Our History
The Short History of The Franciscan Sisters of Siessen in South Africa
1932: Foundations in Africa
On the 7th of September 1932, our first six Sisters arrived in South Africa from Germany. They responded to the call of Bishop HJ Meysing OMI, who later became the first Archbishop of Bloemfontein.
Soon they were joined by more Sisters from overseas who courageously tried to live their Franciscan Charism on African soil, witnessing the service of God and His people.
There were repeated requests for the Sisters to work abroad.
The Congregation had rejected this, pointing out that the forces were
needed in Germany.
It took the mission-enthusiastic Superior General M. Gertrudis Bosch and
difficult external circumstances for the Congregation to decide to take the
plunge in response to the request from South Africa. In 1932, the first Sisters
left for South Africa, and in 1936, the first Sisters left for Brazil.
The Mission at Assisi
In 1943, the congregation succeeded in acquiring a farm to serve as a livelihood and home, which the sisters named Assisi. Here, they opened a mission school, a hospital ward, and a maternity home.
Our Franciscan vocation is based on the living of the Gospel. We strive to build on what was solid in the past to ensure a bright future based on devotion, obedience, poverty, and chastity.
“The history of the Sisters in the Free State is closely linked with the history of the Church in the area.”
Worldwide Congregation
Germany (1854) • South Africa (1932) • Brazil (1936) • Italy (1987) • Sweden (2010)
A Growing Community
Great was the joy when the first African sisters were received in 1952. Since then, our Community has enjoyed a steady flow of young African ladies. Today, our sisters come from many different nationalities, primarily from South Africa and Lesotho. The beginning in South Africa was not without obstacles either. For a period of introduction to missionary work, the Sisters came to Mafikeng and Taung in the Diocese of Kimberley and also to the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Aliwal North. In search of their own mission station, the sisters had to move several times, even to Botswana, until they were finally able to acquire Fort Savage Farm, which is now called Assisi Mission and is located in the Archdiocese of Bloemfontein.
On October 19, 1952, our community took even deeper root in South Africa with the consecration of the first four novices.