WELCOME TO OUR VOCATION PAGE!

Have you been called?  Are you interested in becoming a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities?

Our Mission Statement:
Rooted in the Gospel and energized by the Spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare, we week to be women of vision living in Right relationship with God, one another, and with all creation.

Therefore we COMMIT ourselves to:

1. “FOLLOW faithfully in the footprints of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” (cf. RULE 8.25)
2. “WITNESS to the Gospel by word and work.” (cf. RULE 8.25)
3. “ANNOUNCE Peace in our words and in our hearts.”  (cf. RULE 8.25)

As we strive to:

1. Humbly serve the poor,
2. Be people of prayer,
3. Live joyfully in community.

Some of Our ministries include:

1. Ecology and environment
2. Service projects
3. Franciscan Spirituality
4. Health care
5. Education
6. Retreats
7. Pastoral care
8. Adult and child daycare
9. Homes for the terminally ill

Click here to see the places in which we minister

Retreats for discernment:
For more information or to register for any of these offerings, please contact Sister Kathy Adamski, pre-entrance coordinator at guidance@nauticom.net or call (412) 215-7708.

Download our 2008-2009 retreat brochure and registration form
Download Upcoming Retreats through 2009

Time of discernment:

This is a time to dialogue with a sister to explore the question of whether or not you are really being called to religious life.
We also have a resident contact program for women who have limited contact with our sisters.
Resident contact is a time when you can live with the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Neumann Communities and be in closer contact with a team member. This is especially beneficial in the discernment process when a women lives at a distance from our sisters.
Once there is a mutual decision that someone will begin formation in the community, and once she is accepted, she becomes a candidate in our contact program.

Candidate Program
A candidate (Formerly known as Postulant) spends 6-24 months in a Pre-Novitiate program and is employed part time to support herself during that time.

This is a time to experience life with the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Neumann Communities, to “come and see” if this is a community in which there is a mutual fit. This is also a time to study some of the history of the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Neumann Communities and do some volunteer service with the poor. One is free to leave at any time if she believes this is not her call.
When the time of candidacy is completed one may become a canonical novice.

Canonical Novitiate
The Canonical Novice lives at the designated formation house  with the novice minister for a time of one year.

This time is prescribed by the church "to deepen" one’s relationship with God; to strengthen prayer practices; to become familiar with the community's history and with the evangelical councils of poverty, minority, contemplation and conversion; to strengthen one’s vision and call to religious life; to study the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience; and to help grow in a balanced personal relationship with God. The novice also has this opportunity to search deep within and further discern who she is and her call to religious life. At this point, prior to temporary vows, the novice is not bound  to remain in community.

Non-Canonical Novitiate
The Non-Canonical Novice lives outside the formation house and is involved in ministry.
A non-Canonical time can be extended up to six months beyond one year.
This is when the novice lives with sisters outside the formation house and implements practices initiated during the canonical year. At the same time the novice is developing a deeper relationship with the poor and with more of our sisters. By the end of this year it must be determined if she is to make a three year commitment of vows in the community of the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Neumann Communities.

Temporary Professed
Temporary professed make first vows for three years and are involved in full time Ministry.   After three years, if a sister does not make final vows, she may renew her vows for a period of one to three years.

Perpetual  Profession
After a time of initial formation a sister professes final vows.  When a sister makes final vows, she has then made a lifetime commitment to live out those vows.

What are you looking for?

1. A deeper relationship with God regardless of the age of your companions?
2. Well established avenues to serve the poor?
3. Identity that allows you to become the best person God calls you to be?
4. Wisdom of women who have served God faithfully?

What is your dream?

1. To be contemplative?  We are contemplative.
2. To live with other sisters in community? We have a diversity of convent environments.
3. To be a missionary? We have missionaries.
4. To serve the poor? We serve the poor.
5. To do parish work? We do parish work.
6. To be in the medical field? We are in medicine.
7. To teach? We teach.
8. To do retreat work? We have retreat centers.
9. To take care of babies?  Yes, we care for babies.
10. To do music?  We do great music.
11. To care for the elderly?  We take care of the elderly and the dying.
12. To be an artist? We have artists.
13. To be a theologian? We have theologians.
14. What is your dream? More than likely we can join hearts and dreams together.

DARE

1. DARE to dream that dream with us. . . 
2. DARE to glean from our 150+ years of experience and rejoice with us in our new founding one year ago. 
3. DARE to look at a community that can celebrate your talents and God given gifts by enabling you to use your gifts in the service of others.
4. DARE to consider how you can best serve God.
5. DARE to help us cultivate a civilization of peace.
6. DARE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH US!

Our Team: