Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Lourdes

When Maria Catherine Moes (now known as Mother Alfred) was called to Minnesota in 1877, establishing a congregation had never crossed her mind. She had a rich history of leadership, however, even before she stepped foot in Rochester. She originally set sail in 1851 from Remich, Luxembourg, and first joined the Marianites of Holy Cross in Notre Dame, Indiana, in which she began her new life as a religious sister. In 1865, she founded the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Joliet in Joliet, Illinois. When Bishop Thomas Foley called for a new Mother General in 1876, Mother Alfred decided to leave the Congregation in Joliet, and moved around the Midwest, establishing schools and academies along the way, including an academy in Rochester, Minnesota. However, in 1877, there were some unfortunate disputes between Mother Alfred and Bishop Foley over finance regarding Rochester’s new academy. In the end, Bishop Foley ordered Mother Alfred and the other Sisters who had also moved to Rochester to separate from the Joliet Congregation.¹

Prompted by the separation, Mother Alfred and the other Sisters requested and were granted permission to establish the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rochester in 1878. The Sisters continued their work by establishing Saint Marys Hospital in 1889. 

Following these beginning years were the years of vision (1903 – 1928). Although the Rochester Franciscans have congregated together since the late 19th century, the Congregation received approbation as a papal Congregation in 1912. Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic, which was a separate entity from Saint Marys Hospital at the time, opened its doors. In the following decades, an increasing number of Sisters joined the Rochester Franciscans. This allowed for the years of expansion (1942 – 1964), in which more hospitals were constructed in Minnesota and Ohio. In 1955, the first group of Sisters moved into the new motherhouse – the current Assisi Heights. 

What followed, however, were the years of challenge (1965 – 1976). Many of these challenges came as a result of the major changes in religious life that went into effect after Vatican II. As a result, Sisters began leaving religious life. Additionally, the community saw a decrease in young women joining religious life. This led to the next set of years (1977 – 1999), centered on refocusing. It was in this period, namely in 1986, that Saint Marys Hospital and Mayo Clinic integrated.