Day 102 -- Blessed Mary Frances Schervier

When there is not a saint on the liturgical calendar to celebrate, I seem to be drawn to women who lived closer to my time. Blessed Mary Frances Schervier was born January 3, 1819 in Aachen, Germany (my Grama's birthday is January 3). I am inspired about those who hear the voice of the Lord and respond....they are so courageous!

After the death of her mother and two older sisters from tuberculosis, Blessed Mary Frances had to run the household. She had a reputation for generosity to the poor. In 1844 she became a Secular Franciscan and a year later she and four companions established a religious community devoted to caring for the poor. This group, Sisters of the Poor of Saint Francis, approved by their bishop on July 2, 1851.

They established their first community in the United States in 1858 and Mother Frances visited in 1863. Her sisters were helping wounded soldiers from the Civil War. She visited the USA again five years later and encouraged Philip Hoever in his establishment of the Brothers of the Poor of Saint Francis, and they oversaw the foundation of several hospitals.

Mother Frances was cured of asthma when she made a pilgrimage to the healing waters of Lourdes in 1870. When Mother Frances died on December 14, 1876, there were 2,500 members of her community worldwide and their numbers continue to grow as they open and operate hospitals and homes for the aged.

She was beatified in 1974 by Pope Paul VI and awaits canonization.


"You are my friends if you do what I command you.... I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another." (John 15:14,17) If we do this faithfully and zealously, we will experience the truth of the words of our father Saint Francis who says that love lightens all difficulties and sweetens all bitterness. We will likewise partake of the blessing which Saint Francis promised to all his children, both present and future, after having admonished them to love one another even as he had loved them and continues to love them.
-Mother Frances, writing to her sisters in 1868