Franziskanerinnen

What Franziskanerinnen does

Franziskanerinnen (full legal name: Kongregation der Franziskanerinnen Thuine e.V., trading as Thuiner Franziskanerinnen) is a Catholic religious congregation of papal right (Ordensgemeinschaft päpstlichen Rechtes) registered as a non-profit association in Germany. Founded on November 25, 1869, when Sister M. Anselma Bopp separated from the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Strasbourg to serve the poor in Thuine, the congregation today comprises approximately 837 sisters across 9 countries (Germany, Netherlands, Japan, USA, Brazil, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Albania, Italy), with the German Province St. Franziskus headquartered in Schwagstorf accounting for about 143 sisters across 24 locations (Niederlassungen).

The congregation operates an integrated portfolio of apostolic and charitable works rather than commercial products: elderly care homes (e.g., Schwesternaltenheim St. Anna housing approximately 55 elderly sisters, St. Franziskus-Haus Bad Iburg, St. Elisabeth Bad Soden), a hospital (Franziskus-Hospital Harderberg under Niels-Stensen-Kliniken), mother-child clinics (Sancta Maria Borkum, Maria Meeresstern Timmendorfer Strand), schools and youth services (Franz-von-Assisi-Schule Osnabrück, St. Joseph Kinder- und Jugendhaus Dingelstädt, Förderschule St. Franziskus), convents (Herz-Jesu-Kloster Handrup, Konvent St. Franziskus Neuzelle, Konvent St. Antonius Papenburg), guest houses for retreats (Haus Maria Regina Heede, Haus St. Agnes Thuine), and parish/social services including a warming station (Wärmestube) in Osnabrück. Spiritual services include perpetual adoration maintained for over 60 years, online prayer intention submissions, youth formation (Tau Time Franciscan Youth Prayer), and a novitiate (German and International) for vocational discernment.

The underlying technology is limited to a content-driven website, basic social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter), and an online prayer intentions form; there is no proprietary software platform, app, or API. The business model is non-commercial: the entity operates as a registered German non-profit, is not publicly traded, is not venture-backed, and receives no funding rounds. Funding derives from charitable donations (including a dedicated mission donation account at OLB Oldenburgische Landesbank), fees for care services within the German healthcare and social welfare system, and voluntary contributions. Governance is exercised through a Provincial Superior elected every six years — most recently in October 2025 — operating under canon law with the Vatican as ultimate spiritual authority.

Name

Franziskanerinnen

Legal name

Kongregation der Franziskanerinnen Thuine e. V.

Website

https://franziskanerinnen-schwagstorf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Franziskanerinnen (Thuiner Franziskanerinnen) is a Catholic religious congregation of papal right operating elderly care homes, hospitals, schools, mother-child clinics, and pastoral services across Germany and 8 other countries, serving vulnerable populations through ~837 sisters and 24 German locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Social Care Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (62311), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursing Homes (Non-SNF) (HLAFAFAC), Long-Term Care Nursing Homes (Custodial LTC) (HLADADAB), Faith-Based & Nonprofit Hospital Systems (HLAFAAAE), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Religious congregation services
• Elderly care services
• Youth faith formation
• Guest house retreats
• Missionary outreach work

Headquarters

HQ city

Schwagstorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Social Care Services: The order operates various social care facilities including old age care homes, children's homes, schools, and hospitals. Revenue from these facilities supports the congregation's operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Franziskanerinnen Schwagstorf (German Province St. Franziskus of the Thuiner Franziskanerinnen) operates apostolic and social-care institutions including elderly nursing homes, mother-child clinics, schools, children's and youth homes, hospitals, and guest houses, alongside spiritual formation services such as perpetual adoration, prayer intention submissions, vocational discernment support for women considering religious life, youth faith-formation programs (Tau Time), and missionary work abroad. All services are delivered by Catholic sisters as part of the congregation's charitable mission under the Diocese of Osnabrück.

Product overview

Franziskanerinnen (Thuiner Franziskanerinnen) is a Catholic religious congregation offering spiritual services, social care, and educational programs. The organization operates elderly care homes, youth faith formation programs, guest houses for retreat and contemplation, missionary work, and maintains an extensive informational portal about Holy Land pilgrimage sites. Their services are grounded in Franciscan spirituality and the charism of Mother M. Anselma Bopp, focusing on caring for those in need while sharing the Catholic faith.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elderly Care Services
• Youth and Young Adult Programs
• Guest Houses
• Prayer Intentions Service
• Mission Work
• Holy Land Information Portal
• Mother-Child Clinics
• Hospital Services (Franziskus-Hospital Harderberg)
• School and Educational Services
• Novitiate and Vocational Formation
• Parish and Pastoral Services

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bistum Osnabrück (Diocese of Osnabrück)coreOthersThe congregation operates within the Diocese of Osnabrück and has historically received guidance and support from bishops of Osnabrück, including Bishop Johannes Heinrich Beckmann who played a key role in the founding of the congregation. The order's work is closely aligned with diocesan pastoral priorities.
• Bischöfliches Priesterseminar OsnabrückminorOthersSisters from the congregation serve within the Priesterseminar in Osnabrück as part of their apostolic work in pastoral services.
• OLB Oldenburgische Landesbank AGminorOthersThe order maintains a mission donation bank account at OLB Oldenburgische Landesbank AG (IBAN: DE88 2802 0050 6162 8533 00) for processing donations designated for missionary work.
• Thuiner Franziskanerinnen Generalat (Thuine Motherhouse)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe German Province St. Franziskus is one of several provinces under the General Motherhouse in Thuine, Germany. The Generalat provides overall governance, formation programs, and coordinates international activities across 9 countries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Malteser Deutschland: German branch of the Sovereign Order of Malta, operating hospitals, ambulatory care, nursing services, and emergency response; directly comparable as a Catholic faith-based provider of healthcare and social services across Germany.
• Barmherzige Brüder (Order of St. John of God): Catholic religious order operating hospitals and care facilities across the German-speaking world; comparable faith-based healthcare and social services operator with analogous institutional structure.
• Schwestern vom Heiligen Kreuz (Menzingen): Catholic religious congregation of sisters running schools, nursing homes, and social services in German-speaking regions — closely comparable as a female religious order with overlapping apostolic works.
• Vinzenz von Paul Gemeinnützige GmbH (Vinzentiner): Catholic religious congregation operating hospitals, nursing facilities, and social services in Germany — directly comparable as another Catholic religious order running similar institutional apostolates.

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Deutschland: Umbrella organization of Protestant welfare services in Germany, encompassing thousands of nursing homes, hospitals, and social services — a directly comparable faith-based operating model to the Franziskanerinnen's German Province.
• Caritas Deutschland: The German Catholic welfare confederation and largest faith-based social services provider in Germany, operating hospitals, nursing homes, and social service facilities comparable to the Franziskanerinnen's apostolic portfolio.
• Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO): Major German welfare organization operating nursing homes, elderly care, and social services; comparable scale and operating footprint in the same German care sector.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe: Protestant/Christian humanitarian organization operating nursing homes, hospitals, and social services in Germany; comparable as a faith-affiliated welfare organization with nursing and care operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Pontifex_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/594830223923006
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/franziskanerinnen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Franziskanerinnen