Welcome to the world of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi 

A hundred years of grace! A heritage to share… A challenge to embrace!

Founded in Lyon in 1838 by Anne Rollet, a simple silk worker, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi arrived in Canada on October 22, 1904, driven out of France by persecution that forced many religious communities into exile in order to survive.

First established in Beauceville, the four pioneers were to run a hospital, but many difficulties led them to respond instead to requests from several parishes that wanted sisters to staff their schools. As early as 1907, a novitiate opened on the heights of Vallée-Jonction, and the convent named Mont-Jeanne-d’Arc became the cradle of the Congregation in Quebec. It was later turned into a boarding school where young boys received pre-classical training, before becoming once again a house for retreats, sessions, and various gatherings.

Foundress Anne Rollet, 1788–1855 

After difficult beginnings and many trials, the sisters, whose courage matched their faith, were authorized to build a hospital in Quebec City. Construction began in 1912 and was completed on August 10, 1914. It was named St. Francis of Assisi Hospital and was dedicated to caring for mothers and newborns, a service that did not exist at the time for the francophone population of Quebec. However, the war changed the original plans, and 35 of its 60 beds were reserved for soldiers stationed in Valcartier. The hospital gradually expanded and became highly versatile by the time it was handed over to the government in 1973. Other environments also benefited from the sisters’ dedication: hospitals and care homes flourished over the course of the century, responding to the needs of the time, needs to which the Congregation always sought to remain attentive.

The founding sisters in Canada, October 1904: Mother Gertrude, Mother Saint-Rémi, Mother Edwige, Mother M. Laurentine, Sister Emilienne 

At the same time, schools quickly multiplied across the province, and countless parishes benefited from the education provided by the Congregation. In 1926, the Sainte-Marie-des-Anges Convent in Charlesbourg became home to the new novitiate, a boarding school for girls, a family institute, and, in the 1950s, a teachers’ training school, as well as a residence for elderly women. Today, it is the seat of the provincial administration. In addition, the Notre-Dame de Roc-Amadour Institute, later replaced by the college of the same name affiliated with Université Laval, offered a classical education from 1940 to 1967, when it was sold to the Quebec City school board.

Today, because of their age and the social changes of recent decades, the sisters have gradually stepped away from their traditional works and seek to respond to the needs of the Church and society according to their charisms and the calls they receive. They live in modest settings, striving to promote the values of simplicity, conversion, poverty, and contemplation that are at the heart of Franciscan spirituality. As a sign of new times, one sister’s inspiration gave rise to the flourishing movement Brebis de Jésus (“Sheep of Jesus”), which has seen remarkable growth both in Canada and abroad. Evangelized by young people trained by committed leaders, other young people in turn become a source of great joy and bearers of hope in a world searching for strong and lasting spiritual values.

Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, do we not have every reason to be proud of our history and to give thanks to the God of tenderness who has led us to this day when we celebrate one hundred years of grace? Yes, we have a beautiful heritage to share, and ahead of us, many challenges to embrace!

To preserve the memory of those who built our congregation in Canada, one of our sisters, Lise Jacob, has written down the events that shaped our history in this country. “Praise Be to You, Lord, for My Sisters the Seasons” is a four-part work reflecting the seasons of nature and of life. Following Anne Rollet, twelve superior generals have led the Institute. The chapters of the book highlight the influence of these women, whose personalities have marked the life of the congregation. Page after page, we see again the beloved faces of the sisters who served in parishes, villages, and cities, leaving their mark. Throughout, we find the founding spirit and charism: a work worthy of a remarkable journey.

A living history

Since 2004, the centenary year of the arrival of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi of Lyon in Canada, life has continued with its ups and downs. Seven years later, in 2011, because of the lack of new members and the many deaths due to old age and illness, it was no longer possible to remain in the Mother House, which had become too large for the small number of sisters still living there. The community had to find a more suitable place, better adapted to their living conditions and health. For some time, they had been preparing mentally, spiritually, and practically to leave this place filled with memories—a painful letting go, yet sustained by the hope of living differently elsewhere, in a place still unknown.

Maison Sainte-Marie-des-Anges, Charlesbourg, 1926–2011

As early as 2008, in anticipation of a possible move, the 270 sisters buried in the community cemetery were exhumed and transferred to Saint-Charles Cemetery in Quebec City, where they now rest in peace.

Community monument at Saint-Charles Cemetery

Thus, from February 7 to 9, 2011, 62 sisters left the Mother House and moved into their new residence, Maison Beauport, a private seniors’ residence owned by Groupe Santé Sedna (now Groupe Valéo). Some were welcomed into the infirmary, a unit specially designed for people who were ill, disabled, or no longer autonomous; others moved to the second floor reserved for the more independent sisters. From the beginning, a few lay people joined them, and later two other communities settled there as well, all living increasingly alongside lay residents. Gradually, the sisters adapted to their new reality and now feel at home, with a daily rhythm shaped by religious life and a different form of apostolic living. They feel safe in a peaceful environment that responds to their individual needs.

Maison Beauport. Beauport, Quebec 2011

In 2013, a developer acquired the Sainte-Marie-des-Anges building, which had been vacant for two years. His project never materialized, and the property was sold to a new developer, who quickly began to develop the beautiful site. Now, in 2026, the building is set to be demolished, taking with it an entire chapter of history and making way for new construction where future generations will, in turn, live out their dreams.

Such is life.

As one thing ends, another begins, and the cycle continues…

Marie Dandurand, s.f.a.