Sisters of St. Francis

The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia are a community of Catholic women founded by Mother Frances Bachman through the instrumentality of Pope Pius IX and St. John Neumann in 1855. As a congregation, the Sisters of St. Francis choose to live the Gospel in the prophetic spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Seeking to participate in the Spirit’s action in the world, they direct their personal and corporate resources to the promotion of justice, peace and reconciliation. The Franciscan Community’s beginnings were spent in works of charity especially to the sick and poor of Philadelphia and in education. St. Rose of Lima was the first school mission of the order in New Jersey. The Sisters began their task of bringing the Word of God to the people of Freehold through the apostolate of Catholic education in 1878