About Us
Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Mother of God
We are an active Congregation of women religious who are inspired by the Gospel and who want to devote themselves to the needs of the people around them, nearby and far away.
Our Congregation is called: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Mother of God. The official name in Latin is: Sororum Franciscalium ab Immaculata Conceptione a Beate Matre Dei. In several countries we are known as SFIC – the abbreviation of this name.
Who we are
We are the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Mother of God, founded in Veghel, The Netherlands on June 24, 1844. The Congregation was co-founded by Pastor Bernardinus Joannes van Miert and his niece, Sister Teresia van Miert. From the start their unique aim was the care of the needy in whom they recognized the suffering Jesus.
Sister Teresia van Miert was deeply moved by the needs of the times in which she lived. Steeped in the Gospel and in the life of St. Francis, she discovered ways to alleviate the sufferings of the people in her surroundings.
According to the tradition of the Congregation, the Sisters will give special attention to the underprivileged sectors of society.
Where we are
From the Netherlands, the Congregation expanded its mission boundaries in 1906 to Indonesia and in 1929 to the Philippines.
In 1987, the Thailand Mission was established to promote dialogue of life with our Buddhist sisters and brothers. To respond to the needs of migrant workers, the mission in Japan was founded in 1989.
The African Mission was established in Kenya in 1994 as a shared response to global concerns.
In 2008 the Congregation started with the pastoral work in Kamloops, Canada and with the care for the native population group “First Nation People”
You can find us in the cities and towns, in the barrios and villages, in the slums and in the hinterlands.
What we do
Our weekday and weekend gatherings take a lot of people to mak
We are in Pastoral Work which include Catechesis, Value Formation, Worship (Liturgy and Music), Formation of Lay Leaders, Organization of Basic Ecclesial Communities, and Corporal Works of Mercy.
We work with groups of farmers, migrant workers, fisherfolk, women, youth, children, indigenous people, urban and rural poor, and refugees: helping to organize them and facilitating welfare and development programs with them.
We are engaged in education work, both formal and non-formal. We manage hospitals, clinics and health centres as well as facilitate community-based health programs. We have special programs for lepers, the handicapped, tubercular patients, HIV/AIDS patients, and for the elderly.
We are involved in the promotion of justice, peace and integrity of creation, in the defense and advocacy of human rights, and in fostering solidarity and collaboration among peoples.
We engage in dialogue of life with all: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis – in the spirit of ecumenism, inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue.
The Eucharist, prayer and contemplation are integral to our daily life.