Preserving the story and spirit of the Felician Sisters: bold educators, compassionate caregivers, and enduring champions of justice and joy.
Felician Sisters were called to action in the late 1800s, and they responded, building a legacy in education, health care, and many social services. Learn about the lives of sisters – the challenges of life in ministry, being missioned to faraway lands, and the joy of community.
Explore our extensive archives online or visit our archive on the lower level of the Felician Sisters of North America Heritage Center & Archives
On view through Nov 21, 2027
Learn about the miracle that led to the Beatification of Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska, the story of the banner depicting the Foundress that hung from St. Peter's Basilica, and about the steps leading to sainthood.
The Felician Sisters established eight regionally distinct provinces across North America, each home to numerous sisters, ministries, and missions which make up these collections. The 2009 unification into one province comprises a ninth collection.
Arriving in Wisconsin from Poland in 1874, Felician Sisters grew in numbers as they uplifted the Polish community. In Detroit for 30 years before settling in Livonia, this first Felician province continues to be a presence in Michigan.
Present as teachers in Buffalo since 1881, the second Felician province was founded in 1900. Sisters in Buffalo lived within the children's home they founded for 43 years before Villa Maria became their provincial home.
An explosion of growth led to the establishment of the third Felician province, founded in their Milwaukee children's home in 1910. By 1927, the Peterson Avenue motherhouse placed them nearer their expanding teaching ministry in Chicago.
Educators in New Jersey as early as 1897, Felician Sisters found a suitable location in Lodi to establish a fourth province in 1913. They opened an orphanage while 345 of the sisters taught in 42 schools across six states.
In 1921, Felician Sisters established a fifth province in Pittsburgh, where they had begun teaching in 1888. A temporary province in McKeesport served them until their Coraopolis motherhouse was built in 1932.
As early as 1892, sisters traveled from Detroit to teach in New England. The sixth Felician province was founded in Connecticut in 1932, as a base to serve the rapidly expanding needs in schools and social service ministries.
Founded in Oklahoma in 1953, the seventh Felician province oversaw territory west of the Mississippi River, with 16 schools and two hospitals across seven states. In 1976, the sisters relocated to Rio Rancho, central to ministries.
In 1937, sisters from the Buffalo province were missioned to Toronto to serve in the fields of social, religious, and educational ministry. As Canadian women joined the Congregation, the mission transitioned to become a province in 1988.
Leaders of the eight Felician provinces met in 1996 to discuss their futures. A 13-year reimagination of their community and governance ensued. The 2009 culmination of their efforts was the creation of one unified North American province.
Located on the Madonna University campus, the Heritage Center is located on the main floor of the Welcome Center. The Archive is on the bottom floor. The center also offers bright and open multipurpose spaces for conversation, reflection, and learning.
Plan your Visit
Our archivists can assist with research needs, online or onsite. Get an in-person look at our historic material in our Reading Room.
