Placing our individual gifts and talents in service of the needs of God’s people…

The Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio responded to God’s call to live the Gospel in joyful servanthood among all people through lives that reverence human dignity, embrace the poor and marginalized, and respect the gift of all creation.
Placing our individual gifts and talents in service of the needs of God’s people, we are engaged in such diverse ministries as education, healthcare, social services, religious education, media, law, art, parish and retirement ministries, and spiritual direction.
Sisters in Ministry
The Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio responded to God’s call to live the Gospel in joyful servanthood among all people through lives that reverence human dignity, embrace the poor and marginalized, and respect the gift of all creation.
Placing our individual gifts and talents in service of the needs of God’s people, we are engaged in such diverse ministries as education, healthcare, social services, religious education, media, law, art, parish and retirement ministries, and spiritual direction.
Our Sponsored Ministries
Sponsorship is the relationship within the Catholic Church that allows a Juridic Person (in our case, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis) to carry out the mission of Jesus. Sponsorship of an incorporated apostolic work involves both canonical and civil realities.
Sponsorship is the relationship between the religious congregation and a particular ministry.
- It is a commitment to share responsibility.
- It is a means for perpetuating the spirit and mission of the Church.
- It is a means for perpetuating the spirit and mission of the congregation.
Lourdes University
Rooted in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, Lourdes University offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 academic majors as well as graduate degrees in business, education, nursing, organizational leadership, social work, and theology. Community outreach programs include the Appold Planetarium, the Center for Science Education & the Environment, and Lifelong Learning.
Learn More About Lourdes University
- Lourdes University
6832 Convent Boulevard
Sylvania, OH 43560

Sylvania Franciscan Ministries
The Sylvania Franciscan ministries of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania are founded on the elements of the following core values:
- Reverence
- Service
- Community
- Stewardship
Our health and human services ministry is made up of the following entities.
Bethany House
Providing safe, long-term transitional shelter for victims of domestic abuse
Bethany House provides shelter and resources for victims of domestic abuse and their children to safely rebuild their lives. While most homeless shelters offer limited, short-term stays, Bethany House is the only organization in northwest Ohio to offer long-term, apartment style transitional shelter, combined with emotional, spiritual and financial support. Bethany House is also different because the programs are tailored to the unique situation of each individual.
Learn More About Bethany House
- Bethany House
P.O. Box 5930
Toledo, OH 43613
Our Lady of Grace Hall
24-hour skilled assisted living care
Opened in 2012, Our Lady of Grace Hall is an assisted-living facility connecting to Rosary Care Center, the skilled nursing home. The 17-unit, 10,000-square-foot, one story building offers services for the Sylvania Franciscans.
Learn More About Our Lady of Grace Hall
- 6832 Convent Blvd.
Sylvania, Ohio 43560
Convent Park Apartment
Senior living apartments
Built in 1988, Convent Park Apartments include 98 one and two-bedroom apartments on the edge of the Motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of St. Francis.
Learn More About Convent Park Apartments
- 6600 Convent Blvd
Sylvania, OH 43560
Rosary Care Center
24-hour skilled nursing care
Rosary Care Center is a 76-bed, licensed nursing home facility with Medicare and Medicaid certification and is accredited by The Joint Commission.
Rosary Care offers a holistic approach to short-term rehabilitation and long-term care, and respite care. This Catholic facility welcomes religious and members of the community.
The newly renovated building offers comfortable cheerful living spaces, a remarkable team of highly-qualified nurses and aides, an exceptional nutritional program and daily interactive activities such as music therapy, bingo, themed parties, musical performances, movies and prayer groups.
Learn More About Rosary Care Center
- 6832 Convent Blvd.
Sylvania, Ohio 43560
Sophia Center
Nurturing wellness in mind, body and heart.
The Sophia Center offers a full spectrum of therapeutic services by licensed therapists that provide an integrated and holistic approach to achieving inner health and well-being. The Sophia Center staff strives to help their clients heal and live life to its fullest despite any personal challenges they may face by providing a wide range of services from individual, group, marriage and family counseling. Psycho-educational and psychological testing along with educational consultation provides diagnosis and a realistic treatment plan for children through adults. To learn more, visit the Sophia website www.sophia.center
Learn More About The Sophia Center
- The Sophia Center
6832 Convent Blvd
Sylvania, OH 43560
Sisters of St. Francis and Catholic Health Initiatives –
Expanding Our Participation in Healthcare.
Catholic Health Initiatives
In 2014 the Sisters of St. Francis transferred sponsorship of Sylvania Franciscan Health, their health system ministry, to Catholic Health Initiatives, a Colorado-based health system that operates 98 hospitals in 18 states. The Sylvania Franciscans became the 13th participating religious congregation of CHI and will continue to influence healthcare in this new role.
Learn More About Catholic Health Initiatives
- 198 Inverness Drive West
Englewood, CO 80112