Aston, Pennsylvania – November 17, 2024 – On Sunday, November 17th, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of their foundress, Mother Francis Bachmann, with a stunning four-choir concert. The event, held at Our Lady of Angels Convent in Aston, Pennsylvania, brought together choirs from across the region in a powerful celebration of faith, music, and history.
The concert featured four choirs: the Church of the Holy Child and St. Helena’s Church from Wilmington, DE; the Neumann University Concert Chorale and Our Lady of Angels Chapel Choir from Aston, PA. In addition to the choral ensembles, the evening included musical performances by a brass quintet from the Delaware County Symphony Orchestra, harpist Margaret Love, violinist Barbara Jaffe, and soloist Demetria Bailey. The uplifting music was interwoven with reflective interludes that told the story of Mother Francis Bachmann’s inspiring life and legacy.
The concert paid tribute to Mother Francis, whose courage, vision, and unwavering faith continue to inspire the Sisters of St. Francis today. “Our story begins in Bavaria, the birthplace of the three founding women, with its people, politics, religious foundations, and social expressions—all of which had an influence on the 1855 origins of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia,” shared the narrator during one of the interludes. “Little would Mother Francis have known her humble beginnings in Bavaria would lead her to Philadelphia, where she would found a community that would flourish across the world.”
The evening’s narrative highlighted the early life of Maria Anna Boll (known as Anna), born in Wenigumstadt, Bavaria, on November 14, 1824. The story continued with her journey from widowhood to religious life, culminating in the founding of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, which would later branch off to sister communities in Syracuse, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh, and as far-flung as sisters serving in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Kenya, Brazil, and beyond.
“As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Mother Francis Bachmann, we reflect on the seeds of the Franciscan movement planted so deeply by Saints Francis and Clare in the 12th and 13th centuries,” the narrator continued. “The Franciscan charism found its home in Pennsylvania in 1855 and has since spread around the globe, touching lives wherever it is carried.”
The concert concluded with a moving performance by the entire ensemble of "O God beyond All Praising," by Gustav Holst, conducted by Dr. Richard Sayers of Neumann University. All 200 guests rose to their feet in a stirring show of unity, clapping and singing along in celebration of the life and legacy of Mother Francis.
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia invite the public to learn more about their rich history and global mission by visiting https://osfphila.org/about/our-history/.