Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity
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The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity are a congregation of Roman Catholic apostolic women religious. The congregation was founded in 1869 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee later changed to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. They follow St. Francis of Assisi’s Gospel way of life.
The story of the beginnings of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, is closely linked with the history of the pioneer church in eastern Wisconsin. Manitowoc County, located along the western shore of Lake Michigan, takes its name from the largest river within its borders, called "Manidouoc" or as spelled today "Manitowoc", the "home of the Great Spirit".
The people that inhabited this land and gave Manitowoc its name were of mixed tribes. Although the Pottowattomies had occupied the entire west shore of Lake Michigan, bands of Chippewas from northern Wisconsin and Ottowas from northern Michigan had moved into the area. It seems, however, that after the Treaty of Butte des Morts that the United States Government regarded the Menominees as legal owners of the area. It was with the Menominees, therefore, that the Treaty of Green Bay was signed in 1831.
The Roman Catholic faith grew in the coming years. The first recorded Roman Catholic Mass in Manitowoc County was in 1839. Reverend Florimond Bonduel and Reverend Kaspar Rehrl traveled over primitive trails to encourage the people. Other priests also later encouraged the faithful in the sacraments and in building log churches. However, it is Reverend Ambrose Oschwald who arrived in 1854 in pioneer Manitowoc County with a community of men and women dedicated to Gospel living who was destined to have a lasting impact on Roman Catholic life in the area, particularly on the founders of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.
Later on November 9, 1869 five women were received as Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity living the Third Order Rule of the Order of St. Francis in a quiet ceremony. This was done with the explicit approval of Archbishop John Henni of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Reverend Father Franciscus Haas, at that time the Provincial of the Capuchin Fathers in the State of Wisconsin. Reverend Joseph Fessler, pastor of Manitowoc was the investing priest.
The Congregation of the Poor School Sisters of St. Francis from Gieboldehausen in the Diocese of Hildesheim in Germany, amalgamated with the American Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity of Manitowoc in 1875. This Community of Sisters was formally established in 1857 in Germany. Archbishop John Henni suggested residence with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc County when Prince Otto von Bismark entered into open conflict with the Roman Catholic Church in his efforts to unify Germany. Leaving Germany on the Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis, they arrived in New York October 3 and left for their new home on October 4, the day designated in the Roman Catholic Church to remember Francis of Assisi.
As the congregation grew so did the Church in mid-western America. The demand for teachers for the parochial schools was endless. A paramount concern of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity's leadership since the foundation of the congregation has been the religious formation of its members and the professional education necessary for quality teaching in the Catholic schools. Serious consideration was given in the early 1900's to expand the professional training of the members of the Congregation. In anticipation of this, Sisters were prepared at The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C.. A new college wing was added to the Motherhouse in 1935 and a four-year liberal arts college was established. The construction of Holy Family College in 1935 was forward looking and anticipated by six years the beginning of the movement in the United States to upgrade the formation of religius women by integrating four facets of their formation: the spiritual, intellectual, social and professional.
The congregation's Motherhouse, a four story building which has been home for over one hundred years, shares the shores of a beautiful inland lake named Silver Lake with Silver Lake College of the Holy Family. Holy Family College's name was changed to Silver Lake College to reflect the geographical location and expanded clientele.
Although founded to meet the need of Catholic education in a pioneer society, the Sisters have always been ready to answer the call of the Church for whatever task there is to be done. Thus, at the turn of the century, within the space of a few years, they were asked to take charge of two out-of-state health care facilities in addition to re-establishing such an institution in Manitowoc.
The first of these was a request from the Reverend Anthony L. Leininger of Zanesville, Ohio. Good Samaritan Hospital became a reality and later became Genesis Healthcare Center Inc. when it merged with Bethesda Hospital to meet the needs of the entire city. The second, from Reverend Joseph Ressing of West Point, Nebraska, for Sisters to staff the home he was establishing for the elderly poor of his area. Today this health care center is Franciscan Care Services Inc. and reaches beyond the elderly poor to include more health care needs for the entire rural population. Thus was begun an entirely new apostolate which has increased dramatically in scope and efficiency. The roots of health care service in Manitowoc go back to the little twelve-bed hospital established in 1881 and closed in 1888. In 1898 Holy Family Hospital was built and later became Holy Family Memorial Network as it is called today after merging with Manitowoc Memorial Hospital.
The present members who number about 350 Sisters go forth to bring the Word of God, the latest trends in education or the healing hand of God to countless people in need of education or health care.
Dedicated to service, especially the service of God’s poor, the Sisters are assigned to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix in Arizona, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu in Kekaha, Kauai in Hawaii, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chicago in Illinois, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Greenwood in Mississippi, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Omaha at St. Mary’s Parish, West Point and Pope Paul the VI Institute, Omaha in Nebraska, or closer to home in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee at Holy Name-St. Clement-St. Dominic Parishes, Sheboygan and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity teach in Catholic Schools, schools of Religious Education, Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, Holy Family Conservatory of Music, and serve in parishes or provide various skilled ministries and leadership in health care at Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity HealthCare Ministry, Inc. Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Holy Family Memorial Network, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, St. Paul Elder Services, Inc. Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Franciscan Care Services, West Point, Nebraska and Genesis HealthCare System, Zanesville, Ohio.
