In July, we offered swimming retreats for guests, using the nearby municipal outdoor swimming pool. In August, guests enjoyed a weekend of reading and relaxation at our motherhouse. On Assumption Day, the sisters attended a seminar on “Mary and Herbs.” At the end of August, our sisters and Koinonia members were at the monastery market, offering waffles and baking mixes to take home. In September, we took families to the zoo for a guided tour on “Animals of the Bible.” It was very interesting.

JPIC Themed evenings in fall 2025

1,700 years ago, in 325, the first Ecumenical Council took place in Nicaea in Asia Minor. There, different questions were discussed than today, such as who Jesus Christ was and what significance he has for our faith. This gave rise to our “Great Creed”. The Council Fathers also agreed on a date for Easter and laid the foundations that still unite all Christians today.

A young physicist told us about the life of stars, how stars are born, live, and die. She presented this knowledge in a fascinating and beautiful way for a non-scientific audience and also gave some spiritual insights into the stars.

Pilgrimage of the Canticle of Creation – September/October 2025

In September, the glass steles with the verses of the Canticle of Creation were erected at our pastoral association in Salzkotten. Eleven steles were painted by a young artist for a 54-kilometer pilgrimage cycle route. A QR code on the steles can be used to access reflections for adults and children on the elements, brotherhood, and responsibility for creation. We are very happy about this successful pastoral work and the good cooperation with the many volunteers and the city of Salzkotten.

The pilgrimage cycle route was officially inaugurated on October 4. The sun was slow to appear, but this did not dampen the spirits of the numerous visitors who had come to attend the service marking the inauguration of the pilgrimage cycle route to the Canticle of the Creation. On the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the realization of the project was celebrated, on which the Franciscan Sisters of Salzkotten had worked for over two and a half years together with the Salzkotten Pastoral Association and the Deanery of Büren-Delbrück, as well as around 40 contributors from all eleven parishes of the Pastoral Association. With the opening, an ambitious project that combines faith, nature, art, and exercise has become a reality.

The opening day began at 10 a.m. with a festive service in the mother house church of the Franciscan Sisters, followed by the blessing of the first artistically designed glass stele at the mother house. Later in the day, the steles on the Emmausweg and at the Salzkotten graduation tower were also blessed. A total of eleven glass steles, designed by artist Alina Kempf and manufactured by Glasmalerei Peters, mark the stations of the pilgrimage cycle route. Each stele is dedicated to a verse from the Canticle of the Creation.

“The Canticle of the Creation brings all of creation into our lives,” said Father Beisler, describing the poem. Francis places God, the creator of all things, at the center, added Sister M. Angela. “In his song, Francis embraces the entire world, the great cosmos – with the sun, moon, and stars, air, water, fire, and Mother Earth, who nourishes us, then the microcosm and humankind,” she explained. Francis recognized that “we, the creatures, have nothing of our own; everything comes from God, and we receive it in order to share it.”

The route symbol that guides the cycling pilgrims combines a Franciscan tau cross with the sun and a bicycle in a drop of water, framed by the earthy colors of brown and gold. The pilgrimage cycle route not only invites cyclists and pilgrims to discover the places and verses of the Canticle of the Creation, but can also contribute to regional revitalization. Visitors experience the beauty of the landscape, local churches and places, spiritual inspiration, and receive encouragement to pause and consciously engage with creation.

Religious Orders Day in Salzkotten – October 11, 2025

More than 150 sisters and brothers from different convents in the Archdiocese of Paderborn gathered at the mother house of the Franciscan Sisters in Salzkotten for this year’s Religious Orders Day. Under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope – in the midst of Creation,” the meeting took place against the backdrop of a special anniversary: 800 years ago, St. Francis of Assisi wrote his Canticle of the Creation, which to this day inspires many people to respect and preserve creation and all that exists as a gift from God. The day offers members of religious orders from the various communities of the archdiocese an opportunity for encounter, spiritual exchange, and inspiration.

The day began with a Eucharistic celebration. Auxiliary Bishop König addressed the declining membership numbers in the Catholic Church, especially among religious orders. He said that the secularization of society would continue. However, rising numbers of adult baptisms, for example, gave cause for hope. The visible witness of faith of religious Christians has a special significance in this regard. Something new is growing, and it is becoming clear that God is at work.

This was followed by a presentation on “800 Years of the Canticle of the Creation” and the new beginnings and paths taken by the Franciscan Sisters of Salzkotten, presented by Sr. M. Angela Benoit, Provincial Superior, and Sr. M. Alexandra Völzke. They showed how St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creation still gives hope today and points the way to a future that is sensitive to creation. Sister M. Angela and Sister M. Alexandra structured their presentation around the eleven stations of the pilgrimage cycle route, each of which corresponds to the verses of the Canticle of the Creation. The pilgrimage cycle route is one of the projects with which the Franciscan Sisters are promoting openness to the outside world and inviting people to join them. Francis was a pilgrim of hope who brought people closer to God. “We, too, have found people who said, ‘This appeals to us,’” reported Sr. M. Angela. When the mother house became emptier, the sisters decided to open the rooms and invite people in. Reports were given on the kindergarten, the Tau-Haus residential project, the diverse offerings of the Franciscan Spiritual Center, the cooperation with a high school, and several other successful initiatives.

In addition to creative activities such as hand lettering and painting or singing songs about creation, there were various workshops, e.g., tours of the mother house or a film about creation. The Religious Order Day ended with the vesper, once again demonstrating how vibrant, diverse, and forward-looking religious life in the Archdiocese of Paderborn is.

Those who are grieving can experience nature as a source of strength and comfort – October 18, 2025

Under the motto of St. Francis, “If it does you good, then come…”, the power of nature as a source of comfort can be experienced. Especially in the fall, when the days grow shorter and nature retreats, many who are grieving feel a particular heaviness. Farewells and new beginnings are palpable at this time of year. The aim of the workshop is to see this time as an opportunity and to experience nature as a mirror of one’s own feelings. Participants can expect a mixture of nature experiences, gentle movement, personal reflection, and exchange in a protected group setting.

Written by Sr. M. Alexandra Völzke FCJM