This year, our Sisters celebrate the 20th Anniversary of creating the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities by reuniting three Franciscan congregations that branched off the same religious order founded in Philadelphia in 1855. Three years later, Sisters in Pittsburgh merged into this new congregation.
Learn more about the congregation’s origins and why coming together was so important in this video.
Celebrations are scheduled in all areas where our Sisters live and minister.
As we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the union that created the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, we hear from members of the Shared Futures Task Force that spent five years dealing with the details that made it possible to unite the congregations – Sisters Pat Burkard and Rose Jerome Kenlon.
The Shared Futures Task Force approached their considerable responsibility with faith and courage. Many members have gone home to God, but we recognize everyone’s contributions.
Shared Futures Task Force Group (November 1999 – July 2004)
Sister Virginia Balk — WNY, RIP
Sister Patricia Burkard — WNY; fulltime coordinator, 2002-2004; first General Minister
Sister Margaret Burns — Hastings-on-Hudson, RIP
Sister Geraldine Ching — CNY
Sister Grace Anne Dillenschneider — CNY, RIP
Sister Barbara Eirich — Hastings-on-Hudson, RIP
Sister Sylvia Marie Gamberoni — CNY, RIP
Sister Joan Hupp — WNY, RIP
Sister Rose Jerome Kenlon — Hastings-on-Hudson
Sister Marian Rose Mansius — WNY, fulltime coordinator, 2000-2002‘
Sister Kathleen Murphy — WNY
Sister Rosemary Palladino — CNY
Sister Helen Paul Podelsa — Hastings-on-Hudson, RIP
Sister Mary Paul Reynolds — Hastings-on-Hudson, RIP
Sister Dorothy Smith — WNY, RIP
By 2002, Leadership members from each Heritage Community also met with the Task Force Group:
CNY
Sister Mediatrice Hutchinson
Sister Marian Kikukawa
Sister Rose Ann Renna – RIP
Sister Colette Walter
Hastings-on-Hudson
Sister Alice Howley – RIP
Sister Rose Marie Mullen
Sister Barbara Sansone
Sister Roberta Smith
