A Letter from the SSMO Superior General
Dear Friends, Family, Sisters and Brothers,
We have entered into the holy season of Lent. This sacred time is marked by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent invites us into renewal: renewal of heart, renewal of faith, and renewal of our relationship with God and with one another. These 40 days before Easter are a precious gift. They offer us the space to pause, reflect, and prepare for the greatest feast of the Catholic Church year – the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord. This year, Easter will be celebrated on April 5, and our journey toward that joyful day started on Ash Wednesday.
March also holds special significance for the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. Each March we remember our foundresses and celebrate a milestone in our shared history. In 2026, we joyfully mark the 140th Anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. From their humble beginning in 1886, our first Sisters initiated our ministries in education and health care. However, first and foremost, they set the foundation for our lives being rooted in love of God. We strive to live spiritual and physical lives following the model of Mary, Mother of God: listening, trusting, and responding generously to God’s call.
Our SSMO Constitutions remind us that the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon “came into being as a community at the invitation of Archbishop William H. Gross, CSsR. Responding with courage and personal sacrifice to the call of Christ in the Church, our foundresses lived out their desire to become women of prayer, community, and service. In their spirit and following their example, we live as consecrated women in the Church.” These values continue to guide us today as we hope to carry on the foundresses’ legacy.
For 140 years, God has blessed the Sisters with the wisdom, courage, and faith of our foundresses. From them, we have learned to fall deeply in love with God and to surrender our lives to the Word of God. Their spirit invites us to pray: “Lord, I thank You for this moment to draw close to You. Open my mind and heart to Your presence and love. Reveal Your will to me and grant me strength.”
Throughout this anniversary year, the Sisters will celebrate and reflect on this rich heritage. You will notice new banners along St. Mary’s Drive and 148th Avenue on our campus, marking this joyful occasion. On March 3, Sr. Adele Marie Altenhofen offered a presentation highlighting our enduring legacy, “A Legacy of Joyful Service: Changing Times and Lasting Values of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon.” The month of March and the rest of the year will be marked by a few legacy-building moments that highlight our 140 years of joyful, prayerful service – including this special video announcement of our support for our school – Valley Catholic School.
We are deeply grateful for your continued support, prayers, and companionship on this sacred journey. May this Lenten season draw us all closer to God and renew our hope for the future.
With gratitude and peace,
Sister Michael Francine Duncan
Sr. Michael Francine Duncan
SSMO
Superior General
SSMO Leadership Team:
SSMO Superior General
SSMO Vicar General
SSMO General Councilor
SSMO General Councilor
These four Sisters were installed at a special Mass on Sunday, June 29 at 9 a.m. at the Sisters’ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel inside the SSMO Motherhouse. Visit ssmo.org/ssmo-announces-new-leadership-team/ to learn more about the Sisters’ elections and General Chapter Meetings.
