HSHS Pilgrims visit Münster and Telgte

Münster, October 20, 2026. From October 17–20, 2026, the Hosptial Sisters of St. Francis in Münster hosted 27 pilgrims from the U.S. The group consisted of staff members from hospitals founded in the 19th century by the Congregation’s American Sisters in the States of Illinois and Wisconsin. The pilgrims visited the founding sites of the International Congregation and St. Rochus Hospital in Telgte, learned about the life and work of the Sisters in Münster, and discussed healthcare issues with the board of the St. Franziskus Foundation.

The visit from America has a long tradition: it has been taking place since 2001. A total of 321 employees from the medical, nursing, and administrative staff of the hospitals belonging to the “Hospital Sisters Health System” (HSHS) have already participated in the program, which also includes visits to the Franciscan sites in Rome and Assisi. The 13 hospitals operated by the Catholic hospital system, headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, employ 11,000 staff members.

“We are very pleased to have been welcoming, for 25 years now, some of the wonderful people who carry on the legacy of our Sisters in America,” said General Superior Sister M. Margarete Ulager. “Journeying together in the footsteps of St. Francis unites us Sisters and our staff across different continents, and these personal encounters foster friendships, professional connections, and our intercultural understanding.” On behalf of the American pilgrims, HSHS President and CEO Damond Boatwright expressed his gratitude for the hospitality: “We have felt the spirit of St. Francis among you and are very proud to belong to this great international community of faith.”

Sister M. Diethilde Bövingloh, Provincial Superior of the German Province of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, as well as the Board of the St. Francis Foundation in Münster, the Board of Directors of St. Rochus Hospital in Telgte, and the Board of Directors and medical team of St. Francis Hospital also warmly welcomed the pilgrim group and were delighted by the personal and professional exchange.

At the Motherhouse in Münster, the American guests met the German Sisters of the international Congregation, who spoke about their many years of service in nursing, medicine, and pastoral care, as well as about their faith, which gives them strength and guidance. The HSHS group gained insights into the period of the Nazi regime and World War II in Münster through a visit to the Villa ten Hompel historical site; during a guided city tour along the “Stumbling Blocks,” the victims of terror and persecution were commemorated.

The President and members of the HSHS board, who were part of the pilgrimage group, had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Nils Brüggemann, Chairman of the board of St. Franziskus Foundation, and board member Dr. Christian Frank. Dr. Ulrike Tessarek, Chief Mission Officer of St. Franziskus Foundation, together with General Councilor Sister M. Hiltrud Vacker, provided information about the “Gemeinsam WERTvoll” initiative, which aims to familiarize all employees with the Franciscan values enshrined in the Foundation’s mission statement.

The American guests visited the museum at the Hospital Sisters’ Motherhouse and took the opportunity to take a guided tour of St. Franziskus Hospital with Chief Medical Officer Dr. André Hemping-Bovenkerk and Senior Physician Dr. Wibke Brenneisen from the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine.

In Telgte, the itinerary included the founding sites of the Franciscan Congregation—a visit to the grave of the founder, Father Christoph Bernsmeyer, and to the Chapel of Grace, where the first Sisters took their vows. St. Rochus Hospital in Telgte, which the Sisters founded as early as 1848, was among the first hospitals to be transferred to the St. Franziskus Foundation in Münster in 2004. Here, Managing Director Daniel Freese and Medical Director Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Rothermundt welcomed the American guests.

A joint barbecue on Monday evening and the blessing for the journey, administered by Spiritual Director Father Prof. Dr. Michael Plattig in the Motherhouse Church, rounded out the visit of the American pilgrims.

Photos: Michael Kestin