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April 30, 2026

Last Day to Register for Movin’ 4 Missions!

By Holly Danen, Director of Donor Engagement

Today is the final day to register! Whether you have participated in the past or are thinking about joining us for the first time, now is the moment to sign up and be part of this year’s virtual walk.

When you participate you can choose a step goal between 125,000 and 200,000 steps for the month of May. You can walk individually or with a group, and even form a team to combine your steps with others.

This year’s updated Movin’ 4 Missions t-shirt design and an optional sunhat featuring the School Sisters of St. Francis logo are both available for purchase. Sisters who prefer to participate without purchasing apparel can join for free. Simply email me at hdanen@sssf.org, and I’ll get you registered.

Your participation — and the generosity of sponsors — directly supports the care of our retired sisters and strengthens ministries in social justice, education, and other areas of greatest need. Last year’s incredible support helped us surpass our goals, and we’re excited to carry that momentum into 2026.

Visit our event page to register before the day ends, and get ready to start your spring stepping!

Sisters praying at the General Assembly in Germany

Virtual Congregational Prayer Tomorrow

Tomorrow, May 1, is the First Friday of this month, and we invite you to our virtual congregational prayer, a sacred space open for four hours.

Join your sisters and associates across the world as we pray for peace of heart and we pray to be peacemakers. Our prayer begins with the General Assembly Direction 2026-2030 and includes Franciscan images during this Franciscan Jubilee Year.

The prayer space will be open during the four scheduled hours on May 1. Please find the time when the prayer space will be open in your time zone:

Eastern Time: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Central Time: 7:00-11:00 a.m.

Mountain Time: 6:00-10:00 a.m.

Pacific Time: 5:00-9:00 a.m.

You may enter the prayer space at any time during those hours and stay as long as your schedule allows.

Here is the link to the School Sisters of St. Francis private YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/u2-Qkr72xps

May our prayer together be a source of unity and strengthen us to bring peace to the world.

St. Matthias Honors Community with Lenten Collection

Sister Jincy, Sister Deb, Father Herda and Holly Danen

We offer our deep gratitude to Father Jerry Herda, pastor of St. Matthias Parish, and to the St. Matthias parishioners who generously donated the proceeds from their Lenten special collection to our congregation and to the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Jerry stopped by Monday to present our President Sister Deb Fumagalli with a check for $10,000.

“Almsgiving is an important part of our Lenten journey,” Father Jerry wrote in his parish bulletin column on March 15. “As a parish, we are doing our collective almsgiving for the two religious communities…that have been such an important part of our parish history. As part of our 175th anniversary celebration, we thought it would be appropriate to honor and support these two religious communities.”

Father Jerry noted the lifelong connection he has personally had with our community. “My aunt and two of my cousins were members of the School Sisters of St. Francis, so I grew up knowing so many of the SSSF sisters,” he wrote. “Both communities hold a special place in my heart, and both communities also continue to do wonderful work to help the poor and the needy in the Milwaukee area, within our country, and around the world.”

Joining Sister Deb and Father Jerry for the presentation were Vice President Sister Jincy of the International Leadership Team and Holly Danen of the Mission Advancement Office.

An Invitation: The Peacemakers Book Club

From the Committee for Nonviolence:

All are invited to join the Peacemakers Book Club, sponsored by the School Sisters of St. Francis Committee for Nonviolence. The club will be starting a new book in May and will meet every few weeks via Zoom video conference.

The next book we will be reading is Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You Would Rather Cancel. We will discuss the book in three sessions, and you are invited to come for one session or all three. The first meeting will be Wednesday, May 27, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Central Time.

Please see the flyer for the complete reading and discussion schedule, and instructions on how to register.

We hope you will join us for thoughtful, hope-filled conversations about nonviolence, social change, and the power of collective action.

RSVP Now for Associate Renewal Reception

By Rosaura Solano, Associate Relationship Coordinator

A reminder that the Associate Relationship Renewal and Lifetime Ceremony will be celebrated on Sunday, May 17, at a 10:00 a.m. Mass in St. Joseph Chapel.

A festive hors d’oeuvres reception will be held after the Mass in St. Joseph Hall. We hope that you can join us for the delicious and fun celebration! Please RSVP to me by May 8 for both the reception and for the Mass, even if you can only make it to one or the other. Reception tickets are $15 per person to help defray the cost. Please see the event flyer for more details.

Bishop Jeffrey Haines greeting sisters in St. Joseph Chapel

Chapel Receives Franciscan Jubilee Blessing

Throughout the month of April, the bishops of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have been visiting and blessing the parish churches and other sacred spaces in the archdiocese that have been designated as pilgrimage sites for the Franciscan Jubilee Year.

We were delighted to be able to welcome Bishop Jeffrey Haines to St. Joseph Chapel last Friday for a brief prayer service of blessing. Thanks to all sisters, associates, staff, and friends who were able to join us in Chapel for this festive occasion.

Heart of Peace Area Has an “Ag Day”

By Sister Mary Ann Schmieding

On Saturday, April 18, the Heart of Peace Area Community held our spring gathering at the home of Associate Bernardine Ruskamp, who lives on a farm near Scribner, Nebraska. Our aim was to understand more fully how we got to where we are now in the United States with regard to agriculture and how it affects the worldwide community.

All but two of us grew up on a farm, so we began by sharing our own experiences of farm life when we were growing up and the changes that were beginning to happen even then. Our sharing led us to focus on the relationship between soil and climate. “It (soil) is the most diverse ecosystem in the world and is home to more than half of all life on Earth.” You can read the article that this quote came from at Earth.org.

We discussed how influential one person can be in terms of change, considering the famous quote “Get big or get out!” by Earl Butz, the Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Nixon and Ford. As a result of that policy, tax incentives were given to farmers to do just that, and many of the programs of the New Deal that helped farmers were dismantled. Other topics included the rise of monopoly agriculture and the consequences for farmers, workers, consumers, schools, and churches in rural communities.

We concluded on a hopeful note: Even though the situation is serious, we can still do something about it if we choose to do so. An example of that is the lawsuit brought against John Deere (which it lost) for monopolizing repairs on farm machinery. We can also continue to contact our legislators, who are our government policy makers.

All of our area community members were present except for Pam Sondag, who was not able to be with us. Appropriately, our sharing took place at Bernardine’s kitchen table. Pictured at our gathering are (from left) Sisters Mary Ann Schmieding, Betty Steffensmeier, Collette Bruskewitz, Jo Ann Miller, Marilyn Ketteler, Associate Bernardine Ruskamp, and Sister Bernadette Engelhaupt.

Answering the Call: Mission Volunteers Journey to Holly Springs

By Mary Ann Wizneorwicz, Associate

Earlier this month, a team of associates took part in a ten-day mission trip to Holly Springs, Mississippi, to volunteer with the Sacred Heart fathers. Sacred Heart Southern Missions (SHSM) has been a safety net for individuals and families since 1942. They serve five counties in northwestern Mississippi with six social services offices providing emergency assistance, skill development, advocacy and counseling for people living in poverty within their service area.

Our mission team arrived in Holly Springs on the evening of Saturday, April 11. After settling into our rooms, we shared supper and reviewed the itinerary and plans for the week. We were joined by Sisters Julene Stromberg and Ramona Schmidtknecht – a joyful much-anticipated reunion! We cherished their presence, especially during our shared dinners throughout the week. The evening concluded with prayer in the beautiful chapel, followed by relaxed conversation before we retired for the night.

On Sunday, we attended a bilingual Mass at St. Joseph Parish. Sister Ramona then led a tour of local sites. The afternoon included grocery shopping and unpacking donated materials to prepare baby blankets and burp cloths.

That evening, the sisters joined us for dinner and shared insights about the relationship between SHSM and the School Sisters of St. Francis. The conversation was especially inspiring, as Sister Ramona has served the Holly Springs community for 63 years and Sister Julene for 47. We ended the evening by gathering again for prayer in the chapel, ready to begin our work the next day.

Monday through Friday were full and productive days. Monday turned out to be a shorter workday, which allowed time to watch the film Spitfire Grill. Proceeds from this movie fundraiser will help make possible construction at Sacred Heart School in Southaven, as well as many homes and the volunteer house where we stayed.

Throughout the week, volunteers completed a variety of meaningful projects. At the Garden Café, we helped package and serve more than 200 meals on Tuesday and Thursday. We also organized a large supply room, wrapping hundreds of sets of plasticware in napkins and sorting through expired food items. The group cut and sewed 22 burp cloths and 24 baby blankets, which were delivered to the social services office in Hernando.

Under the guidance of Luke, an SHSM employee and Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan, volunteers completed the porch deck and railings at a home in Byhalia. Inspired by his desire to serve those in need, Luke now uses his skills to support SHSM’s mission.

Additional work included weeding and planting ten raised vegetable beds behind the Garden Café, planting flowers in the St. Francis circular bed at the church, and assisting at Holy Family Grade School with individual student support and special classroom projects. Lydia also prepared and packed 24 meals for Father Guy to deliver to individuals experiencing homelessness—a ministry he carries out daily.

Daily morning Mass was available, and that was a true blessing. Conversation flowed easily throughout the week as bonds deepened among the volunteers, whether during work, shared meals, or quiet moments of prayer in the chapel.

The following Saturday, we met with approximately ten Mississippi Associates, plus Sisters Julene, Ramona, and Rose Hacker. We shared personal stories and celebrated the renewal of commitments with Dorothy Vison and Maxine Richmond, followed by a joyful reception.

On our final evening, Father Guy generously celebrated a 4:30 p.m. Mass in the chapel and joined us for dinner. The night was spent preparing for departures, sharing warm hugs, and enjoying a restful night before beginning the journey home – and onward to the next destination for some of the volunteers.

Praying to Mary, Queen of Peace

By the Committee for Nonviolence

Beginning in May, the month traditionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the School Sisters of St. Francis’ Committee for Nonviolence will be focusing our prayer intention to her title of Mary, Queen of Peace.

The painting by Sister Elisabeth Fichtner is a beautiful depiction of her in this role with her Son, the Prince of Peace, and we will use it as a devotional focal point at our prayer gatherings.

Our next prayer service will Thursday, May 14, from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m. Our hope is to be able to hold our prayer at the Peace Pole in the St. Joseph Center Garden. In case of inclement weather, we will gather in St. Joseph Chapel. All are invited to stay for the celebration of Mass at 4:00. We will include a link in the Province Communication that day for those outside Milwaukee or otherwise unable to attend in person.

We ask Mary, Queen of Peace, “to intercede for those who suffer because of war and guide our hearts along the paths of reconciliation and hope.” (Pope Leo XIV)

By Rosaura Solano, Associate Relationship Coordinator

For more than 20 years, the School Sisters of St. Francis have proudly participated in the Capuchin Walk for the Hungry in Milwaukee. Last year alone, the Capuchin raised more than $100,000 to help feed neighbors facing poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and hunger – and we were part of it!

This year, our community will once again form a team for the Capuchin Walk, which will take place on Friday, June 12 beginning at 6:00 p.m. during Polish Fest at the Summerfest Grounds.

Registration is $40 for adults and $25 for children. Participants may register online or submit their registration to the U.S. Province office with cash or a check payable to “Capuchin Community Services.” Please send your checks or cash to my attention at SSSF—U.S. Province, 1545 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215. To register online, scroll down to click on the “Join the Team” button, and follow the prompts.

The deadline to sign up with me through the U.S. Province office is Wednesday, May 27. If you are registering online, you have until Friday, May 29, at 12 noon.

If you are not able to participate at the walk but would like to support our efforts, donations are very welcome. Let’s continue supporting the Capuchin Friars as they serve our neighbors who are struggling with hunger!

Sacred Heart Storage Building Nears Completion

Construction is almost complete on the new storage building on the far north end of the Sacred Heart east parking lot. The 38” x 28” building will be used to store seasonal equipment such as snow removal equipment, lawnmowers, tractors, and a trailer.

Patrick Shaughnessy, Sacred Heart’s executive director, said that even though the three-stall building is tall, it is just one story high and there is no storage “above in the rafters.”

“The building was designed with a taller southern exposure and southern exposure windows to bring in nature light,” Patrick explained. “That will reduce the need for artificial lighting and minimize energy use.”

Rethinking Safety for Milwaukee Women in Crisis

Jeanne Geraci, Benedict Center’s executive director,

On April 15, the Benedict Center in Milwaukee held a one-hour video conversation, “From Crisis to Care: Rethinking Safety for Women in Our Neighborhoods.” The purpose of the Zoom call was to “explore the complex realities of the street-based sex trade and the systems that shape women’s experiences.”

The U.S. Province is a founding partner in the Benedict Center’s Sisters Program South collaborative, and this video conversation comes as the center is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the initiative.

Jeanne Geraci, Benedict Center’s executive director, discussed how housing instability, substance use, and past trauma create barriers that are often invisible from the outside, and why responses centered only on enforcement fall short of addressing root causes.

Madeline Miranda Navarro, the center’s community engagement coordinator, joined the conversation and discussed how in her role, she listens directly to communities most impacted by the street-based sex trade, building relationships, forming partnerships, and advancing advocacy efforts that center on shared responsibility. She noted that this work helps shift the narrative from “us-versus-them” animosity to a more collective and community-based approach to safety.

You can watch a video of the full conversation on the Benedict Center’s YouTube channel.