The mission of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception is to make God's compassionate presence known. We are called to express this mission in all the circumstances of our life, but in none more than ministry. Our commitment to serve and to collaborate with the people of God in the Dioceses of Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, reveals itself through one of our communally chosen core values, "dedication to service and ministry". Through our ministry, we not only have the opportunity to live out our mission and utilize our gifts, but we also experience the growth and fulfillment that comes from serving others. We grow in compassion, deepen our relationship with God, and become more sensitive to other peoples' needs. We become more fully who we are meant to be in God's kingdom and have the privilege of assisting others to do the same.

Based on the needs of the times and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we serve God's people in a variety of ways: religious and primary education, campus ministry, pastoral care, cathedral ministry, prison ministry, social work, nursing, spiritual direction, massage therapy, child care, and internal ministry/community service. Through St. Joseph's Home of Springfield and St. Joseph's HomeCare of Peoria, we meet the needs of the elderly, a ministry that has been part of our congregation for over one hundred years. We also have sisters who minister to young adults through the Teens Encounter Christ program, guide future deacons and their wives in the diaconate program, and protect the rights of the unborn in the right-to-life ministry. In addition, we offer programs at our motherhouse such as our pre-kindergarten, adult literacy program, and Franciscan Spirituality and Resource Service, which offers a variety of services to nurture spiritual and personal growth. Finally, our retired and/or infirm sisters contribute their time and talents in many ways at the motherhouse and, most powerfully, by offering their prayers and sufferings for varied intentions. Our entire congregation considers the ministry of prayer a vital part of our vowed life and encourages people to make their prayer requests known.

Through a process of discernment and in collaboration with guidance from leadership, we choose our ministries based on our gifts and the needs of the diocese and/or our congregation. Because prayer and community life are also core values for us, our ministry allows us to regularly participate in prayer and daily Mass together, as well as community days, service, and activities. Our life together--in prayer, recreation, joys, and sorrows--continues to be one of our strongest witnesses to God's compassionate presence in our world

Sister Jean Marie talks about her ministry