I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Our religious community was founded by Frances Schervier who was born in Aachen in 1819 as the daughter of a wealthy pin factory owner. She grew up in the conflict between her own feudal origin and the growing misery among the labourers. As she was not contended with this situation, Frances tried to find her own way. She could understand social matters without having studied them.

Frances initially began her work in a soup kitchen for the poor and by visiting sick people. Then she left her parents’ house and founded the Order of the Sisters of the Poor of Saint Francis on Pentecost 1845. She assisted the poor and suffering, helped the prisoners and prostitutes and was also with those sentenced to death.She was not much impressed even by hard conflicts with bureaucracy in church and state.

Frances, the “mother of the poor“ as she was kindly named, died on 14th December 1876. In 1974 she was beatified by Pope Paul VI. Today her grave is in the motherhouse in Aachen.

During her lifetime she established houses in Germany and in America and later in Belgium.

As a Franciscan community, we want to live the gospel like Saint Francis did. Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, the observance of the three vows chastity, poverty and obedience is a great help for us. Thus, we can give ourselves entirely to God and to our fellow creatures. We need an attentive and intensive contact with Christ to succeed in this way of life.

“You shall heal my wounds and save souls” was the foundation mission of Frances Schervier. In order to carry out this mission we try to testify as a community the kingdom of God which is already present now and is still growing. We know we are called to make Christ visible through ourselves, our being and our serving him in the poor.

Our sisters work in the assistance to the homeless, with the neglected people in the shelters, as well as the infirmaries, in pastoral work with the elderly and the sick, in formation and education. Two of our Sisters live in Omsk, in Siberia, and offer mobile infirmary, materials and spiritual help for the people in need in that region.

The American Province became independent in the year of 1959. They are recognized by the name " Franciscan Sisters of the Poor" and the Motherhouse is in New York. We are, as daughters of Mother Frances, united with these Sisters, in friendship and sisterhood.

Frances Schervier helped in an efficient way, teacher Johannes Höver in his project, to found a religious community for men, to work for the education of poor young people. The Motherhouse of the  Brothers of the Poor of Saint Francis is in Aachen nowadays, and the General House in the  United Sates.