God calls all people to holiness.  Through Baptism, Christians respond to this call to holiness by following Jesus Christ, giving service to others, and forming Christian community.  Within the Roman Catholic Church, this baptismal call can be lived in a variety of ways. The Missionary Franciscan Sister has chosen to respond to that call living in a religious community.

Our world is longing for peace and reconciliation.  Through the inspiration of our foundress Elizabeth Hayes and our Franciscan roots, we have inherited a living tradition of being “messengers of peace” and as messengers of peace we are called to be bearers of reconciliation.  There is an urgency in our modern world that invites us to live our charism as fully as we can and open our hearts to share this treasure with others. Our charism is most suited to our times as Francis’ charism was suited to his.  We are not a large congregation but by promoting our charism we can extend our mission across cultures and among women and men, young and old, who we invite to be makers of peace and bearers of reconciliation with us in whatever capacity they feel called and qualified to be involved. 

A woman who feels called to live our charism in a vowed life enters into a time of preparation.  During the various stages of the preparation period, she learns more about our history, our Franciscan life, and the meaning and purpose of the vows.  She experiences the give and take of living an interdependent community life with other women, and she deepens her relationship with God through prayer and spiritual direction.  There is also time spent studying scripture, theology and Franciscan spirituality, as well as time serving others in ministry. After the time of preparation, she professes the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  These vows are a public witness of our commitment to God, and to the People of God

Just as Jesus invited his friends to "Come and See", we invite you, to "Come and See" by visiting us, and getting to know the Sisters in a local community.  In the US we are located in the following states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.  If you would like to become a member, the stages of preparation give you time to discern along the way with a Sister mentor to help in your process. 

For more information on our community please contact our Leadership Team at 617-527-1004 or mfic@mficusa.org

Besides lifelong vowed membership, we also have associate membership, and we are open to other forms of sharing life together.

August 2005

Dear Associate,

 

Welcome to the Associate Program of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. My strongest hope and desire for you is that by being an associate of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, you may better come to know and reverence the goodness of God acting in and through your life.  May this journey take you to places unknown in your heart, freeing your spirit of love through prayer and commitment to your fellow human beings.

 

I hope that by reading and studying this revised edition of our Associates Manual you will be able to grasp the full meaning of our Franciscan message —  “to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Rule of St. Francis)

 

Our Foundress, Elizabeth Hayes, was an Anglican Convert from England.  She had an incessant longing to work for the poor and neglected of society.  Our sisters have continued that calling whenever and wherever we find ourselves in mission. We believe that another way that our charism will continue to thrive and spread through all parts of our world is through our Associates Program.

 

Thank you for walking this journey with us.  Through our association may each of us become more authentic witnesses of the Gospel.   May we be messengers of peace as we:

 “. . . Manifest God’s universal compassion through inclusive non-dominating relationships of love.”          (MFIC Mission Statement)

 

A special word of thanks to Sr. Julie Franchi and the Boston Associates for their work on revising the Associates Manual.

 

So, let us pronounce together our Nunc Coepi, that is, let us begin!

 

Pax et bonum,

  

Sister Suzanne Fondini, mfic

USA Minister

 

If you would like to look at our Associate Manual, please follow this link and open the PDF file:

         Associate Manual - Aug. 15, 2005

 

For more information please contact us at  mfic@mficusa.org