Franciscan Sisters of the Poor

What Franciscan Sisters of the Poor does

The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor (Suore Francescane dei Poveri) is a Catholic religious congregation of approximately 32 vowed sisters, founded in 1855 in Germany by Frances Schervier — subsequently beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1974 — and currently governed from its Generalate (Casa generalizia) in Rome, Italy. The congregation is a non-profit institute of pontifical right; it owns no commercial entities, raises no investment capital, and holds no patents. Its only "product" is consecrated religious life and the social-spiritual services that flow from it.

The congregation's operating model is direct missionary service delivery across five countries — the United States, Italy, Brazil, Senegal, and the Philippines — through community centers, parish ministries, healthcare facilities, and education programs. Its portfolio of ministries covers care for the poor, women's empowerment, human and spiritual growth, education, youth formation, environmental stewardship ("care for creation"), and protection of minors and vulnerable adults. Specific interventions cited in the data include prison ministry with art therapy, support for migrants in Italy, and a single social center in Rome serving approximately 80 people. The congregation does not sell products or services and is funded entirely through donations, charitable contributions, and support from benefactors.

Distribution and outreach occur through a multilingual website (English, French, Italian, Portuguese), a Flickr photo archive, a YouTube channel, a podcast, and a prayer request service. A tightly coupled ecosystem of related Franciscan organizations — the Schervier Orden in Germany, the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis, Franciscan Ministries, Francescane con i Poveri ETS, and SFP-USA — shares the same charism and reinforces cross-border ministry coordination. The congregation is led by Congregational Minister Sr. Wilma Molinari, elected at the September 2024 General Chapter in Lourdes alongside three Counselors for a five-year term.

Name

Franciscan Sisters of the Poor

Legal name

Franciscan Sisters of the Poor

Website

https://franciscansisters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1855

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor is a Catholic non-profit religious congregation of ~32 vowed sisters founded in 1855, operating mission and charitable ministries across five countries (USA, Italy, Brazil, Senegal, Philippines) and funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Charitable Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

Keywords

• Religious congregation services
• Charitable social services
• Catholic religious order
• Spiritual formation programs
• Humanitarian mission services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor is a Catholic religious congregation that provides charitable social and spiritual services to the poor, women, youth, migrants, prisoners, and marginalized communities across five countries (USA, Italy, Brazil, Senegal, Philippines). Its ministries encompass direct care for the poor, women's empowerment programs, education, youth formation, human and spiritual growth, environmental stewardship (care for creation), and protection of minors and vulnerable adults. The congregation does not sell products or services; its operations are funded through donations and benefactor support.

Product overview

Franciscan Sisters of the Poor is a religious congregation, not a technology company. The organization does not offer technology products or services. Their ministry encompasses spiritual and social services including Care for the Poor, Women's Empowerment, Human and Spiritual Growth, Education, Youth Programs, Care for Creation, and Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults. They operate through community life, evangelical vows, formation programs, and associate partnerships across their global presence in USA, Italy, Brazil, Senegal, and Philippines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Presence in 5 countries (USA, Italy, Brazil, Senegal, Philippines)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis (Schervier Orden)coreOthersPart of the same Franciscan religious family, founded by the same charism of Blessed Francesca Schervier. Website: www.schervier-orden.de
• Brother of the Poor of St. FranciscoreOthersMale branch of the same religious family following the charism of Mother Francesca Schervier. Website: brothersofthepoor.org
• Franciscan MinistriescoreOthersRelated organization advancing the Franciscan mission. Website: franciscanministriesinc.org
• Franciscans with the Poor ETS (Francescane con i Poveri)coreOthersItalian lay Franciscan association sharing the charism of caring for the poor. Website: francescaneconipoveri.org
• SFP – US (Franciscan Sisters of the Poor USA)coreOthersAmerican branch of the congregation with presence in Cincinnati, Ohio and other US locations. Website: franciscansistersofthepoor.org

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Missionaries of Charity: Catholic religious congregation of sisters serving the poorest of the poor through hospices, orphanages, and shelters worldwide. Comparable in mission focus (care for marginalized), donation-funded model, and multi-country presence.
• Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis (Schervier Orden): The German branch of the same congregation founded by Mother Frances Schervier; shares identical charism, history, and mission focus on serving the poor. Directly comparable in size, geography, and ministry profile.
• Sisters of Mercy: An international Catholic congregation of women religious engaged in healthcare, education, and social justice ministries. Comparable in structure (international religious congregation), mission breadth (health, education, social services), and donation-supported model.
• Little Sisters of the Poor: A Catholic congregation of women religious dedicated to serving the elderly poor across multiple countries. Highly comparable to the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in mission (care for the poor), structure (religious congregation with international houses), and funding model (donations).
• Franciscan Ministries: A related Franciscan organization advancing the mission of serving the poor and marginalized, especially in healthcare. Directly comparable as a partner organization sharing the Franciscan charism and charitable focus.
• Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul: One of the largest Catholic congregations of sisters, serving the poor through hospitals, schools, and social services internationally. Comparable as a Catholic women's religious order focused on service to the poor and marginalized with diversified ministries.
• Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis: The male religious congregation sharing the Schervier charism; operates in parallel ministries for the poor. Directly comparable as a co-branch of the same Franciscan family with identical founding mission.
• Congregation of the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus: An international Catholic congregation of sisters dedicated to caring for the poor, the sick, and children, with hospitals, schools, and orphanages in many countries. Comparable in mission ('sisters of the poor'), structure, and global reach.
• Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph: Catholic women's religious congregation operating schools, hospitals, and social service agencies. Comparable as an international Catholic sisterhood serving the poor through diversified ministries funded primarily by donations.

Broad incumbents

• Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception: A larger Franciscan congregation engaged in healthcare, education, and parish ministry. Comparable as part of the broader Franciscan family with a focus on service to the poor, though operating at a meaningfully larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@franciscansistersofthepoor9622
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/franciscan-sisters-of-the-poor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Franciscan Sisters of the Poor