Our Mission
Our Mission
To bring the healing presence of Christ
That is the prayer, hope, and service of Hospital Sisters of St.Francis.
Himeji Convent
Himeji Convent is also called the Main Convent (Mother House) because it belongs to the Provincial house.
Currently, about 80% of the sisters belonging to the Japan Province live a communal life based on a life of prayer here, and the healthy sisters serve in hospitals and nursing homes for the elderly.
1948
In 1948, the sisters, who had already made their vows in the U.S. and had come to Japan, lived in a large two-story wooden building (a Convent) on the grounds of the current Maria Hospital.
December 1949
In December 1949, an appeal was made to young women to come to Himeji if they wished to start an aspirant school.In response, six Japanese applicants were gathered: two from Tokyo, one from Himeji, and three from Nagasaki.
In parallel with this building, there was a one-story building which became the residence of the six of our Candidate-Students.
The candidate's residence also had a large hall on the east side that was used for various hospital-related events.
1951
Since 1951, initiation ceremonies have been held twice a year, in February and September.At its peak, the Convent had 23 enrollments.The Convent was formed by the sisters who had been trained in the novitiate and had taken vows, and the Convent gradually grew in size.
1963
In 1963, the Convent was moved to the fifth floor of the Maria Hospital in Himeji, where the auditorium on the second floor was the chapel.A new building, now called the former Himeji Convent, was built in conjunction with the hospital;
1965
The new Convent was completed in 1965,
1967
And life at the new Convent had begun in 1967.
2005
In 2005, on the occasion of the construction of the Cana Building of the hospital, it was relocated to the current new Convent, which is connected to the Retreat House.
Nagasaki Convent
In the hands of the Lord, and despite many changes,the sisters of Nagasaki Convent continue to pray and serve,trusting in the Lord and hoping to fulfill their mission as a community filled with humility and love.
1948
When the first two American sisters from China (Sister Clementia and Sister Polycarpa) visited Nagasaki in 1948, it was a burnt field with the traces of the atomic bomb had not healed again.
History, there was a Franciscan seminary in Komine Town before World War II.and during the war, foreign priests were taken away and Japanese Franciscan priests and friars were served as a tuberculosis sanatorium (Urakami Daiichi Hospital).
1949
In 1949, after it was transferred to our congregation, the sisters were able to live in the west end of the sanatorium as an extended Convent.The chapel was on the first floor, where Mass was celebrated with the Urakami belivers, and the Sisters lived on the second and third floors.
1963
In 1963, the name was changed from Tuberculosis Sanatorium to St. Francis Hospital.
1971
In 1971, a new hospital was built, and the fourth floor of the hospital became a converted and the sisters continued their religious life as Nagasaki Convent.Located on the 4th floor, the dining room at dusk when the sunset was beautiful was called Akane Cafeteria.
March 25 of the same year
On March 25 of the same year, the unveiling and consecration of the new Convent was held, and Fr. Seiichi Mimura, then head priest of Urakami Church, presided over the ceremony.The altar of the new Convent was made of cherry wood, and it was said that the color of the altar would change with the depth of prayer.
April 16 of the same year
On April 16, the first Mass was celebrated, officiated by new priest Teruyuki Ichinose, who was ordained that year.On that day, the beginning of prayer in a new place was quietly but powerfully marked.
1991
Back in 1991, another missionary Sr. Burnett, passed away in Himeji, ending her 42 years of missionary life.
The prayers of the missionary have been passed down to the present day.
May 2003
In May 2003, there was an official visit by the General Superior of our congregation,
June 5 of the same year
And on June 5, 2003, Sr. Angelista (born in Silesia, missioned from the German Province to the United States and then to Japan) returned to her home Province, the American Province, as a missionary from the United States after 54 years of missionary work.
October of the same year
The same year was the “Year of the Rosary,”and in October, all eight sisters of the Convent participated in a Rosary pilgrimage, deepening their faith and renewing the bonds of community.
2012
Earlier, we accepted Vietnamese Candidate-Students in Himeji, but due to the closure of the Japanese language school, we welcomed three Vietnamese Candidate-Students here for the first time in 2012.
2013
In 2013, there was the International Spiritual Renewal and Culture Exchange Program as an international congregation,and sisters from each province and dictions and districts visited Nagasaki,and in the same year, one of the Vietnamese sisters who professed her first vows began attending university here and has since graduated.
2025
In 2025, Nagasaki, which is blessed with an environment blessed many religious events, once again accepted student candidates from Vietnam,and two student Candidate-Students are currently attending a Japanese language school from here.
Encounter and Journey with the Vocation Mission in Vietnam (2004 〜 )
In 2004, I was on a train on my way home from the annual meeting of the “Franciscan Family Association and formation directors” held in Tokyo. Rev. R (from Vietnam), who was attending the meeting, said to me, "Several years ago, some Japanese religious congregations started vocation activities in Vietnam. Why don't you join us?" I immediately replied to his offer, please let me participate! I immediately responded,
Since then, I have met and parted with many young Vietnamese women who came to Japan with the intention of living a religious life in Japan.
Currently (2025), as a fruit of this vocation activity, we have been bleseed 6 perpeture vows, 7 temporary vows, and 2 Candidate-Studens.
2017
For a long time (more than 10 years), we did not have the opportunity to meet directly with the Franciscans in Vietnam, as our early activities were carried out under the guidance of Jesuit priests.However, guided in God's plan, we were finally given the opportunity to visit the Franciscan provincial house in Ho Chi Minh City and meet with the provincial superior during our 2017 vocation activity.Since then, there have been great developments under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and it is now.
July 6 2018
On July 6, 2018, we were able to have the House of Phansin, about a 10-minute walk from the Franciscan Provincial House,and we are now able to receive various cooperation and support as well as spiritual support.
Those who feel a vocation of the religious life and open the door to the House of Phanshin will stay for a short time and try to live in a community life and nurture their vocation, attending Mass, morning, noon, and evening prayers, rosary, etc.Those who wish to continue in the religious life will be accepted through the provincia superior of the Japan Province.While living in the community, they also started going to Japanese language school.
All of this is the fruit of the prayers of sisters who, wherever they are and whatever they are doing, persevere in offering “prayers for vocations” through the apostolate of prayer, and is the result of many years of supplication.Sisters in the Province, where the number of vocations has been declining significantly as an international congregation, have said with warm words, "We are praying for vocations in Japan.We have received warm words and promises of support from them, saying, “They are our sisters,” which gives us great joy and encouragement.
We will continue to pray together for the continued blessing of this work, believing that everything is in God's hands.
Novitiate (Himeji Second Convent)
St. Francis of Assisi called the small residence he inherited from the Benedictines as his first hermitage Porchuncula.We also use the name “Porchuncula Community" as the name of our Convent and strive to emulate the spirit of St. Francis.
1963
In 1963, construction was completed on the main building of the Maria Hospital, the Maria Pavilion, and the Convent was moved to its fifth floor.
1965
In 1965, the new Convent was completed,
1967
And in 1967, life at the new Convent began.
1968
The following year, 1968, novices were beginning their novitiate in Tokyo, but a priest commented that there was no religious community in Tokyo and that it would not be appropriate for the formation of novices.Therefore, in May of the same year, it was decided to returned to Himeji with the novices.
1995~2006
Later, from around 1995, it was decided to accept the Candidate-Studen from South Korea, and Vietnam from 2006, students from Vietnam.It has developed into the novitiate with an international member and continues to this day.
April 2010
While using a corner of a building on the same site, the novitiate started as formation community belonging to Himeji Convent, and in April 2010 became “Himeji Second Convent / Novitiate”.
If Your Heart Is Moved
to Live for Others
In your daily life, have you ever felt that you want to pray for someone or be close to them?
God may be quietly speaking to your heart.
If you have taken some interest in our life and mission, please take a look at our other pages.May the thoughts that grow within you be the beginning of God's call to you.
Overview of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis - Japan Province
| Name | Hospital Sisters of St.Francis Japan Province |
|---|---|
| Location | 〒670-0801 650 Nibuno Himeji-City Hyogo |
| Email address | |
| Foundation | 1948 |
