Our Ministry

The reverent, ordered and earnest offering of the corporate worship is the very heart of our community life. (Principles of the Society of St. Francis)

Our daily schedule is founded on our times of prayer. Each day starts with Morning Prayer.  After Morning Prayer we stay together in the chapel for 30 minutes of private quiet prayer/contemplation.  Tuesday through Friday this is followed by the Eucharist.  After our time of prayer in the morning, we have breakfast, often with guests who have joined us for Eucharist. 

Then we head off in various directions to work. Our Principles state: The active works by which we seek to serve our Master begin within the house and garden

So we work within the house (cooking, cleaning), gardening, shopping, or community office work

Outside the special works of service to the community itself there are many opportunities of  ministry, particularly to the uncared-for, the sick, the suffering and needy. (SSF Principles)

We also have outside ministries. Since the CSF Sisters came to the United States in 1974, we have engaged in many diverse ministries which have addressed the needs around us.  Currently we work with homeless people, people visiting loved ones who are suffering from life-threatening injuries and illness, and Open Cathedral which provides outdoor Eucharists for people who hesitate to  go inside a church.  We can be found working in our congregations — providing healing ministry, children’s ministry, music, preaching, lay reading and other ministry.  We help train and form deacons in their work of facilitating the social ministry of the church.

Our Principles state that we do not, indeed, expect ever to have at our disposal many funds for the administration of charitable relief, but we will gladly lend ourselves in the work of such relief and co-operate with others who are doing it.

Over the years we have partnered with a great variety of organizations which provide compassionate service.  We have many years of friendship and cooperative work with The Family Link, co-founded by Sr. Ruth, CSF. The Family Link has been offering support and accommodations for over 35 years to families visiting their loved ones in the hospital with life-threatening medical conditions.  We have a long-time relationship with Martin de Porres House of Hospitality.  “Martins” is a ministry in the Catholic Worker tradition which provides meals as well as other supports for homeless and hungry people.  The Care Through Touch Institute offers chair and foot massage to homeless and poor people at various social service agencies in inner city San Francisco. 

Much of our justice and peace work has involved the Episcopal Peace Fellowship,  the Franciscan Action Network, and local groups working for immigration and housing rights:  Faith in Action and The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.  We have supported the ongoing Interfaith Peace Vigil in front of the Federal Building for many years.

We also help support the ministry of SSF Third Order member Jean Isemba in Papua New Guinea who works to provide help for widows in her village who have no resources.

Certainly there is no shortage of work! However, we have spent the day, we gather together in the Evening. We have 30 minutes of individual prayer time — in the chapel, or in our rooms, or in the garden in whatever manner suits our spirituality.  Then we come together for Evening Prayer.  Finally comes dinner and clean-up followed by the service of Compline.  Evenings are free.