Our Ministries

The Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, extend their mission of “living the Gospel of joyful servanthood among all people” through sponsored ministries that include:

Sylvania Franciscan Health (SFH)

The healthcare ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, began in 1918 and significantly expanded
in the mid 1970’s. Continued growth and increasing complexity in the healthcare industry prompted
a reorganization. In 1984, Sylvania Franciscan Health (SFH) was created and became the formal expression
of the sponsored health and human services ministry of the Sylvania Franciscans.

SFH member organizations are located in Ohio, Texas, and Kentucky, and include six hospitals, seven long-term
care facilities, four assisted living facilities, independent senior housing, a counseling center, and a long-term
shelter for victims of domestic violence.

For more information visit http://www.sylvaniafranciscanhealth.org/ 

Lourdes University

Lourdes University, founded in 1958, is a private, four-year educational institution of professional studies and the
arts and sciences, providing a values-centered education in a caring and supportive community. Over 2,500 students
are enrolled in programs such as Business, Education, Environmental Science, Nursing, Social Work, Criminal
Justice and the Arts and Sciences. In addition to undergraduate and pre-professional programs, Lourdes
University offers Master degrees in Education, Organizational Leadership, Theological Studies, and Nursing through
its School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Lourdes Community Outreach Programs include: The Appold Planetarium, the Lifelong Learning Program, the Life
Lab, and Theater Vision. In addition, the College serves as a resource for the region in educational institutions.
Lourdes University is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio.  

For more information visit http://www.lourdes.edu/

Franciscan Academy of Lourdes University

Originally known as the St. Francis Education Center, this pre kindergarten through eighth grade was opened in
1973 on the Motherhouse grounds. The school operates as a private Catholic school and moved to its
current location adjacent to the Motherhouse grounds in 2002.  

For more information visit http://www.franciscanacademy.org/

Franciscan Center of Lourdes University

The Franciscan Center is a full-service, state-of-the-art theater and conference center located on the Franciscan
Campus in Sylvania, Ohio.

The Center features a full service theater which seats 850 patrons and is capable of hosting a fully-staged and
technically challenging performance or a simple lecture event. It also features smaller conference rooms
seating anywhere from 15 to 200, a gymnasium and a beautiful Commons which is often used for dinners,
banquets, style shows, wedding receptions, and a multitude of special events.  

For more information visit http://www.franciscancenter.org/