Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

Into our hearts

O Spirit come!

Breathing, Beating, Burning!

Singing, Sighing,

Longing, Laughing.

Helping, Healing, Holding

Desire beyond all dreams

Set our Spirits free.

Welcome Sister Death

Sister Rita Cecília Fernandes Coêlho

It is with deep sorrow that the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany announce the death of Sister Rita Cecília Coêlho.

She was hospitalized at Santa Casa in Annapolis since April 11. She passed away this morning, April 27th at about 7:20AM.

Inspired by the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "It is in death that we are born to eternal life", we raise our prayers, giving thanks for his life and mission. May the Lord receive her in his peace and comfort all who feel her departure.

New Jersey Associates Meeting

By: Robin Smith, Associate

The South Jersey Associates always celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at our monthly March meeting. This year was no different.  

After prayer and reflection on the Life of Saint Clare, our host Peggy Madison shared her St. Paddy’s Day cuisine with us and it was a feast to behold. Some others brought contributions as well so together we had cabbage soup, corn beef, Irish soda bread, a delicious green creamy Jello mold, Irish potatoes, and even little shamrock cookies.  

This is Peggy’s favorite month to host our meetings as it gives her a chance to share some of her family traditions. We love it because we end our time together feeling like well-fed leprechauns.  

Lauretta Chiarini also included Saint Joseph as she led us in prayers that focused on his role of Father in the life of Jesus.  

It was good to come together and to share and be fed both spiritually and physically!

With Artemis II and spaceflight still fresh in people’s minds we thought this was a good time to bring this item out of the Allegany Franciscan archives:

The rosary in these pictures (which is currently displayed in the Heritage Room of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse) was on Apollo 13 with astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert.

The accompanying letter is addressed to our Sister Anne Veronica Coffey, who was administrator of St. Francis Hospital in Miami Beach from 1965 to 1972.

The letter says, in part, “This letter does authenticate the fact that your rosary was on board the Odyssey/Aquarius spacecraft during the spaceflight of Apollo 13 from April 11 to April 17, 1970.”

It is signed by all three astronauts.

BayCare president and CEO Stephanie Conners, MBA, BSN, RN, has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Louise Whitfield Carnegie Award for Leadership Excellence in Healthcare by the TIAA Institute. 

Presented in partnership with Becker’s Healthcare, the award recognizes a senior health care executive who is setting a higher standard through values-driven leadership, strong workforce practices and measurable community impact. 

“BayCare Health System is recognized as West Central Florida’s leading health care provider, and Stephanie Conners has been a driving force behind that distinction,” said Surya Kolluri, head of the TIAA Institute. “A nurse by training and a visionary by nature, she has championed the well-being of both patients and team members, proving that the strongest health care systems are built on the strength of their people.” 

The award is named in honor of Louise Whitfield Carnegie, a philanthropist whose leadership of the Carnegie Corporation of New York helped advance health, education and social progress in the early 20th century. Her husband, Andrew Carnegie, founded TIAA in 1918.  

You can read more here:

The Legislative Assembly of the State of Goiás, Brazil, paid tribute to the Sisters and Santa Casa hospital, and gave special recognition to psychologist and pastoral care director Sister Lilian Cristina Pinheiro.

During the hospital’s tribute to the Sisters, they dedicated the Infant Jesus Memorial, a space with memorabilia, photos, newspaper clippings — a series of pieces that tell the story of the Sisters and the hospital. Sister Melissa Scholl was there and shared a few pictures with us. 

The Sisters also each received a brooch, which is a replica of the memorial’s façade.

The Sisters were also recognized by Annapolis City Council for their work in schools, all the way up the Colegio São Francisco.

But the anniversary celebration didn’t end there!

One of the highlights of the days-long anniversary celebration was the Ecological Walk, on April 19, in Annapolis and the planting of trees. 

The first was at Ipiranga Park, the second at Holy House of Mercy of Annapolis and the third in the Sisters’ Ecological Sanctuary.

Congregational Minister Catherine Cahill, Associate Minister Kathy Maire and Councilor Liliane Araújo Costa (who got to visit her family!) were on hand for the celebration and Sr. Cathy shared a few words.

Special Masses as well as events at the Mãe were also part of the celebration. 

You can see many (many!) more pictures and videos on their Facebook and Instagram pages. (You don’t have to be a member of either to just look.)

As a sponsored ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, the St. Elizabeth Mission Society shares in its spiritual aims, one of which is to advance the awareness of God's love. Donations given for the cards are used to support the ministries of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and their Associates who work to educate, heal, clothe, feed and be present for those who are experiencing poverty in Bolivia, Brazil, Jamaica, Mozambique and the United States.

Help the Jubilee Sisters celebrate their journey in religious life with a special Jubilee Mass enrollment card from the St. Elizabeth Mission Society. As members of the Mission Society, their intentions will be remembered at Masses celebrated throughout the year in the Motherhouse Chapel. As always, they will also share in the prayers and good works of our Sisters in Bolivia, Brazil, Jamaica, Mozambique and the United States.

Holiday cards, Jubliee cards, as well as various other enrollment cards, can be ordered online or you can call the Mission Society office at (716) 373-1130 or e-mail the staff at StEliz.Office.Manager@FSAllegany.org.

All cards are also available in the Mission Society office in the Motherhouse.