PEORIA, Ill. – OSF HealthCare is celebrating 150 years since the founding of The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, whose arrival in Peoria helped establish what would become one of the region’s largest healthcare systems.
The Sisters arrived in Peoria on October 28, 1876, beginning a legacy of faith, service and compassionate care that continues through OSF HealthCare today.
To mark the anniversary Wednesday, a private Mass of Thanksgiving was held in the Main Chapel of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria presided over the Mass, which recognized generations of Sisters and OSF employees who have carried the organization’s mission forward.
Sister Agnes Joseph Williams, Major Superior of The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis and chairperson of the OSF HealthCare Board of Directors, says the anniversary is an opportunity to remember the sacrifices made by the founding Sisters.
“The day makes us remember our founding Sisters and how they came from Germany to Iowa to Peoria, not knowing or having anything,” Williams said.
She says the Sisters’ commitment to serving others remains central to OSF HealthCare’s mission, even as the organization has grown and healthcare has changed over the past century and a half.
Williams also thanked OSF employees, known as Mission Partners, for continuing that work.
OSF HealthCare plans additional anniversary events and Masses across its regional ministries throughout the commemorative year.
The celebration follows two years of planning to recognize the Sisters’ history and their continued impact on the communities they serve.
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