Little Sisters of St. Francis

Eucharistic Adoration — Liturgy of the Hours
Total Consecration — Actual Poverty
Silence — Solitude — Littleness
Simple Blue Franciscan Habit
Fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church

The Little Sisters of St. Francis are a Catholic Franciscan contemplative community. As contemplatives, our daily life is primarily one of prayer rooted in, and flowing from, the Blessed Sacrament. We are a Eucharistic and Marian centered community. Living a full contemplative life but not cloistered, we live our Franciscan life among God's people and are available to their needs.

Is the Lord calling you to religious life as a contemplative sister?

Then, we must trust Him, placing everything in His Heart and in His Hands; knowing that He will do what is best for all concerned.

In our world today, people are very busy — perhaps too busy. Some are so busy that they never have time to pause and pray — to thank God and praise Him; to tell Him that they love Him.

A woman called to contemplative religious life is one who desires to “take time.” She is eager to be alone with her Jesus. She finds joy just sitting quietly in His Presence. She likes “being with her God.” She simply seeks to love Him.

Jesus wants to be loved — for Himself — not for what He does or gives! Like all of us, He enjoys having someone “keep company” with Him; enjoys conversing with those whom He loves.

When two people grow deeply in their relationship, they often find that they are content just sitting with one another; they communicate their love to each other without speaking.

This is what happens in the heart and soul of a contemplative sister as she grows in her “love relationship” with her Divine Spouse!

A vocation to the religious life is a pure and free gift from God to an individual. Why He chooses certain people and not others is in fact, a mystery; one which only our sweet Lord Himself can answer.

A young woman may find herself attracted to the life of a religious sister sometimes without really knowing why. When this happens, she may find a deeper desire to know God better; to form a deeper relationship with Him through daily personal prayer and especially through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the reception of Holy Communion.

A young woman may also discover that “something” is missing in her life, despite all the possessions she may have; all the friends and all the “good times.” This “something” may well be a desire to give herself more fully to God and then in the service of His people. She finds there is a real need to commit herself to Someone — a commitment that means sacrifice and consecration.

A young woman who is being called to religious life will find herself quite simply saying, “I'm falling in love with God”! This leads to another fantastic discovery — He is already in love with her!

How we began

Two Sisters, both from another Franciscan community, came to begin the Little Sisters in May of 1979. They came with few possessions and almost nothing financially, but with a lot of faith and hope; filled with joy and peace that this new beginning was blessed by God and brought about through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Sisters first lived in a sparsely furnished, six-room apartment on the second floor of a poor house in Mission Hill (Roxbury), MA. But, poverty was their desire and they placed all their trust in the Lord to provide for all of their needs whatever they might be. And so, through the generosity of many wonderful people, food, furniture, household goods and money were donated. The Lord indeed showed the Sisters that trusting in Him would not bring disappointment! In this humble beginning, “Lady Poverty” (so named by St. Francis) lived as a welcome guest, and joy was a constant companion.

Five years later, the Sisters moved from this first foundation, having discerned that the Lord was calling them to a deeper and fuller expression of the contemplative life than could be found in the city. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Sisters eventually moved to Danville, NH.

Who we are

Knowing that Our Lord was calling them to a life of contemplative prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, penance, silence and solitude, the Sisters took as their “Rule” one written by St. Francis for his first friars.

Thus, our day is spent in quiet personal prayer, solitude, communal prayer, sharing with one another, doing common household tasks and being available to God’s people in the faithful living out of our Consecration, as we share and bring His love and presence with and to others.

Qualifications: Single women in good physical and mental health. Those interested need to be comfortable in silence and solitude, and to have a good sense of humor.

Formation program: Pre-postulancy, which begins after two or three weeks as a "come & see" visitor, lasts three to six months. After that, postulancy is for six to nine months, novitiate is two years, temporary vows are for three to six years, and then perpetual vows are made.

Age range: 21 – 50.

If what you have just read resonates within your heart, call or write the Little Sisters.
Email Sister Deborah, o.s.f.
PO Box 478
Danville, NH 03819-0478
603-382-7490

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