Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

Chapter officially started on Sunday but Sisters and Associates started arriving at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse on Wednesday. Above, Congregational Minister Sr. Margaret Magee greets Sr. Maria Jose from Brazil as Sisters Jaiane (left) and Geane, also from Brazil, look on.

Whether a Sister came from near or far she was welcomed with a hug from Sister Carol, who is pictured here with Sisters Dolores and Marlene.

We'll have news from Chapter, and more pictures, in our next newsletter. In the meantime, please keep all the Sisters, Associates, translators and staff people in your prayers.

By Ellen Winger, Congregational Archivist

On July 24^th, we completed the renovation of the Heritage Room at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. In this new space, we hope to honor and to share the beauty of the Allegany Franciscan charism throughout their 166-year history. The Heritage Room is designed to be accessible to all. The carpet has been replaced with beautiful laminate, which is easier to clean and to walk on. The old cabinets have been removed and replaced with free-standing display cases, providing ample space for maneuvering. Beautiful new wall art is displayed on freshly painted walls. All written explanations of the pictures and items on display are presented in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, so that anyone who visits will be able to engage with the sisters’ rich history.

I am immensely grateful for all of the help I received in making this project a reality! Thank you to the Maintenance Department of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, who removed the old cabinets and carpet, patiently repainted the walls, hung the pictures precisely, and helped install the new display tables. Thank you to the Communications Team in Brazil, who sent me so many beautiful pictures of the sisters’ ministries in that country. And thank you to everyone who advised me and inspired me!

We hope you’ll stop by the Heritage Room on your next visit to the Motherhouse!

New Cohort Starts Padua Program

By Associate Kathy Doyle

“Without looking at anything, write the Mission Statement of your organization.”

That was how our first morning class of the Padua Program began. Fr. David Couturier OFM, Cap, who leads the program gave us a break: we did not have to write it correctly, just include the principal elements. Phew!

That opening exercise was intentional. How can participants of this Franciscan mission-based leadership training successfully integrate the Franciscan worldview in their organization if they don’t know their own mission statement?

Of the 20 people in Cohort VII, 10 are sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany: Tom Andrews and Anthony Koffman, St Anthony Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla.; Jamaican Partners in Mission, Marlene and Deacon Chris Gooden, Marcia Parkins, and Jeanne Croskery, FSA; Sister Alba Luz Mejia Solis, OSF; and Associates Mary Laubenthal, Judy Hruszczyk and I.

For Mary, Alba Luz, and I it was like old home week. We were so glad to see each other again. It was a real treat to finally meet Judy in person after four years of Zooming! Judy and Anthony met for the first time at the airport. Since they had never been to Allegany and because they arrived a day early, after Mass in the St. Elizabeth Motherhouse Chapel and breakfast, where they met some of the sisters, I took them on a tour of the Motherhouse. Later, Judy and I visited other sisters up on the floors and toured Canticle Farm. Then we walked around the St. Bonaventure University campus. Judy clocked 8,500 steps on her watch that day!

Unfortunately, the Jamaicans, waylaid by problems with the airlines, were not fortunate enough to be in time for that opening question. 

Cohort VII is quite an eclectic group. Five are associated with the new Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, another is working with the Episcopalian Third Order of the Society of St. Francis, two are with the Province of Our Lady of Consolation, another works in a combined parish and Montessori school and lastly the lay Mission Director of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM) from Surrey, England, which has missions in 11 countries. She was very interested in our Associate Program.

The classroom experience, which could have been very intense, was lightened by Fr. David as well as Jeff Papia and Debi Haug, the other leaders of the program. Our small groups for discussion and problem solving gave us a chance to interact with others. We developed a sense of community that was generously sprinkled with Franciscan Joy and laughter. 

As the Padua Program is constantly evolving to “keep up with the times” and emerging technologies, understanding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications, will be included in our discussions. As a demonstration, Jeff asked Chat GPT to compose a letter written by St. Francis. After reading it one would really believe that Francis wrote it!

Well provisioned breaks during the day kept us going between meals. I joked that my brain weighed 6 pounds more than before and my stomach was 10 pounds heavier!

Friendships are already forming. Judy wanted to see the Rare Book Collection at Bona’s library. I made the arrangements and about 10 people from the group got to see these precious documents and even touch them during a lunch break. They were very impressed with the breadth of the collection.

Sheila from Surry England planned to take a few extra days before going back home to see Niagara Falls; she wanted to walk over the bridge to Canada. Mary Laubenthal graciously offered to drive her to the Falls, since she lives only 10 miles from there, and to watch her cross over the bridge.

At the close of our final meal together, the three Allegany associates and Alba Luz sang the Franciscan Blessing for all the participants and the kitchen staff.

I am excited and curious as to how the rest of the program will proceed and how I can best use the information and training to serve the Alleganys and Associates.

Pictured in the small photos, (standing, clockwise)Associate Judy Hruszczyk, Sister Alba Luz Mejia Solis, Associates Mary Laubenthal and Kathy Doyle.

From left, Jeff Papia, Father David Couturier and Debi Haug.

All three pictures were taken at the statues of St. Francis and St. Clare on the campus of St. Bonaventure University.

The Congregational Office staff drinks – let’s just say – quite a few beverages each year from recyclable cans. But the pull tabs on those cans don’t go into the recycle bin. They go to Ronald McDonald House in Buffalo.

Those tabs are recycled separately, and the money Ronald McDonald House of Western New York gets from them goes toward paying utility bills.

The RMHC of WNY website says each year more 4,000 pounds of pull tabs are collected for them. (Approximately 1,270 pull tabs equals 1 pound!) With the donation value of the pull tabs matched by Niagara Metals, their local recycling partner, more than $2,500 is raised annually for Ronald McDonald House.



Each year more than 500 families stay at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House, which is just minutes away from Oishei Children’s Hospital, Sisters Hospital and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

After working more than 20 years at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, IT Manager Steve Blue has retired. He was honored at a luncheon with Sisters, Motherhouse and Congregational Office staffs. Sr. Margaret Magee said Steve was always available to the Sisters, even on weekends. Whenever there was an emergency, he was there, she said, adding that he will be missed.

We wish Steve well and hope he enjoys his retirement. (Steve doesn't like to have his picture taken. In lieu of that, Sister Lucy snapped a picture of the beautiful and delicious cake.)

Sisters Cleise and Edir (left) entertained the registration crew while Sisters Maria Jose and Jaiane, with a contingent of other sisters (right), arranged flowers to get the conference room looking lovely. In the center photo, Sister Margaret welcomes Sister Geane to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse.

Also, we got new banners to hang outside the Motherhouse (inside, too). They were all designed by the very talented Claire Majot.