This is video of the Franciscan Blessing: