Frances Facts

January 3, 1819 Birth of Frances Schervier in Aachen, Germany.

February 22, 1832 Maria Louise Migeon Schervier, mother of Frances Schervier, dies in Aachen Germany

1841 Frances helps Curate Josef Istas set up a soup kitchen ("St. John's Kitchen") for the poor in her home parish of St. Paul's in Aachen.

May 26, 1843 After the untimely death of Fr. Istas, Frances takes on the leadership of St. John’s Kitchen.

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June 28, 1844 Frances Schervier becomes a member of the Secular Franciscan Third Order.

February 26, 1845 Death of Johann Heinrich Schervier, father of Frances Schervier

May 11, 1845 Founding of the Congregation on the Feast of Pentecost

October 4, 1845 Community life started. Ministries of the early Congregation in Aachen included visiting poor sick in their homes, organizing and working in soup kitchens, and the care of prostitutes and prisoners

February 2, 1849 Recluses (contemplative branch of the Sisters) established

July 2, 1851 Congregation officially confirmed by the Archbishop, Cardinal von Geissel

August 12, 1851 Investiture of the first 24 Sisters in Aachen, Germany

August 6, 1852 Motherhouse purchased in Kleinmarschierstrasse, Aachen

August 25, 1852 Perpetual vows professed by the first Sisters

September 16, 1853 State recognition of the congregation by Friedrich Wilhelm IV

September 8, 1858 First house established in Cincinnati, Ohio

June 16, 1863 Mother Frances’s first journey to the U.S.

April 14, 1868 Mother Frances’s second journey to the U.S.

May, 1870 Mother Frances is cured of asthma

July 22, 1870 Commendatory decree from the Holy See

December 14, 1876 Death of Mother Frances in Aachen, Germany

September 24, 1912 Beatification process initiated

May 8, 1934 Apostolic Process opened in Rome. Decree is issued for Introduction of the Cause of Frances Schervier, Tertiary of the Third Order of Saint Francis.

April 13, 1959 The Sisters become two congregations: the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor and the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis. These two congregations have deep connections today and sometimes call themselves the ‘Daughters of Mother Frances.’ Both Congregations are collaborating and praying as the Cause for Canonization moves forward.

January 30, 1969Pope Paul VI proclaims the “heroicity of the virtues” of Mother Frances and declares her “Venerable.”

October 18, 1972 Pope Paul VI, on appeal by Rev. Johannes Pohlschneider, Bishop of Aachen, grants an apostolic dispensation from the prescript contained in Canon 2117 of the Code of Canon Law, so that after a legally valid verification and full examination of only one miracle, the cause might pass to the next phase.

October 18, 1973 The “medically inexplicable” and sudden cure of Mr. Ludwig Braun from a life threatening pancreatic and intestinal ailment is recognized as the miracle necessary for the Beatification of Mother Frances. The decree recognizing the miracle is signed by Pope Paul VI.

April 28, 1974 Mother Frances Schervier is beatified in St. Peter’s, Rome, by Pope Paul VI. Beatification also means that Frances is now called “Blessed.”

March 1989 An unexplainable and sudden cure is experienced by Mr. Thomas Siemers, who had a massive brain hemorrhage. Three medical doctors have no scientific explanation and one says it was “divine intervention” and another says “somebody up there likes him.”

July 16, 2008 The Cause for Canonization of Blessed Frances Schervier is introduced in Rome by Sr. Tiziana Merletti, SFP, Congregational Minister of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor and Sr. Katharina Maria Finken, Superior General of the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis.

April 17, 2009 The Opening Session of the Diocesan Inquiry Process takes place in Cincinnati, Ohio to gather evidence on the cure of Mr. Thomas Siemers.

December 14, 2009 Closing Session of Diocesan Inquiry on December 14 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

March 17, 2010 The official documents from the Diocesan Inquiry in Cincinnati were opened in Rome.