Prayers, music and the facts: Sharing culture and insights
September 9, 2024: At 7 o’clock this morning, Mass was celebrated in the beautiful Chapel at Borromaeum with prayers and music from the Polish Sisters. Daily, the international capitulars will take it in turns to share their culture in the same way, as a tribute to the international congregation and as a way of enhancing the spiritual life within the General Chapter.
In the Chapter Hall, General Superior Sister M. Margarete Ulager introduced some of the people contributing behind the scenes to the smooth running of the Chapter. She welcomed and thanked the host at Borromaeum, Regens Dr. Philip Peters with his team, and also the Generalate staff working from the office in the Motherhouse.
After that, the reporting which started yesterday was continued with information from the Provinces and Canonical House. It included facts and figures regarding membership, ministries, and decisions of the past six years that reflect today’s necessities and the demands of the future. All of this in the framework of political unrest and the many challenges within church and society.
Today the Capitulars heard the reports of Sister Maureen O’Connor, Superior of the U.S. Canonical House, Sister Maria Fidelis Furukawa, Provincial Superior of the Japanese Province, and Sister M. Johncy Kurisunkal, Provincial Superior of the Indian Province.
September 8, 2024: Today, Sunday, September 8, 2024, the 21st General Chapter of the International Congregation of the Hospital Sisters of St Francis was solemnly opened.
In the morning, Mass was celebrated in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Muenster, during which representatives from all locations of the congregation carried their respective national flags. Many Sisters from the Motherhouse, numerous Chapter guests and members of the public attended this Mass.
Provost Hans-Bernd Köppen welcomed the Sisters of the international Congregation, and in his sermon made a connection between the Charism of the Congregation, “to bring the healing presence of Christ into the world”, and the daily reading from the Gospel of Mark, in which Jesus heals a deaf-mute (MK 7, 31 – 37). “This Gospel encourages us to turn to the sick,” he explained. “The Christian view of humanity explicitly includes the sick, the poor and those in need; caring for them is at the heart of Christ’s message of redemption.”
Concelebrant Prof. Dr. Dr. Michael Plattig O.Carm., Spiritual Director of the international Congregation, and Sisters from the German Province of the Hospital Sisters helped to celebrate the liturgy, which was partly held in English due to the large number of guests from all over the world. The wonderful music of a girls’ choir also contributed to the moving Mass and strengthened the Chapter community in a spirit of unity and joy.
In the afternoon, Superior General Sister M. Margarete Ulager officially opened the 21st General Chapter of the international Congregation in the Borromaeum Seminary and lit the Chapter candle with the motto “I am the way and the truth and the life”.
In her opening address, Sister Margarete welcomed all participants and guests and, on behalf of the Sisters of the General Leadership, thanked everyone who contributed to the successful preparation of the chapter.
“Over the last six years, the journey of our international Congregation has been one of ups and downs, there has been much joy, but also sadness – it has been a time of growth and of letting go,” she said, giving a first brief review of her time in office. As a mirror of the Church and society, she sees the Congregation at a crossroads in these complex times. “Our Charism has already survived for 180 years because our community has always reacted anew to the signs of the times,” said the outgoing Superior General. “Over the next two weeks, full of trust in the Holy Spirit, we will work together to search once again for God’s will for our Congregation, looking to the future with hope.”
The work of the General Chapter then began with the presentation of the report of the German Province by Provincial Superior Sister M. Diethilde Bövingloh and of the Polish Province by Provincial Superior Sister M. Maksymiliana Pilarska.
Belew, please find some impressions of today’s General Chapter opening.
September 7, 2024: Organizing the international General Chapter takes a lot of time and preparation, especially when it is held outside the motherhouse. Today, on the eve of the 21st General Chapter opening, the preparations received their finishing touch.
At the Borromaeum, the conference room has been set up as the Chapter Hall. The seating is organized according to countries and languages to facilitate the translation, and the discussions among the delegates from the different provinces and the Canonical House. On the tables, personalized folders hold the material that will be discussed over the next two weeks.
The Sisters from the Generalate and the chapter facilitators are seated along the side of the room with Sister M. Margarete Ulager, the outgoing General Superior.
In the back, six interpreters will be working in sound proof cabins.
In a brief meeting this afternoon, the delegates were able to familiarize themselves with the room and were given an introduction to the translation system. Moreover, the agenda was discussed and the rules of procedure approved.
May the 21st General Chapter begin!
With the following video, we would like to invite you to visit the Chapter Hall at the Borromaeum before the start of the event.
September 6, 2024: This morning, the delegates and guests of the 21st General Chapter visited Telgte, the founding place of the international congregation of the Hospital Sisters.
Telgte, founded about 1,200 years ago, is one of the oldest church locations in the Muenster area. St. Liudger, the missionary, first used this place at the ford of the river Ems, an intersection of various trade routes, to erect a wooden parish church around the year 800. The town was granted city rights in 1238 and belonged to the Hanseatic League of Merchants. Today, about 20,000 people live in Telgte.
After a short walk from the bus parking, Mass was celebrated at the parish church of St. Clemens in the town center. Then the group visited Our Lady of Grace Chapel where Father Christopher Bernsmeyer, OFM, founded the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St Francis on July 2, 1844, 180 years ago.
This baroque chapel was built in 1654 by Prince-Bishop Bernhard von Galen especially for the Pietà of Our Sorrowful Mother of Telgte: A statue of Mary holding the body of Jesus after his death, one of the oldest depictions of its kind in North-Western Germany, carved from poplar wood in 1370. Nothing is known about its origin, and many legends have developed over time. Originally, the statue was colored. Traces of the colors may still be seen on the edges of the garment.
Since the 14th century, Our Sorrowful Mother of Telgte has attracted pilgrims from near and far. In the years of Father Christopher Bernsmeyer’s vicariate in Telgte, when he was also in charge of the pilgrims, he often prayed in front of the Pietà, and the first Hospital Sisters celebrated their investiture in this chapel.
After prayer in front of the Pietà, the visit continued at Klara house, the former home of Father Christopher, and to this day the home of Sister M. Theodora, who serves in the local parish and welcomes visitors and pilgrims in the spirit of Franciscan hospitality.
A visit to Father Christopher Bernsmeyer’s grave concluded today’s trip to Telgte. Father Christopher Bernsmeyer, who was born in Verl in the Diocese of Paderborn on May 15, 1777, moved to Telgte in 1811 and died there on June 2, 1858, at the age of 81. The Sisters’ cemetery came to be his final resting place on October 11, 1950.
Visiting the congregation’s roots was a moving experience, especially for the Sisters and guests who came here for the first time. Sharing the spirituality of Father Christopher that unites the congregation around the world also defined the common ground on which the General Chapter will make important decisions for the future of the Congregation.
The video below provides some impressions of the trip to Telgte.
September 5, 2024: On the morning of the second day in Bremerhaven, the delegates and guests of the 21st General Chapter were greeted by a cloudless blue summer sky. After a hearty breakfast, they were able to check out shortly after nine o’clock and load their suitcases back onto the bus. The participants then walked a few minutes to the German Emigration Center, which was visited in two “language groups”: The German and Polish-speaking travelers set off with interpreters Eva-Maria Steiger and Agata Prochotta Milek, while the English and Japanese speakers were supported by Rolf Lehmann, Reiko Lelli-Tatsumi and Atsuko Matsumoto.
The Emigration Center is dedicated to the approximately 7.2 million people from all over Europe who left Bremerhaven for the New World from the 18th century to the 20th century, where they hoped for a better life. Many fled from hunger, unemployment, war, persecution or a lack of prospects. Visitors to the exhibition follow the traces of real life stories from Bremerhaven to the immigration station Ellis Island and into the city of New York until they arrive in the large concourse of Grand Central Station.
The historically faithfully reconstructed exhibition rooms, the light and sound effects and personal memorabilia were thought-provoking and made the reality of the emigrants’ lives intensely tangible. For example, the ship’s quay, where the travelers used to say goodbye to their homeland and set off into an uncertain future, was very impressively recreated. It also became very clear what living conditions the emigrants had to put up with during the long crossing to America – especially before the invention of steamships in the 1880s, when it still took 12 weeks to sail across the Atlantic. Thanks to all this information, the delegates and guests of the General Chapter can now understand and appreciate all the more the courage, perseverance and life’s work of the Hospital Sisters who traveled to foreign lands as missionaries.
Lunch was also served at the Emigration Museum: The participants fortified themselves with “Grandmother’s potato soup”, coffee, ice cream and cake. Before leaving at 2 p.m., there was still time for a short walk in the warm sunshine and fresh wind.
During the return journey, a vesper was celebrated on the coach in the many native languages of the participants before the group stopped for dinner at the Westphalian Landgasthof Overwaul at 6 pm. Richly endowed with many new impressions, the participants returned to the Borromaeum.
Many thanks and a great big applause for the planning team and everybody who contributed to the success of this wonderful two-day trip!!!
The following video offers some insight of the second day in Bremerhaven. The text is given below.
“For centuries, people have affected and changed the destiny of humanity, and in particular those who have emigrated to another country like many of our Sisters. With this in mind, we visited the German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven where we were touched by the stories of countless people – giving us a glimpse into these people whose hopes and dreams paved their way through their life.
After lunch, we traveled back to Muenster and stopped for dinner at a traditional Westphalian restaurant.
This excursion, while very informative, offered a wonderful opportunity for the delegates and guests to renew friendships and make new friends. During these two days we came together as an international family in the Franciscan tradition of hospitality and joy – setting the stage as we approach the opening of the 21st General Chapter.”
September 4, 2024. The delegates and guests of the 21st General Chapter today set off on a two-day trip to Bremerhaven, which was jointly planned and organized by Sister M. Caecilia Musekamp, delegate from the German Province, and a team from the Generalate, consisting of Sister M. Beata Kapica, Sister M. Rita Edakkoottathil and Finance Director Martin Krawinkel.
After the travel blessing of Spiritual Professor Father Dr. Dr. Michael Plattig O.Carm., the bus journey started from Muenster to the small village of Wremen on the North Sea dike. On the way, Brian Blasco, Head of Communications and Archivist of the U.S. Canonical House, explained the history of the US founding sisters, who made their way from Germany to America by ship from 1875 to the 1930s. Arriving at the North Sea coast, the group stopped for lunch at the ‘Wremer Fischerstube’ after a short walk on the dike.
Then the journey continued by bus to Bremerhaven, first through the port area with a view of large container ships and finally to the B&B hotel. From there, the travelers walked to the Climate House and were surprised by heavy rain on the way – quite a prelude to the exhibition, which deals with climate change.
After an introductory lecture on the concept of the house – a journey along the 8th degree of longitude – the delegates and guests spent almost three hours in the Climate House before the evening ended with a cozy meal in the Kaiserhafen restaurant.
The successful selection of the very original restaurants was due to the local knowledge of Sister M. Caecilia, who lived and worked in Bremerhaven for many years. For the wonderful, impressive day together, the tour group thanked the organization team with warm applause, and also the bus driver who accompanied everyone safely through the day despite the adverse weather conditions.
Some impressions of the first day in Bremerhaven can be found in the following film.
September 3, 2024. Over the past few days, the delegates and guests to the 21st General Chapter arrived in Muenster. We thank God, St. Francis of Assisi, and Father Christopher Bernsmeyer that the travelers’ journey from India, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Poland, America, and Germany was successful.
Today, the Sisters from Vietnam and the Japan Province met to discuss opportunities for the future in a meeting with Sister Carol Zinn, SSJ, Ph.D., Executive Director of LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious), both facilitators of the General Chapter, Professer Dr. Margret Nemann und Cathedral Provost Hans-Bernd Köppen and members of the Generalate.
Many others are unpacking their luggage as they become familiar with their home at the Episcopal Seminary Borromaeum and the city of Muenster.
For some impressions of today, please click on the film below.
Places of Interest: Introducing ‘Borromaeum’ Seminary
September 2, 2024. Today, Monday, is another big arrival day for the General Chapter 2024, with delegates and guests from America, India and Poland expected to arrive. The groups from America and India will be picked up personally at the airport and taken to the Motherhouse to be welcomed by the Generalate team and the Sisters of the German Province. They will then be taken to the ‘Borromaeum”’ to move into their rooms: This episcopal seminary on Cathedral Square will serve as the conference venue and provide accommodation for all participants during the General Chapter. The group from Poland, which is arriving by car, will check-in directly at the Borromaeum later tonight. The first of the six simultaneous translators will also arrive today.
The following film provides some impressions of the beautiful seminary, Borromeum. The information is also provided in the text below.
With no chapter hall at the Motherhouse, our General Chapter 2024 will be held in a Catholic seminary in the city center, at Cathedral Square, called ‘Borromaeum’ after an Italian saint. Since 1854, the Diocese of Muenster has been using this historical building for the formation of priests and as a home for divinity students. Today, the East Wing offers accommodation for male and female students of all faculties. The building was completely refurbished before the German Bishops’ Conference was hosted here in 2018. Visitors now enjoy the stylish combination of carefully preserved post-war features and modern architecture. With its large conference hall, two beautiful chapels, its comfortable rooms and full board, the Borromaeum is the perfect location for our General Chapter 2024.
Places of Interest: Introducing St. Paul’s Cathedral Muenster
September 1, 2024. In exactly one week, on Sunday, September 8, the 21st International General Chapter of the international Congregation of the Hospital Sisters of St Francis will open with Holy Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Muenster. The service will be celebrated by Cathedral Provost Hans-Bernd Köppen, with the Congregation’s Spiritual Director, Professor Father Dr. Dr. Michael Plattig O.Carm. as concelebrant. This Holy Mass will be streamed on the website of the Diocese of Münster, www.bistum-muenster.de, as well as on the diocese’s YouTube and Facebook channels.
In the following film we give you some insights into the history of the Cathedral and the diocese of Muenster. Below, you will find the full text.
On the opening Sunday of our General Chapter, Mass will be celebrated in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Muenster. The origins of Muenster, and its Cathedral, date to the end of the 8th century. Liudger, a missionary, started building a missionary center, including a cloister, a school, and a small church. In 805, Liudger became the first Bishop of Muenster and made this church the centre of his new diocese. St. Paul’s Cathedral as we see it today has been functional since 1956. Earlier buildings were destroyed by fire and the bombings in World War II. As the Bishop’s seat, this church is at the heart of Catholic Muenster. The Cathedral is full of beautiful great art. Visitors are fascinated by the Astronomical clock ticking since 1540.
Places of Interest: Introducing the Motherhouse Church
August 31, 2024. As part of the upcoming General Chapter, in exactly two weeks, on Saturday, September 14, the new international Superior General of the Hospital Sisters will be elected by the delegates from all over the world. This secret ballot, chaired by Dr. Felix Genn, Bishop of Münster, will take place at the central venue, the Episcopal Seminary ‘Borromaeum’ on Cathedral Square. Afterwards, all Sisters and guests will assemble in the Motherhouse Church of the Hospital Sisters, where the new Superior General will be inaugurated by Bishop Dr. Felix Genn.
In the following film, we introduce you the eventful history of the Motherhouse Church. Below, you will find the full text.
After her election, the new General Superior will be installed into her office by Bishop Dr. Felix Genn in our Motherhouse Church in Muenster. The foundation of the original Motherhouse Church was laid in 1854. Sadly, it was destroyed during World War II in the October 1944 bomb raids. After the war, a new church was built with financial assistance from our American Sisters. The church as we see it today was consecrated in 1951 and renovated in the 1970s. It can seat up to 800 people and is known for its great acoustics. The mosaic in the sanctuary was chosen as the General Chapter 2024 logo. It was created by Paul von der Forst and depicts the Holy Spirit above Mary the Queen and Christ the King.
Countdown to the General Chapter: First Guests at the Motherhouse
August 30, 2024. While preparations for the 21st General Chapter are in full swing in the Generalate and the Borromaeum, the first delegates and guests from Japan will be arriving in Münster this evening. The group will be picked up at Münster-Osnabrück Airport by General Superior Sister M. Margarete Ulager, General Vicaress Sister M. Rita Edakkoottathil, Sister M. Laetitia Matsunaga from the Japanese Province and board member Prof. Dr. Michael Möllmann. They will then be taken the motherhouse of the Hospital Sisters.
In order to allow all Sisters and interested parties from all over the world who cannot be in Münster in person to experience the General Chapter as closely as possible, we will be presenting some important places in short film clips over the next few days – starting with the Motherhouse, whose foundation stone was laid by the Hospital Sisters in the middle of the 19th century.
In 1853, the hospital sisters moved from Telgte to Münster. The motherhouse they built included a convent, a church and the beginnings of St. Francis Hospital – a building well suited to their busy lives of work and prayer. Since then, the size, use and shape of the Motherhouse has constantly been adapted to the changing needs of the time. In one of the remodelling phases, the former chapter hall was transferred to St. Francis Hospital. The latest extension includes a modern chapel and living quarters. In the 1960s, around 200 sisters lived in the motherhouse; up to 500 were hosted during retreats. Today, it is home to 60 Hospital Sisters and 24 Brothers and Sisters of other congregations. It is also the seat of the German Provincial leadership and of the international General Administration, who frequently welcome visitors from around the world.
Sisters from all over the world will gather from September 8 – 22, 2024
August 28, 2024. The 21st International General Chapter of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St Francis will take place in Muenster from September 8-22, 2024. Founded in Telgte in 1844, the Congregation with locations in Germany, Poland, America, Japan and India, will meet at the Episcopal Seminary Borromaeum on Cathedral Square in Muenster, Germany, to elect a new international General Leadership and discuss a wide range of topics relating to the faith, life and work of all Sisters worldwide. The election of the new Superior General for a term of office of six years will take place on September 14, 2024 under the chairmanship of Bishop Dr. Felix Genn, as will her subsequent inauguration in the German Motherhouse church. The international General Councilors of the congregation will also be newly elected. Recently, the 524 Sisters of the congregation around the world have appointed 33 delegates who will travel to the General Chapter in Münster.
The solemn opening of the General Chapter will take place on Sunday, September 8, 2024, at 10 a.m. during a Eucharistic celebration with Cathedral Provost Hans-Bernd Köppen in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Münster, with the Spiritual Director of the congregation, Professor Father Dr. Dr. Michael Plattig, as concelebrant. This Holy Mass will be streamed on the website of the Diocese of Münster, www.bistum-muenster.de, as well as on the diocese’s YouTube and Facebook channels. The proceedings of the General Chapter will be continuously reported on the website of the Generalate, www.generalat-hsosf.de, from the beginning of September.
The General Chapter is the highest decision-making assembly of the congregation and is divided into a Chapter of Election for the appointment of a new leadership and a Chapter of Affairs covering a wide range of topics, from the spirituality of the international community to the various ministries of the sisters and the facts of life at the worldwide locations. “The perspective work will have a high priority at this General Chapter,” explains the outgoing Superior General, Sister M. Margarete Ulager, who will officially leave office together with her councilors on September 10. “In the context of the tense situation in Church, society and current politics worldwide, we are faced with the great task of planning and shaping the future of our international Congregation – trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” The motto of the General Chapter is: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
In order to help shape this perspective work and promote global networking, for the first time in the history of the Congregation, Juniorate Sisters from Poland, Japan and India have been invited to the upcoming 21st General Chapter alongside the elective Sisters. Also for the first time, civilian employees from the international locations will be present as guests. This internationality is also reflected in the diversity of languages: English is the common conference language, but all official documents will be created in German, Polish, English and Japanese, and the entire event will be accompanied by six simultaneous translators.
As her term of office draws to a close, Sister M. Margarete expresses her heartfelt thanks to the sisters of her General Council, all her fellow sisters worldwide and the civilian staff and partners at the international locations of the congregation for their good cooperation and support. “It was a term of office with some special aspects,” says the Superior General. A member of the German Province of the Congregation, she was elected in the USA in 2018 – at the first General Chapter of the international Congregation which did not take place in Muenster, but at the motherhouse of the American Sisters in Springfield, Illinois. The Covid pandemic also brought considerable restrictions for her international leadership tasks, which include visitation, i.e. a personal meeting with every single sister worldwide. As traveling was not possible from January 2020 to mid-2022, visits to the sisters in convents in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Kazakhstan, the USA, Japan, Vietnam and India were crammed into the past two years. At the same time, the convents around the world were equipped with the latest technology to enable many meetings to be held via video conference. Over the past six years, in the international team of the General Administration, Sister M. Margarete has worked together with another German sister, two sisters from the Indian Province and one sister each from Poland and Japan. The longest-serving Sister in this team, General Secretary Sister Christa Maria Frie, who joined the Congregation in 1964 and recently celebrated her 80th birthday, has been working in various positions in the Generalate for 32 years and is attending her sixth General Chapter. As the youngest delegate to the General Chapter, Vietnamese Sister Nichola Truong, a member of the Japanese Province, will be traveling to Germany with some sisters from the USA, where she is currently learning English. This group covers a distance of about 7000 km as the crow flies to travel from Illinois to Muenster, just like the Sisters from the Motherhouse of the Indian Province in Pithora. The distance from the Motherhouse of the Japanese Province in Himeji is 9,000 km as the crow flies; the sisters from the Polish motherhouse in Ołdrzychowice-Kłodzkie have a comparatively short journey of around 750 kilometers, while their fellow Sisters from the German Province live just three kilometers away from the location of the General Chapter.
At the 21st International General Chapter of the Mauritz Franciscan Sisters in Münster, Sister M. Margarete Ulager (front row, 3rd from left, pictured with the international team of the General Leadership) will retire from the office of Superior General on September 10, 2024.
August 22, 2024. The entire team of the International General Administration of the Hospital Sisters is delighted that the new website of the Generalate has gone online today. “Going online is the successful conclusion of a long and intensive internal process,” explain Superior General Sister M. Margarete Ulager and the Sisters of the multicultural General Council. “Our website should express what we are all about in the best possible way – through its structure, content and design. A relaunch is the perfect occation to discuss some fundamental questions again, and reassure where we stand.”
Central to the discussion: How can the valuable global heritage, the history and the vibrant present and future of the international Congregation be communicated in today’s social context? Which internal and external target groups do we want to address with our website? What are our messages? And how can these messages be conveyed not only linguistically, but also through the website’s structure and visual design? Another important aspect was the role of the Generalate website as a central point of contact for all international locations, providing information and facilitating networking – a role of particular importance with regard to the upcoming General Chapter.
In response to all these questions and requirements, not only was the navigation of the website redesigned, but the logo of the Generalate was also carefully updated and a fresh, lively green was chosen as the new basic color. In addition, the photos have been given an individual curve, with the form developed from the shape of the Tau. These new design elements will now be gradually implemented in the Generalate’s overall communication and will already be visible in the General Chapter.
Users of the previous website will also find the familiar content on the new site, but in a different structure. “The technical requirements have changed radically in recent years, as have people’s information behavior and viewing habits, as well as the topics that are discussed in society,” explains Claudia Berghorn, Director of Communications at the Generalate. “That’s why our new website offers quick orientation for those who are looking for brief answers, and more comprehensive information for those who want to delve deeper into the content.”
Regarding the content, it was particularly important to Ms Berghorn to pay tribute to the great achievements of the Sisters and to highlight the international importance of the congregation. “When I started working in the Generalate two years ago, I had no idea how many strong women live in the congregation, what these women have built up and what they are still achieving today, wherever they are in the world,” she explains. “I have since been lucky enough to get to know many of these women better, including Sisters from the international locations, and I am impressed by the courage, great commitment and strong trust in God that I encounter in the sisters’ personal and professional decisions, and in their life’s work.” Another central concern was to make the structure and the tasks of the international congregation and the Generalate understandable to external target groups who have had no previous contact with the religious world. The language is therefore kept simple, and ecclesiastical terms are explained.
The content and graphic design of the website were developed in several coordination phases with the entire team of the General Administration. To implement the website, the Generalate worked with a network of specialists under the direction of Claudia Berghorn.
The website implementation team with employees from the Generalate and external specialists
The design was developed by Christian Lueck (www.die-sehleute.de). The qualified graphic designer studied in Münster, Paderborn and Nuremberg and lived in southern Germany for a long time; his collaboration with the Nuremberg inner-city churches, whose magazine “Mittendrin” he developed and still designs today, dates back to this time. Mr. Lueck currently lives in Siegen and works as a freelancer for Deutsche Welle in Bonn. The photographs were taken by Michael Kestin (www.michael-kestin.com) from Muenster, who is already known to many of the Sisters and some visitors through various projects, including the “Zeitzeuginnen”-Films and the media coverage of numerous events, from jubilee celebrations to the visit of HSHS pilgrims from America. The expert programming was carried out by Marko Kuzman(www.pixelplantage.com) in Erlangen, who is known to Mr. Lueck and Ms. Berghorn from previous joint projects. The development process was closely monitored and supported by the Generalate team’s IT specialist. It is remarkable that the cooperation of all those involved worked wonderfully well without the implementation team ever meeting in person – the only time everyone was present at the same time was at a Zoom meeting.
Team work in the Generalate: Graphic designer Christian Lueck with Claudia Berghorn in the refectory of the Motherhouse
Claudia Berghorn is also very grateful for the support of Brian Blasco, Director of Communications and Archivist at the U.S. Canonical House, with the translation into English, and all the Sisters at the Motherhouse in Münster who provided answers to historical questions and were able to contribute photos, especially Sister M. Dietmara and Sister M. Manuela.
“Many people are involved in the development of a website over a long period of time,” summarizes Sister M. Margarete. “We would like to thank all of them, internal and external contributors, near and far!” The Generalate team is delighted with the new website and is looking forward to the feedback from the Sisters from all over the world. In principle, however, a website is never really ‘finished’, but remains dynamic, as there are always updates and additions. After the General Chapter, Claudia Berghorn and the communications team in the Generalate will devote themselves to the major task of transferring to the new site all the moving vocation stories of the international Sisters which were collected on the old website.
“Living heritage full of the future”: Hospital Sisters of St Francis and St Francis Foundation celebrate anniversaries in Telgte
On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the Hospital Sisters of St Francis celebrated two anniversaries in Telgte: the 180th anniversary of the international Congregation and the establishment of St Francis Foundation, twenty years ago, as the operator of their facilities.
At the invitation of Sister M. Diethilde, German Provincial Superior, and Nils Brüggemann PhD, Chairman of the Board of St Francis Foundation, around 260 guests gathered at St Rochus Hospital in Telgte, including more than one hundred Hospital Sisters from all over Germany, the international Sisters of the Generalate based in Münster, the directors of the first clinics founded by the Sisters and transferred into St Francis Foundation in 2004, as well as representatives from the diocese of Münster, from the city of Telgte, from other religious orders, and from the hospital’s neighborhood.
The ceremony in the hall of St. Rochus Hospital was characterized by gratitude for 180 years of service of the Congration, but also by a certain melancholy with regard to the age-related closure of the founding convent in Telgte. It was clear from all the speeches that the bond between the Franciscan Sisters and Telgte remains strong and that the work of the sisters will continue to be felt in the future. This was also confirmed by the Managing Director of St. Rochus Hospital and host of the anniversary celebration, Daniel Freese, who emphasized the economic courage and wisdom of the nuns. “St. Rochus Hospital was founded by the Franciscan Sisters in 1848 – so without the sisters, we wouldn’t even be here,” he explained. “Today, our hospital has 1400 employees who carry the sisters’ living legacy into the future.”
Jubilee celebrations in Telgte, from left to right: Daniel Freese, Managing Director of St. Rochus Hospital Telgte, Dr. Nils Brüggemann, Chairman of the Board of St. Francis Foundation Münster, Sister M. Diethilde Bövingloh, German Provincial Superior, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Dieter Geerlings, Wolfgang Pieper, Mayor of the town of Telgte, Dr. Ludger Hellenthal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Francis Foundation
“History full of New Beginnings”: Moving Thanksgiving Service in the Hospital Chapel
For the Hospital Sisters, the day of the jubilee began with a prayer of thanksgiving at the grave of Father Christoph Bernsmeyer, who founded the “Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis” in Telgte on July 2, 1844. Sisters from around twenty convents of the German Province as well as from the Provinces in Poland, Japan and India were present. The Sisters then bid farewell to the convent building at St. Rochus Hospital in Telgte and closed the Congregation’s first convent before celebrating a solemn thanksgiving service with the entire Congregation in the hospital chapel at 10.30 am.
The Eucharist was celebrated by the Spiritual Director of the Hospital Sisters, Father Michael Plattig O.Carm. In his sermon, Father Michael gave a brief overview of the 180-year history of the Congregation, which has always been characterized by new beginnings: As early as 1848, four sisters from Telgte went to what was then Silesia to help people in need, thus laying the foundation for today’s Polish Province. Further missions took them to the Netherlands, the USA, China, Japan, India, Korea, Haiti, Tanzania, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. “These missions were ‘necessary’ in the truest sense of the word, because they addressed the needs of the people in the respective time and place,” explained Father Michael. “From the very beginning, the Sisters went where they were needed – always with plenty of trust in God, but often without any security and without knowing how long their mission would last.” With this attitude, as Father Michael elaborated, the Congregation stands in a great tradition of faith, with biblical role models from Abraham to Jesus: “The attitude of setting out instead of settling down and standing still.” Father Michael gave thanks for the worldwide service of the international Congregation and emphasized that in this sense, the farewell from Telgte was also just another courageous departure: “The departure into a future that we do not know, but which God has already prepared!” During the festive service, the history, present and future of the order were also symbolized by the use of a chalice that had belonged to the Congregation’s founder, Father Christoph Bernsmeyer. Since the order was founded, around ten thousand Hospital Sisters have dedicated their lives to the service of God and the people.
“On our way together”: Solidarity and gratitude
After the service, Sister Diethilde and Dr. Brüggemann greeted the Jubilee guests in the festively decorated hall of St. Rochus Hospital. “Even more than the 180-year history of the order, the reason for today’s celebration is the official closure of the founding convent ‘Maria Hilf – St. Rochus’”, emphasized Sister Diethilde: “Thus, we have invited all of you, who have gone part of the way with us, to be together once again today and share our memories.” The Provincial Superior also recalled July 2, 2004, when the congregation gave its facilities in the hands of St. Francis Foundation, thus entrusting it with the Sisters’ legacy. On behalf of all the Sisters, Sister Diethilde thanked the foundation board and all the foundation’s employees for having honored this trust since then. The Provincial Superior also thanked the management and all employees of St. Rochus Hospital for the successful anniversary celebration.
Mayor Wolfgang Pieper conveyed the greetings of the town of Telgte. In his address, he thanked the Sisters for their service and emphasized: “What you have achieved here will be preserved!” As a sign of the historical and future connection between the town of Telgte and the Hospital Sisters, he presented Sister Diethilde with a piece of the Telgte Marienlinde tree, which has been turned into a piece of art by Simone Thieringer.
Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Dieter Geerlings also thanked the Congregation for their service. He used the psychological technique of “reframing” to place the Sisters’ from the founding convent in Telgte in the wider context of being “contemporary witnesses”, and focused on the Sistsers’ impressive achievements over the past 180 years. “The more complex the times, the more leadership qualities are needed to deal with diversity and find solutions for the issues at hand,” he explained. “You demonstrated these leadership qualities twenty years ago with the establishment of St Francis Foundation, for example, and you are demonstrating them again now.” As one of the grateful neighbors of St Rochus Hospital, Johannes Peperhove spoke up and intonated the traditional German song “So ein Tag, so wunderschön wie heute” (“What a great day – as beautiful as this”).
The Hospital Sisters’ multi-faceted commitment, and their life’s work, was honored during the ceremony by two video contributions. Sister M. Martinild Krümpelmann, who worked at St. Rochus Hospital for thirty years, and Dutch Sister M. Jacintha Altenburg, who was instrumental in setting up the laboratory at St. Bernhard Hospital in Kamp-Lintfort in the 1960s and Esterwegen Memorial from 2007, were introduced. Musical accompaniment on the piano was provided by the Congregation’s organist, Markus Schröder.
The gifts presented at the end of the ceremony bear witness to the enduring mutual bond between the Hospital Sisters and the town of Telgte with all the facilities within St. Francis Foundation, which were founded by the Sisters. Sister Diethilde received a sandstone column from the management of St. Rochus Hospital, which was carved from the remains of the first convent buildings by sculptor Stefan Lutterbeck. In return, on behalf of all the Sisters, the Provincial Superior donated a tree to Rochus Hospital for the garden of the specialist clinic. Dr. Brüggemann, Chairman of the Board of Directors of St Francis Foundation, and Dr. Ludger Hellenthal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, presented six bronze plaques by Ennigerloh-born sculptor Hilde Schürk-Frisch as well as team photos from the founding institutions of St Francis Foundation. In addition to St. Rochus-Hospital, these included St. Franziskus-Hospital in Münster, St. Bernhard-Hospital in Kamp-Lintfort, St. Elisabeth-Hospital in Meerbusch-Lank, St. Barbara-Klinik in Hamm-Heesen and Fachklinik Maria Frieden in Telgte. There are now 26 institutions under the umbrella of St Francis Foundation.
Three of the Sisters who worked in Telgte for a long time, from the left: Sister M. Manuela, Sister M. Christfriede,Sister M. Cäcilia
Sisters remember development work and times of change at St. Rochus Hospital
Many of the Sisters who took part in the Jubilee celebrations in Telgte have a particularly close personal connection to St. Rochus Hospital because they worked there themselves and played an active role in the building and expansion of the specialist clinic. “When I started at Rochus Hospital in 1976, I was the first trained occupational therapist and built up this department step by step,” recalls Sister M. Manuela, for example, who worked in Telgte for 20 years. “In the meantime, it has become a specialist department with 23 employees.” Prior to this employment, Sister Manuela, who already held diplomas in child care and nursing and had worked in these fields for years, completed three years of training as an occupational therapist in Hanover and Münster. “Excellent professional qualifications have always been very important in our Congregation,” she reports. This is also confirmed by Sister M. Caecilia, who worked as Head of the Nursing Department and as Hospital Matron at St. Rochus Hospital from 1992 to 2004: She prepared herself for the responsibilities of this position by a specialist 18 months training course in Regensburg in the south of Germany.
Both report on eventful and moving working years at a time when the treatment of mentally ill people changed fundamentally. In the context of occupational therapy, occupational and creative programs opened up completely new opportunities to strengthen patients’ practical life skills, while the introduction of psychotropic drugs revolutionized medical therapy. Equally revolutionary at the time was the introduction of mixed wards at St. Rochus Hospital, where originally only women were treated. “The first male patient was welcomed with a bouquet of flowers,” the Sisters remember with a laugh.
Increasingly, civilian staff were hired, whereas previously only Franciscan Sisters had been employed to manage the wards and care for the patients. At the same time, St. Rochus Hospital underwent rapid structural development, which Sister Caecilia steered and supported as a member of the Board of Directors. This included the establishment of day clinics in the towns of Warendorf and Ahlen, the construction of new housing for the residents, and the establishment of residential groups on the hospital grounds and in town centre. But what she enjoyed much more than the many meetings with the construction team was the wonderful task of always having an open ear for all staff concerns.
Sister M. Christfriede, who worked in the Hospital Sisters’ retirement homes from 2008 to 2022 and lived in Telgte until the founding convent closed, was committed to the needs of the elderly Sisters. “When I made my first profession together with 30 sisters in 1963, there were almost 100 houses in our Province and around 3,000 Hospital Sisters around the world” she recalls. The Sisters all agree that there has always been a special spirit at St. Rochus Hospital, based on the Franciscan image of mankind. Not only has this always been evident in direct contact with patients, of course, but it has also always characterized the language used, which has always been full of respect. “St. Rochus Hospital has always been a specialist clinic and never a “mental institution”,” the Sisters explain. “All wards have been given names, not numbers, and we worked on “protected wards”, not closed ones.” The fact that even today, the hospital staff is guided by this Franciscan spirit, and carries it into the future, gives the Sisters comforts fills them with gratitude.
“What you have achieved here will be preserved!”
Wolfgang Pieper
Mayor Wolfgang Pieper presents the town of Telgte’s jubilee gift to German Provincial Superior Sister M. Diethilde Bövingloh (Photo: Stephan Kube, Greven)
NEW TEAM MEMBER IN THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION: Sandra Mergenthaler
June 15, 2024. At the beginning of June, the Sisters and employees of the General Administration welcomed Sandra Mergenthaler into the finance and controlling team. “l am very happy to be here, and I look forward very much to working with the Sisters and my new colleagues in this interesting international set-up”, Ms. Mergenthaler said. Her main task will be financial accounting.
Ms. Mergenthaler’s professional background is in banking and asset management. She finished her training as a bank clerk in 1999 and completed additional training courses as a savings bank specialist. Ms. Mergenthaler lives in Albersloh with her husband, two sons aged 17 and 10, and a daughter aged 14.
Sandra Mergenthaler, new colleague in the Generalate
International Visitors: Sister M. Jincy and Sister M. Jeena visit Münster
At the invitation of Superior General Sister M. Margarete Ulager, Sister M. Jincy and Sister M. Jeena from the Indian Province, who are studying in Rome, spent their Easter vacation in Germany. From March 25th to April 4th, they stayed at the Motherhouse in Münster, hosted by the same Sisters as when they first came to stay last year.
Easter Holidays at the German Motherhouse: Sr. Jincy (left) and Sr. Jeena
We are very grateful to Sister Margarete and all the Sisters in the Motherhouse, and very happy to be welcomed back to St. Antonius Group. Everybody made us feel very much at home.
Sister M. Jincy and Sister M. Jeena
Together with the Sisters from the General Leadership and the German Province, our guests experienced Holy Week and the solemn Easter services. They also had the opportunity to get to know the city of Münster and the surrounding area a little better. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t very good: It rained a lot.
Sister Jeena and Sister Jincy with the Sisters of St. Antonius Group
From April 5th – 10th, the General Administration’s Director of Communications, Claudia Berghorn, took part in her first pilgrimage to Assisi, travelling with a group of senior executives working for various institutions of St. Francis Foundation. In Assisi, the pilgrims were guided by a highly competent team: Brother Prof. Dr. Niklaus Kuster OFMcap, renowned Franciscan scholar and university lecturer from Switzerland, and the well-known German specialist on St Clare, Dr. Martina Kreidler-Kos. Both of them have published numerous books on St Francis and St Clare of Assisi, including a comprehensive double biography, and know the city extremely well.
During our visit to Assisi, we benefited greatly from this specialist Knowledge. We were able to gain deep insights into the lives and the spirituality of St Francis and St Clare, enjoying all the historical sites in the most beautiful spring weather.
Claudia Berghorn
During her six-day journey, Ms Berghorn also fulfilled work assignments in Assisi, teaming up with Dr. Ulrike Tessarek of St. Francis foundation, and Münster-based photographer and videographer Michael Kestin, to interview Brother Niklaus and Dr. Kreidler-Kos on various aspects of Franciscan spirituality.
Film team, from the left: Claudia Berghorn (Generalate), Dr. Martina Kreidler-Kos, Brother Prof. Dr. Niklaus Kuster OFMcap, Dr. Ulrike Teßarek (St. Francis Foundation)
Another valuable outcome of the journey consists in a multitude of high-quality photos of Assisi’s stunning landscapes, holy places and artwork that our Congregation can now use in printed or digital publications.
