6.11 The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. We do this quite often, visiting a church or cathedral, today would be no exception. This year, more than any other we’d enjoyed together, we were made to realize that every day is a gift from Him and as such we should find venues that reflect our thanks for his giving us another day to enjoy.


6.11 The Franciscan Sisters are part of the Franciscan orders of priests, sisters and laity. It’s a big complex and at present fifty nuns, of all ages, reside at the convent. It is also their corporate headquarters. The building above also goes back almost equally as long.
This is the reception hall. You’ll notice Tom is absent, he had a Doctor’s appointment to  attend. Within a few minutes we were greeted by Sister Sarah. She was totally knowledgeable of everything in the building and its history. In the bottom picture is a statue of St. Michael. In 1923 and fire threatened to destroy the entire the St. Rose Convent, one sister died. The Statue of St. Michael was to guard and protect the  sacred chapels at this end of the convent. Even thought the fire destroyed the entire west wing of the facility and fire abruptly stopped when it approached the St. Michael statue.  The Angel Gabriel is represented here was the angel that appeared to Mary way back in the beginnings. 

Sister Sarah talking to Carla. The pews and stations of the cross were all done by local artisans in Lacrosse, WI. That also includes all the wood furnishings like the pulpits. All the windows in the chapels are stain glass. They were imported from the Royal Bavarian Art Institute of Munich, Germany.

  Back in 1865 a promise was made by Mother Antonia Herb that a chapel would be constructed and that “perpetual adoration” would also be promised. Since the completion of the original chapel and least two Franciscan Sisters have prayed in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament since 1878. 

The congregation, back in the late 1800’s were not rich. However, to look closely at the construction you’d only wonder where the found and how could they afford all this marble. The truth is that they couldn’t. What you see is not Venetian Marble but rather concrete and plaster. Every square inch of the concrete was meticulously hand painted, walls and ceilings, to resemble marble.  

This is the back of the facility. I believe it forms a square with a privacy yard in the center.
There is just to much to talk about in this blog but click on the link below and visit the Web Site for this religious order.
Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration